DENVER—In an outpouring of support for the star, worried fans of Charlize Theron confirmed Thursday they had raised $3.5 million for what must be very substantial hospital bills after seeing the actress in a recent TV spot for Budweiser. “It’s really hard watching a talented person undergo something as humiliating as that commercial, so some of us decided to pitch in and help her out with what we can only assume is crushing medical debt,” said Colorado native Henry Graff, 48, adding that he and other fans of the Academy Award winner collected funds through a Kickstarter campaign in the hopes that Theron, who has starred in dozens of major films over the past 20 years, would be able to stave off personal bankruptcy. “You see something like this and it’s a huge red flag, because you realize something terrible must have happened to make a successful actor like her agree to appear in such an awful ad. Whatever medical condition has put her in dire straits—be it cancer, addiction, or a nervous breakdown—we’re not going to judge. We just want to help. I honestly can’t imagine what she must be going through right now.” Graff later stated that his worst fears were confirmed after he realized Theron had resorted to doing voice-over work for the new Addams Family reboot.

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