In the past 24 hours, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons has been shouting from the rooftops that Tiger Woods is planning to make a large donation to the Haitian earthquake relief effort.
(Tweets were 20 hours ago and nothing from Tiger)
Simone Weichselbaum and Samuel Goldsmith of the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS then followed up with this on Simmons and Woods:
Tiger Woods is considering a $3 million donation that would send doctors and supplies to Haiti, rap icon Russell Simmons told the Daily News.
“Tiger Woods is working on sending a mobile hospital with 50 EMTs to go set up a triage,” Simmons said Wednesday night.
Simmons and representatives from Wyclef Jean’s Haitian relief organization Yele have asked Woods to support the effort. Simmons spokesman has been in touch with Woods managment team and they are “excited” about the idea.
“I am waiting to have the conversation [with Tiger] tomorrow morning,” Simmons’ spokesman Marcus Harris said. “I am hopeful that it is a yes.”
“I am just asking for his heart and his hand,” he said.
“Just to meet the needs of the people.”
So we’ve going to “Tiger is” to “Tiger is considering” helping out in the Haitian relief effort. Sounds a little like Simmons might’ve jumped the gun. Especially considering that Woods reps have been silent. If he was going to do such a thing, don’t you think they’d be trumpeting his good deed?
It’s more than a little presumptive for Simmons to come out and put Woods on the spot before he’s even talked to the golfer. Especially considering how Woods is trying to remain underground until he can figure out his marriage and career. (I know this is an extraordinary situation and Woods donating is a no-brainer.)
In the past few weeks, 99% of the reports on Woods have been bogus garbage. I want to believe that Simmons is telling the truth and that there is a good chance Woods will make a large donation to the Haitian relief effort, but I find it a little dubious that no one representating Woods has come forward.
That doesn’t mean something won’t happen soon, but it’s hard not to be cynical about everything coming out now about Woods that isn’t confirmed on the record by his representives.
All that said, I doubt that Simmons is doing this for a public relations stunt. At the very least he was duped by someone with incorrect intel. But for all I know, he’ll be proven dead-on and Woods will come through.
7:10 pm on January 14th, 2010
Sure, cause he’s all about the caring for others….. wtf.
7:47 pm on January 14th, 2010
Everyone knows that Tiger has done sooooo much
for others using his own money.
Unless of course you’re looking for a tip on the $4000
meal you spent 3 hours serving him
9:10 pm on January 14th, 2010
I actually do believe it. What better way to begin repairing your shattered image than to make an grand, yet anonymous gesture that is leaked by a friend to the media?
I think Tiger’s probably a good guy. He just wants to screw as many women as he can. His marriage aside… do you blame him?
11:19 pm on January 14th, 2010
Who cares, as long as it is real, does it matter who it is from, as long as it helps people, that is what counts, it could be from Jesper Parnevik for all I care, just get it done.
11:38 pm on January 14th, 2010
I’m getting tired of hearing about the “poor Haitians”. Remember back in the 80’s when the Haitians swam over her and started robbing, raping, and murdering citizens in Florida? And the Haitian government stayed silent? Not a peep.
They came over here, and abused everything and everybody. Thankfully, Florida passed the concealed carry law in 1987 to fend off the animals.
Haitians also contribute a large part to the Miami crime scene as well. So excuse me if I don’t weep for the voodoo worshipping animals.
Let them rot.
1:18 am on January 15th, 2010
I concur with Kitibo … if Tiger sends money to assist with this tragedy, then so be it … at least “something” decent will be done by this individual, regardless of the fact that his motives are likely self-serving … in life & death situations, help is to be welcomed from whichever quarter it may be offered …
4:07 am on January 15th, 2010
Hey Respect. You’re retarded.
11:45 am on January 15th, 2010
so far it sounds like an attempt to repair his public image by helping.
this is a major disaster and is all over the news, so the pubicity that tiger gets will be huge and positive.
but tiger needs to make it appear genuine and not a publicity stunt. that is why tiger’s camp is quiet and russell simmons is doing all the talking.
this helps make it look real and genuine, like tiger cares…..see, tiger is keeping a low profile yet his name and pictures will be all over the media and he will be portrayed as a savior…….
gotta love public relations people. their ability to “spin” is really a premeditated lie.
and by the way….the haitians are going through a real disaster, but too many of the people in that country are not…..nice……
haiti is a very corrupt and poor nation. in fact, it is one of the poorest nations in the world. they have had multiple coups and in the 90’s america almost had to invade the country because of this. fortunately, a peaceful deal was made and american marines were sent in with little violence. though shots were fired, it is remembered as a peaceful entrance into the country.
death squads known as Tonton Macoutes existed from the 50’s to mid 80’s as they were used to kill civilians and political opposition. i believe the family that ran the country was named duvalier.
basically, this is a poor country that has an ugly history. there are by no means innocent and corruption is significant. then again, isnt our country fairly corrupt as well? after-all, it seems not a month goes by without another story about a corrupt politician somewhere.
