HBO Max took their fair share of social media callouts this when it was reported that the streaming service gave a $20,000 donation to Exodus Cry, a Sacramento based religious group with an upsetting anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion history.
The donation was a part of the HBO Max's "20 Days of Kindness”, a generosity campaign promoting Melissa McCarthy’s upcoming film Superintelligence. While they also gave to Planned Parenthood, Make-A-Wish, Human Rights Campaign, Girls Who Code and The Trevor Project, it seems they didn't vet every group quite as well as they first thought.
Last night, the actress and comedian leading the film apologized for the donation.
“Hi there. It has come to our attention that our 20 Days of Kindness, which is something–a kindness up that we started to kind of shine a light on 20 great charities — had one in there that, there’s no other way to say it, we blew it," said McCarthy. "We made a mistake and we backed a charity that, upon proper vetting, stands for everything that we do not. So I want to thank everyone, on social media who said, ‘What are you doing? Are you sure you want to back this?’ Because the answer was no we do not.”
According to McCarthy, they've rescinded the donation. “We have pulled it. We are so incredibly grateful for you ringing the bell and helping us be better,” McCarthy apologized. “We’re sorry for our mistake. Oh boy, are we sorry for it. [I] can’t believe that we missed it. And that’s it. And I just want to say that I hope it doesn’t ding the other charities because they’re really doing some amazing things, and 20 Days of Kindness Is really meant to shine the light on all of those wonderful charities.
"So, let the kindness continue… and thank you. Thanks for the help, we really needed it.”
