Bobby is considering canceling Giving Tuesday because of the increasing criticism he's been receiving online.
He explained that the original idea came from his desire to avoid the negativity that often filled his direct messages and comments. To improve his experience with social media, he decided to dedicate Tuesdays to helping people financially and called the effort Giving Tuesday. The process is simple, asking people to send a short paragraph explaining their situation along with a Venmo account. Over time, he has helped a variety of people and thought it was overall positive. Recently, however, Bobby said the tone of the messages has changed. Many people have started criticizing the causes and individuals he chooses to support. One example involved someone questioning why he was not donating to an Ebola charity instead of helping individuals through Giving Tuesday.
Bobby emphasized that his intention was to focus on helping individuals directly. He and his wife already support larger organizations privately and that Giving Tuesday was never meant to replace those charitable efforts. Instead, he viewed it as a personal way to give back while creating a healthier relationship with social media. The rest of the show encouraged Bobby not to let the negative comments affect him. They pointed out that every cause is important to someone and that he should continue helping people in the way he chooses. Bobby shared that the criticism now makes up a significant portion of the messages he receives. The negativity has started to make him angry and has taken away from the enjoyment he originally found in Giving Tuesday. He also mentioned receiving messages from people upset that they were not selected for assistance.
The show joked about the possibility of a "Hateful Wednesday" following Giving Tuesday, but the conversation returned to Bobby's concern that the project was no longer creating the positive experience he intended. However, he plans to continue Giving Tuesday for at least one more week while he decides what changes, if any, should be made moving forward.