Ricki Lake has a warning for fans as she and others are working to rebuild their lives after the devastating LA fires.
In a video shared on her Instagram, the “Hairspray” star said things were “surreal” at the moment, especially after she learned “that there was a post, [posing] as me, asking for money.”
“I am not asking for any money for myself,” Lake clarified. “I don’t even know what happened, but it seemed that maybe the post was gone.”
She added she plans to make donations to “a number of organizations” and hopes to set up a fund-match system for anyone looking to contribute, but was clear she was not seeking any money from the public for herself.
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“If you see a GoFundMe with my name attached asking for money, that is not me.”
Lake lost her Malibu home last week in the Palisades Fire, telling fans it had been her “dream home.”
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“It’s all gone,” she wrote, beneath a series of photos of her home before the fire. “I can’t believe I am typing these words.” Lake said “a valiant and brave effort” was made by their friend to save the home, but they unfortunately did not succeed. “The place where we planned to grow old together. We never took our heavenly spot on the bluff overlooking our beloved malibu for granted, not even for one second. I shared our sunset views almost daily with all of you.”
In her latest video post, the former talk show host admitted she was at a loss for words.
“I’m so deeply moved by love and support that I’ve felt from the world,” she said. “It has been… I don’t have the words. I’m a f—ing talk show host! And I have no words for what we are all experiencing as a community in Los Angeles.”
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She continued, “I just wanted to connect and say thank you, thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. And we will recover, we will.”
At one point, the 56-year-old became emotional, saying, “My heart bleeds for the people that are going through this alongside me, and I know that I am one of the lucky ones in many ways. But I am devastated. I’m devastated for my community. I’m struggling but I’m also OK.”
Lake, who previously lost a home to a fire in 2010, said, “This one was different. This one is different. This is our whole community and town and city. And this one, I can’t believe it’s been a week. In ways, it feels like it was last night, and in ways, it feels like it was five years ago. But I haven’t slept much. I look like I’ve aged.”
She concluded her video, telling fans, “I just send my heartfelt condolences and love to my fellow humans and animals. Don’t even get me started on the animals. This is deep this stuff guys, but we are going to rise as a community and as a human family. We are going to get through this together. The kindness, the stories I’m seeing on social media, the goodness that is out there…
“That’s it, I love you guys. I love everybody. I love all humans and all four-legged creatures and flying things and trees, and I want us to be even stronger.”
