Nairobi News

American talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has come under attack after she shared a picture of her recent trip to Rwanda.

The picture posted on social media was criticised as ‘poverty porn’.

Poverty porn is a phrase associated with the use of graphic images of people starving, suffering from disease or living in wartime in order to elicit an emotional response from the viewer.

The talk show host, accompanied by her wife, have been sharing their experiences in Rwanda on Twitter.

Thank you to all of the amazing people I met on my trip, who helped make it so special. pic.twitter.com/w4sQop7yfR

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) June 4, 2018

The couple made a stopover in Nairobi on their way to Rwanda for the building of a permanent home for endangered gorillas of Rwanda by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

Here are some of the responses from people on Twitter.

Those against.

A trip to Africa is not complete without the trademark poverty porn photo op. https://t.co/RwDcupVcNC

— Bruce ?? (@ngwata_) June 5, 2018

Next time you visit, don’t come empty handed just to take pics, come with shoes or clothes for those kids..I know you have more than enough. Thank you.

— Miss Kyle?? (@KenyanOG_) June 5, 2018

U coulda taken pics in rich/tush neighbourhoods.

But no. U want to showcase africa as poor and impoverished

And they say u have sense o

— Mudi Bankz™ (@battousaii_) June 5, 2018

I’m starting to feel like phones or cameras should be banned when foreigners are visiting or going for peace keeping missions or voluntary work. ?

— Amadoda wonke aweWakanda Ngawami?????? (@Kofi_SiribosBae) June 5, 2018

So u ignored all the nice place n decide to upload a pic in the bush

— Magnificent Slim (@slitoreso) June 5, 2018

@TheEllenShow this is not okay

— AskMissEllen?? (@ellenmosole78) June 5, 2018

Next time you tour Africa, try also showing the world the other side. Not poverty and despair

— #TheNetwork254 (@DonVictorSimon) June 6, 2018

I love you Ellen, your show is very creative and interesting. But this picture,… You need to talk about it on your next show.

— 2X5! (@whytchik) June 5, 2018

Those who came to her defense.

You want @TheEllenShow to be fascinated by beautiful houses, cars, or environments in Africa when that’s what she wakes up and sleeps with daily back home in LA?
She can only be fascinated by things she doesn’t see on a regular!
Y’all should think!!!!

— FUNKYfied Aboki (@oluobededom) June 5, 2018

So these kids with no observable symptoms of nutritional deficiencies are described as poor… I can’t believe it.

— Rogue State (@AtikaBenjamin) June 6, 2018

What a fun-filled happy group. To the rest of you who can’t appreciate Ellen just hanging out with new friends…wherever they live and whatever the’re financial, ethnic, religious, race, sex, color, family dynamics. Enjoy your trip and the Experience!

— Kara DeNardo (@KaraDeNardo) June 5, 2018

Beautiful picture and look at those smiles on the kids faces. So pure and precious.

— Jackie A (@Jackie_Arkle) June 5, 2018

She didnt say this is Africa, you know.. She just met amazing people on her trip??

— COLLAN SANG ?? (@BoyCollan) June 5, 2018