Fact Check: Did MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell donate his $12.9M bonus to help build a homeless shelter?
DETROIT, MICHIGAN: A viral claim on social media alleged that MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell donated his entire $12.9 million bonus to fund a homeless shelter initiative in Michigan.
The rumor began spreading on Facebook in early August 2025, with one post from the page Oshovichar on August 7 amassing over 53,000 reactions.
Many posts linked to advertisement-heavy WordPress blogs, some even attributing quotes to O’Donnell about his commitment to helping those experiencing homelessness. But is there any truth to this rumor? Let us find out below.
Claim: Lawrence O’Donnell donated his $12.9M bonus to homeless shelter initiative
A blog post alleged that Lawrence O’Donnell’s donation would fund the “creation of 150 permanent housing units and 300 emergency shelter beds for individuals and families experiencing homelessness” through an initiative called the “Second Chance Housing Project.”
The article attributed quotes to O’Donnell in which he purportedly said he had “seen the effects of homelessness firsthand” and pledged that “if I ever had the means, I’d give back meaningfully. No one deserves to sleep on a sidewalk.”
Fact Check: False, no evidence to back the viral claim
There is no credible evidence that Lawrence O’Donnell made such a donation. Searches on Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo returned no reports from legitimate news outlets confirming the story. Given the size of the alleged gift and O’Donnell’s public profile, MSNBC and other major media organizations would have widely covered it if it were true.
Snopes examined the claim and found that it originated from fabricated blog posts designed to resemble uplifting news. The supposed quotes from O’Donnell about seeing homelessness firsthand and pledging to give back appear to be entirely made up.
The wording in the O’Donnell rumor closely mirrors a previous viral falsehood from May 2025, which claimed NASCAR driver Kyle Busch donated the exact same amount, $12.9 million, for nearly identical housing and shelter numbers.
Both stories used similar phrasing and exaggerated “acts of generosity” to drive clicks and ad revenue.
No record of 'Second Chance Housing Project'
The alleged project called the “Second Chance Housing Project” mentioned in the posts does not appear in public records, news reports, or credible philanthropic databases. Snopes also contacted MSNBC for comment; no confirmation has been provided as of publication.
These fabricated celebrity philanthropy stories fall into a category often referred to as glurge — sentimental, feel-good tales that are shared widely online despite having no basis in fact.
These stories closely fit the description of “glurge,” which Dictionary.com defines as “stories, often sent by email, that are supposed to be true and uplifting, but which are often fabricated and sentimental.”
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online
