Originally published on The Daily Dot

Stevie Wonder opened Tuesday night’s Hand in Hand live telethon with a rendition of “Lean on Me,” complete with a full choir behind his piano. The words he spoke before singing, however, sparked instant attention.

“Anyone who believes that there is no such thing as global warming must be blind… or unintelligent,” Wonder said during the hurricane relief fundraiser.

As if his piano cued the Twitterverse itself, all it took were a few opening notes for replies to start swarming in.

While many laughed, praised, and enjoyed Wonder’s remarks, some spoke out against him for making this emotional event into a political platform.

The event is filled with celebrities and musicians both near and far from Hurricane Harvey’s destruction. Beyoncé, a well-known Houston native, shared remarks soon after Wonder’s performance also commenting on the issue of climate change.

Regardless of your stance on the topic, Wonder’s self-effacing zinger won the night.