LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: After a period of accusations of racism and grooming, Colleen Ballinger, who is well-known for her hilarious alter ego Miranda Sings, has returned to YouTube after a four-month hiatus.
But her comeback has been tarnished by a ukulele apology video that has many uncomfortable and raising doubts about her sincerity.
Colleen Ballinger discusses her past controversy as she returns following her fall vlog
In June, Ballinger addressed claims made by her admirers that she "groomed" them by posting a 10-minute YouTube video in which she refuted the claims and sang the song 'Toxic Gossip Train' on the ukulele.
In her latest 13-minute video, 'Fall Vlog', Ballinger reclaims her spotlight as she attempts to move past the fallout from her previous ukulele apologies.
Ballinger stated, "Obviously, the last video that I posted on here... It's really embarrassing, to say the least," demonstrating her willingness to acknowledge the awkwardness of her previous attempt to address the grooming charges.
Ballinger further added, "I was being accused of some pretty awful things, and I just was mad. I should have handled that situation with maturity and empathy, but instead, I just let my ego take over, and I’m really disappointed in myself."
Ballinger admitted in her most recent video that she had been "immature and inappropriate with some of my comedy" and "did not put enough thought into some of my fan interactions" at various points over her 15-year career.
"I am not a perfect person, and there are plenty of things in my past that I wish I could go back and redo and fix and change," declared Ballinger.
Ballinger's vlog on Saturday, November 18, was her first YouTube video since 'Toxic Gossip Train'. Ballinger's remaining tour dates were canceled in the wake of the grooming claims and the song, as per HuffPost.
Colleen Ballinger's own fault-accounting an act of repentance or deception?
In her 'fall vlog', Ballinger expressed regret for her actions during her career and apologized for her immaturity.
"I do not expect anyone to welcome me back with open arms," she stated, expressing her sincere apologies for the suffering she has brought to some individuals. "I don't expect to change anyone's mind with this video."
Ballinger apologized for not posting since her previous post in her Saturday video, stating that she needed to take some time to "make sure I was listening and learning as much as possible" and to "get the help that I needed to be OK."
Ballinger talks about her channel's future plans and expresses a desire to continue vlogging despite the backlash. But the road ahead looks tough, with a divided public doubting her sincerity.
The discomfort endures as viewers struggle with the moral conundrum of endorsing an artist who has been gravely accused of misconduct.
Internet users call Colleen Ballinger's apology 'absolute trash'
Social media users are not inclined to forgive easily, even when it seems sincere. Many people still find the ukulele apology video offensive, and calls have been made to boycott the 'fall vlog'.
One person took to X (formerly Twitter) and said, "Colleen Ballinger's "fall vlog" is not needed or wanted by anyone other than the remaining group of her brainwashed minions. The only positive note I have is that she didn't put her kids in it. I hope they are never shown again for their own sake. The "apology" in the beginning was absolute trash."
Another user echoed a similar sentiment and wrote, "Colleen Ballinger coming back after several months of being away making a “fall vlog” and trying to pretend like everything is normal again is absolutely disgusting. She’s a child groomer. She needs to stay far away from YT and kids Pls keep Colleen’s victims in your thoughts."
"Please just log off Colleen," slammed another one.
One more X user condemned the comedian's latest act and said, "Puts out the worst apology, now apologises for that apology, but still hasn’t apologised privately to her victims."
Another one stated, "Well that was a very short break. Colleen, you need to stay off the internet for a long long while. You don’t get to do a 5 month break and come back to YouTube like nothing happened"
"An non-apology for a prior non-apology... Yeah we ain't accepting those," said another social media user who clearly did not accept Ballinger's 'fall vlog' apology.
One more X user slammed the artist and said, "The fact that colleen still brushed off the situation by saying she was “accused” and making it about her. she doesn’t care about any of her fans, and she makes that so abundantly clear."
