Current:Home > MarketsMiranda Sings YouTuber Colleen Ballinger Breaks Silence on Grooming Allegations With Ukulele Song -Momentum Wealth Path
Miranda Sings YouTuber Colleen Ballinger Breaks Silence on Grooming Allegations With Ukulele Song
View
Date:2025-04-24 18:28:10
Colleen Ballinger is singing her side of the story.
The YouTuber, best known for her awkward alter ego Miranda Sings, refuted allegations of grooming and forming inappropriate relationships with underage fans in musical vlog on June 28. While strumming a ukulele, Ballinger likened the accusations to a "toxic gossip train" headed for "manipulation station" as the rest of the internet "tie me to the tracks and harass me for my past."
"Some people are saying things about me that just aren't true," she said in a sing-song voice. "Even though my team has strongly advised me not to say what I'm going to say, I realized they never said I couldn't sing about what I want to say."
Ballinger, 36, went on to explain how she used to message her fans "to be besties with everybody" earlier in her career, but "didn't understand that maybe there should be some boundaries there."
As a result, according to the Haters Back Off star, there were "times in the DMs when I would overshare details of my life—which was really weird of me—and I haven't done that in years because I changed my behavior and took accountability."
Earlier this month, Ballinger was accused of grooming her fans when YouTuber KodeeRants shared screenshots of an alleged text exchange between actress and her fans. Per NBC News, the unverified group text was named "Colleeny's Weenies," with Ballinger allegedly asking fans their "favorite position" during one conversation.
In her ukulele video, Ballinger addressed the recent online chatter over her past, singing, "I thought you wanted me to take accountability, but that's not the point of your mob mentality. Your goal is to ruin the life of the person you despise while you dramatize your lies and monetize their demise."
"I'm sure you're disappointed in my s--tty little song, I know you wanted me to say that I was 100 percent in the wrong," she continued. "Well, I'm sorry I'm not gonna take that route of admitting to lies and rumors that you made up for clout."
And while Ballinger confessed to making "jokes in poor taste" and "lots of dumb mistakes," she denied ever sending inappropriate messages to teenage fans with the intention of grooming them.
"I just wanted to say that thing I've ever groomed is my two Persian cats," Ballinger added. "I'm not a groomer. I'm just a loser who didn't understand I shouldn't respond to fans."
Allegations over Ballinger's behavior previously surfaced back in 2020, when fellow YouTube star Adam McIntyre accused her of putting him in uncomfortable situations between the ages of 13 and 16. In a video titled "colleen ballinger, stop lying," he specifically called out a past livestream where Ballinger sent him lingerie.
At the time, Ballinger responded to McIntyre and acknowledged that the underwear stunt was "completely stupid," saying in a separate apology video, "I should have never sent that."
"I don't know what part of my brain was missing at the time that I thought, 'Oh, this is a normal, silly thing to do,'" added Ballinger. "But I am not a monster."
(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (84)
Related
- Average rate on 30
- Residents urged to shelter in place after apparent explosion at Louisville business
- Republican Vos reelected as Wisconsin Assembly speaker despite losing seats, fights with Trump
- