Kaui Goodness Claps Back, With Grace, at Critics of O‘ahu Shores

It didn’t take long for O‘ahu Shores star Kaui Goodness to respond to the wave of opinions swirling around Peacock’s newest reality hit — and she did it with her signature mix of humor, honesty, and Hawaiian pride.

Posting a video to her Instagram Story with the cheeky caption “Y’all got a rant out of me, congratulations,” Kaui set the record straight for anyone questioning her authenticity or that of her castmates.

Before diving into the heavy stuff, she made sure to show love to the fans who have embraced the show:

“It really, really means the world to me, and I know my friends [costars] as well. Thank God we’re able to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, truly.”

But when it came to the online chatter about the show’s cast not representing “real locals,” Kaui didn’t hold back.

“First of all, all of you guys saying ‘where’s the locals, where’s the Native Hawaiians?’ You’re forgetting the fact that locals don’t all look the same. There’s so many different ethnicities that live in Hawai'i… Are we supposed to look like Lilo from Lilo & Stitch?”

Kaui clarified she’s Native Hawaiian through and through — “both my parents are Native Hawaiian, I am born and raised here” — while also addressing those critiquing her speech:

“The way that I talk doesn’t sound local, the way my friends talk… I’m sorry that we enunciate our words. We can turn our Pidgin on and off.”

And for those assuming the cast is made up of privileged island elites, Kaui wanted the record corrected:

“Who’s rich? Who? We’re all young adults. We’re all trying to make our way for ourselves. Yes, we have some business owners, but they are small local businesses… I am a blessed kid, but am I a rich kid? By no means.”

She went on to explain that while the cast’s lifestyles may look glamorous on screen, they’re just regular young people trying to make things happen — and adjust to sudden national attention.

“Me and my friends have never ever been through something like this, so we’re trying to navigate this ourselves. It’s very overwhelming, it’s very stressful, it’s very nerve-wracking.”

Kaui ended her video with a message that perfectly captures her mix of strength and heart:

“We’re all grateful for this opportunity, but we should all show each other a little grace — especially our own people.”

Her final on-screen caption said it all: “Moral of the story: as much as I hear everyone and their concerns, you have no idea what people are going through. Have a heart & extend grace pls.”

Looks like Kaui’s not just a breakout star — she’s also a reminder that even reality TV comes with real feelings behind the screen.