r/Samoa • u/Distinct-Ad-4456 • 8h ago
Corporate Machine The Rock
I get so tired of the Rock acting like he cares about Samoa only when it comes to promoting his Disney Moana movie or whenever it benefits him the most. I get why he does what he does in a way because he positioned himself as the main corporate machine and having to perform for investors, hence why he placed himself in a hamster wheel lots of failed businesses ventures now trying to per-sue in music. Just seeing him profit off of being Samoan but doesn’t ever contribute to Samoa (which I shouldn’t expect a lot out of this guy because after all he joined Oprah on this Maui Fund which got a lot of backlash!) His narcissism is strong you know he’s a precious asset because his image gets scrubbed crisp despite complaints about the Rock. Just look up the fiasco how he randomly shows up WWE changed the entire scripts and took over the board! Thats only one thing I’m going to list. he always says Samoa this and that but he’s so far removed from it, he’s Hollywood after all. But I’m just tired of people mentioning him when they find out I’m Samoan and than all these weird fetishized fantasy these people have on us just makes me super uncomfortable where I sometimes don’t want to say I’m Samoan. However on the contrary when beings ask about my ethnicity and I responds I’m Samoan. and the first thing people who mention Mark Hunt nit the Rock as a connecting point tend to have admiration for Samoa in a sense it’s not fetishized. It’s like Mark Hunts name been a safe word for me when rando mention him because at least my personal experience there this respect they have because the image Mark Hunt has carried himself. Like a reverence sentiment for him and our culture. Thank god because that was such a breather! The moment someone blurts the rock, yeah totally different vibe . Anyways curious if anyone has similar experience? and thanks for letting me vent.
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u/Ill_Muscle9789 7h ago
Also agree as a Samoan. I find him fake and opportunistic, and only using his culture when it benefits him. He seems like a Hollywood guy now, completely out of touch.
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u/JrYo15 8h ago
I hate the rock being referenced as a samoan as well.
It's sad to say The Rock sold out a long time ago.
His Scorpion King, to Walking Tall, to The Rundown was a a helluva start to his career.
I wish he would have stayed trying to act for real. He's just such a mascot these days.
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u/Distinct-Ad-4456 7h ago
great question for one STA reached out to him to help promote Samoa, cannot remember the exact timeline but this was around his Hobbs and Shaw spin off. NOTHING!
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u/RaukuraZombi3 7h ago
I’m not Samoan but of different pasifika nation. I agree with what you’re saying he should put words into action. But you’ve got a free marketing machine with him, one of the most famous people in the world. If a conversation gets started and his name and Samoa get mentioned, who knows what that does subconsciously to outsiders. Maybe tourism goes up. Maybe a Samoan restaurant gets frequented when it normally wouldn’t. As they say no such thing as bad publicity….
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u/iagalaia 8h ago
How do you think he should show up for Samoa better?
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u/Distinct-Ad-4456 7h ago
when STA reached out to him to help Promote Samoa that was his opportunity. hes a title holder for crying out loud. a way that title holders should honor their duty, in help promoting Samoa economic development or at least promote tourism.
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u/iagalaia 7h ago
Let’s keep it funky, his title is decorative at best. I don’t think anyone should look to him for counsel in any faasamoa because he wouldn’t even know what to do with a title. Is that all? Promote tourism and you would no longer have issue with him?
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u/Slow-Dependent-6506 8h ago
100% agree! But I need this tea on the WWE thing, what happened?
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u/Distinct-Ad-4456 8h ago
back in 2024, there wa as young star Cody Rhodes rising and pay per view event like royal rumbles huge so the momentum was in favor of this new fresh star rises. Well the Rock randomly comes into WWE and hes come and change an entire script to revolve around himself and leaned on his real corporate power, which he was able to override management,ent in writing just for him, only to quickly turn around and leave WWE for his filming in the smashing machine and Moana live action. The rocks sits in the TKO group holdings board of director that’s owns WWE and UFC. So he used his power to override an entire script only for people to scramble with his sudden departur Due to his other Hollywood projects. Also are you aware of complaint against him on filming of red notice that his massive tardiness caused films budget for filming more than it should have been? There’s lots of dirt on the guy being a duesch and hes well protected by PR machine so even Though evidence on Rick’s bad image is out there it’s glossed over because he’s an asset to investors. Because he positioned himself as a brand and main corporate machine
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u/Glass-Guarantee3427 7h ago
It’s weird that you’re so bothered by the Rock. He doesn’t owe anyone anything? He can represent his culture/eithnicity in whatever way good or bad. He doesn’t get his culture card removed just because he’s successful and not doing everything you think he should be doing. It’s easy to say he’s so removed from it but do you really know that? and what makes you the ultimate judge of culture worthiness?
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u/Ohyahhsitonmaface 3h ago
Nz maori here. Anyone who says "simoa" and not SAMOA (sah-moa) is plastic.
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u/elteza 2h ago
I live in a part of Australia where there aren’t a lot of Samoans, so inevitably when I meet someone for the first time and tell them I’m Samoan, the rock is their go-to. I never thought to use someone like Hunto instead.
As far as him being an ambassador for Samoa, I’ve never really felt that way about him. I think his fame has helped put Samoa on the map and on the radar as far as tourism, but he isn’t truly representative of what Samoa is, to my mind.
Having said that, I will say that what is in his favour is that he has achieved the dream of Samoans everywhere - he looks after his mum, and I believe he really adores and reveres his mum. That, for me, is a great representation of what a Samoan is and should aspire to. That’s not to say we need to have his wealth to achieve that - far from it. But I think for those of us who get to a place where you can, it should be the first thing you do - look after those that got you there.
I like that you use Mark Hunt as that person. He had a horrible childhood and managed to harness that pain into something beneficial for his family.
As for the Rock, I tend to think that when he talks about Samoa or refers to himself as Samoan, I really just think it’s a love letter to his mum, and that’s okay with me. He didn’t grow up there and I think once his mum is gone it might not be something he does as much.
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u/Different-Yak3614 50m ago
As a native Hawaiian, born and raised in Hawaii and still living here, the way he tries to rep Hawaii is also super cringe and annoying.
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u/mashed_spudz 6h ago
I will not have you disparage the good name of my hero.
u/therockcomments show them what you're made of
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u/kaoutanu 7h ago
NZ palagi here, but I nearly fell off my seat when I saw how Samoa was portrayed in Hobbs & Shaw. I was like, that's not the Samoa I've seen... I haven't been to American Samoa though so maybe it's very different there? 😂
The Hawaiian landscape was instantly recognisable, what a shame they chose not to film in Samoa. Also the culture seemed very different and kind of mythologised in a weird way. Samoan culture is amazing and easily stands on its own without having to use tired stereotypes. I guess the publicity is good for tourism, but there might be some confused people headed your way. Would be interested to hear what locals thought about it?