12:17 pm on January 15th, 2010
Simmons probably knew he was “considering” it and thought the tweet might pressure him into actually doing it, while being able to claim “whoops, I thought you alaready had decided”
12:37 pm on January 15th, 2010
Wow, I love anonymity, it allows racist, stupid comments, without cosigning your name to it. So it is within bounds to make a moral judgement by saying that people in Haiti are not nice? Mr. “Public Relations Bonanza”,how in the hell would you know, and what does a corrupt government have to do with helping innocent people who are suffering.
Respect, you are a racist and a moron. Hate to name call, but the lack of human empathy that I see these days is pretty grim. Pretty disturbing. I don’t care if it is Katrina, the floods in Iowa, Haiti, the Tsunami in Indonesia, if people suffer, what is wrong with helping them. i don’t recall Tiger asking you for money to send to Haiti. Jesus Christ.
1:54 pm on January 15th, 2010
yes?
2:20 pm on January 15th, 2010
JC, any thoughts on the matter?
3:00 pm on January 15th, 2010
If this is true, very kewl Tiger. If not, no big deal; there are many others stepping up to the plate.
I guess we’ll soon hear the truth. Personally, I think it’s very likely, since he does have a philanthropic past, and 3 mil isn’t much 2 him.
Respect and PRBFT: Well said Kitibo!
4:26 pm on January 15th, 2010
to kitibo, it would help if you would take the time to learn facts.
FIRST:::to cry racism when no racist remarks were made makes you sound like a baby. time to grow-up you child.
SECOND:::::those death squads were made up of blacks and controlled by black leaders in haiti….this is a fact and at no point did the blogger make any reference to race. so you assumed racism was involved in the comment which proves you are insecure and lie. you projected your feelings and thoughts on a blogger you know nothing about. you must be a unhappy person in life and unable to study history and learn how corrupt that gov’t was and still is.
you talk about moral judgement???DEATH SQUADS ARE BAD!!!! HAITI IS A CORRUPT NATION…….STUDY HISTORY!!!!!!!LEARN ABOUT THE COUNTRY FIRST BEFORE YOU CRY RACISM AND STUPID COMMENTS…..
THE CORRUPT GOV’T IS WHY SO MANY BUILDINGS COLLAPSED….THERE WERE BUILDING CODES NOT ENFORCED WHEN THEY WERE BUILT…….THE CORRUPT GOV’T IS WHY THERE IS NO INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP THEIR OWN PEOPLE. NO EMERGENCY SERVICES…..THEY HAVE NOTHING TO HELP THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THE LEADERS HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING FOR THE PEOPLE.
HEY KITIBO…..YOU ASK…..”what does a corrupt government have to do with helping innocent people who are suffering.”
the answer is EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!THE CORRUPT GOV’T TOOK FOR THEMSELVES IN ITS NEED FOR POWER AND LEFT NOTHING FOR THE PEOPLE…..LEARN ABOUT THE KILLING SQUADS YOU IDIOT!!!! LEARN HISTORY!!!!
THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WHAT I WROTE…..GROW UP YOU CHILD!!!!!!!! GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND LEARN HOW THE HAITI GOV’T HAS SCREWED THE PEOPLE AND WHY THERE ARE NOW GANGS ROAMING THE STREETS OF HAITI WITH MACHETES FIGHTING FOR FOOD AND WATER. LEARN ABOUT THE UN INVOLVEMENT TO ELIMINATE GANGS!!!
what is taking place in haiti sucks, there are a lot of innocent people suffering, but there are a lot of not so “nice” people in that country as well. haiti remains one of the kidnapping capitals of the world!!!! tourism is almost nonexistent in the country…medical care is considered below american standards and non-existent outside the capital….roads are mostly dirt and not in good condition.
5:26 pm on January 15th, 2010
So, you know, I don’t need to go to school, and I know the history of Haiti probably more than you know. That has nothing to do with relief efforts going on now, this is not Calculus so don’t go off on a tangent. I don’t give a rat’s ass about the government, and the corruption, the same could be said about New Orleans and Katrina. You should not make assumptions about me.
Why so sensitive about me talking about racist remarks, I did not direct them to you. Answer my question, what does the corruption of the government have to do with people reaching out trying to help? You did not answer the question. What you say about Haiti is correct, it is a poor country that has been raped by its political leaders especially Duvalier and the Tonton Macoutes. So, no need for me to go to school. But what does that have to do with providing relief to innocent people? I will ignore the name calling, but anyway. This is all meaningless anyway.
1:44 pm on January 16th, 2010
Pain and suffering is felt equally by all, regardless of colour, race or background. If you want to blame someone for Haiti’s state of affairs, then blame the French, who left a horrible legacy behind in this country.