Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has called a lot of people a lot of names, especially during his wrestling career, but he insists he did not call millennials “snowflakes.” The actor, wrestler, and all-around nice guy denied that an apparent interview with a UK news outlet ever happened after he was quoted as accusing people of being too sensitive.
On Friday, the UK news outlet Daily Star published an “exclusive” with Johnson, who was critical of people being too sensitive to the words of others. Johnson apparently used the term “snowflake” to describe millennials who are “looking for a reason to be offended.”
“People can be who they want, be with who they want, and live how they want.
“That can only be a good thing – but generation snowflake or, whatever you want to call them, are actually putting us backwards.”
The story circulated most of the day Friday, with conservative news outlets in particular relishing a major celebrity maligning a generation with the same tired narratives about progressive-minded people being too sensitive. But Friday evening, Johnson said on Instagram that the “exclusive” interview simply never happened.
“I can’t believe I have to do this again and set the record straight on something, but I’m happy to do it,” Johnson said. “Earlier today online an interview dropped with me — apparently with me. Where I was insulting and criticizing millennials. The interview never took place. Never happened. I never said any of those words. Completely untrue.”
Johnson says in a number of different ways just how much the interview never happened.
“One hundred percent never happened,” Johnson said, laughing. “I’ve gained such a great trust and equity with all of you guys all over the world over these years. And you know it’s not a real DJ interview if I’m ever insulting a group, a generation, or anyone. Because that’s not me. That’s not who I am. And that’s not what we do.”
Johnson finished with a message “to the millennials,” the “plurals” and even the baby boomers.
“The interview never happened,” Johnson said.
It’s a strange world we now live in where a story can circulate and a celebrity has to come out and say it simply never happened. If you trust Johnson at his word, Daily Star has a lot to explain. Because Johnson basically just said they published some seriously fake news.