Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag on the backlash over receiving donations for the fires

Although many celebrities have received criticism for asking for donations after fire damage, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Monday tells We why are they not concerned about the “backlash”.

“We're very used to negative things, so it's pretty standard,” Pratt, 41, said. Us Weekly on Wednesday, January 15. “If people want to send their own money to whoever they want, it's equivalent to buying celebrity merchandise, buying a movie ticket. People can do whatever they want with their money and thank God there are people willing to support us and send us anything.

He added: “Nobody has to and it's not a tax. People can say whatever they want and they're entitled to their opinion. But all the people who are messaging are asking to send money, they're asking for an Amazon wishlist. … It's their choice.”

Pratt and Montag, 38, lost his Los Angeles at home in the wildfires that ravaged southern California earlier this month. The natural disaster covered thousands of hectares and caused at least 25 deaths. Many residents, incl Mountains alum, evacuated the city limits by order of the government.

Pratt and Montag, along with their sons Gunner, 6, and Ryker, 2, left the area with only a few personal belongings. After the loss most of their possessionsA pair of TikTok followers set up a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of Pratt and Montag.

“When it first happened, they started a GoFundMe on their own the first day, and it went on to do great and so amazingly,” Pratt recalled. “And then they passed it on to us. We're very grateful that they do, and they created an Amazon wish list.

Montag also stressed that neither she nor Pratt wanted to ask for contributions.

“Then our friends Brandon and Courtney (from TikTok) was like, “We don't care what you say. We know people who are willing to donate money to you, and even if it's just one donation, that will help you,” she said. We. “So we didn't expect anyone to donate. I haven't publicized it, but we've had so many people willing to give $5.

According to GoFundMeThe Pratts have raised more than $134,000 so far, and some of the generosity is as little as $5, but it's not the amount that counts—the gift itself means so much more.

“People say, 'Oh, they're asking for money, it's somebody's coffee, so somebody bought us coffee,'” he explained. “It's just in terms of volume, so it might look like it's money, but scroll (through) just people who send you lattes.”

“Some people think it's a higher number, and I thank every single person.”

Pratt also theorized that the possible responses were created by those who mistakenly believe that all celebrities are extremely wealthy.

“Until three days ago, no one thought we were rich celebrities, and it's getting annoying. “For example, if you Google 'Spencer,' it literally (says) 'Broke, no net worth,'” Pratt said Wednesday. “My net worth on this site you're looking for over the past 15 years… has been $1,000. So now our house burns downmy parents' house burned down (and) now we are rich celebrities who are pissed because the media never called us celebrities (and) rich.

He added: “It's this weird connection that groups us with real rich celebrities, which would be great if we were … but we're not, people know that.”

According to Pratt, “only haters” call him and Montag out.

“Nobody with a brain (who) thinks we're rich celebrities. It's like it's just hate people trolling,” he said. “People (who) support us and have been following our way of life they see on social media that we are not rich celebrities. They see what we do every day. We've been posting our lives on Snapchat all day for the past 11 years. Our audience knows we're not rich celebrities, they know we just eat Mexican food and get organic eggs, and they know we do. We film everything.”

In addition to GoFundMe and Amazon Wishlist donations, Pratt and Montag also receive funds from their respective business ventures and social media uploads. Many fans have purchased crystals from his Pratt Daddy Crystals store, as well as frequently streaming Montague's past music and buying her accompanying items. (They're also part of the TikTok Creator Fund, where the app pays influencers for every popular video that gets authentic engagement, as well as a similar program on Snapchat.)

“Heidi No. 1 in 13 countriesI didn't know that people in Oman would support Heidi, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, I mean all these countries that I hope, God willing, she will become a global superstar,” Pratt said. “We could go visit and hug these people who were there for us when we needed it the most.”

Related: Celebrities who support Heidi Montag's music: Paris Hilton and others

Stars have shown their support for Heidi Montag and her music after husband Spencer Pratt pleaded for help after losing their home in the Los Angeles fires. “Thank you very much to everyone. #1 on the iTunes chart, oh my god,” Montag shared on a Saturday, Jan. 11, Instagram Story. “Thank you (…)

Their former MTV costars Christina Cavallari, Audrina Patridge and Lo Bosworth have also filmed themselves dancing to Montag's 2010 songs Superficially in the respective videos.

“The great support from these people who use their platforms to help us when they know how influential their platforms are and how important every single post is to them and their brands, and to ask the people who follow them to support us and to help us “That's wonderful,” Montag interrupted. “We have never experienced such support, kindness or appreciation, and something so important has been very heartfelt.”

Pratt, who noted that he plans to rebuild your family homehave recently opened up about their financial situation in recent social media videos.

“We're putting all our money into our house and our lives to build something for our kids to put their name on, and every detail we've just kept every year for the last eight years,” he said. We. “Our house was 3,000 square feet. It is not a mansion In the Palisades. Everything was perfect from the stove to the washing machine. That's all we put our money into, and then we go eat good foods in Erewhon. But our life was like, “Put money in our house, eat clean groceries, and that's it.” We take one trip a year to see Heidi's parents in Colorado.

Pratt continued, “Any money we make from TV opportunities or social media opportunities is just a test to test. So everything like, 'Oh, Heidi and Spencer (or) these rich celebrities are asking for money.' I wish I was a rich celebrity, I keep saying I'd be in Cabo eating tacos right now.

Check LAFD website for local wildfire warnings and click here resources to help victims.

With a report from Andrea Simpson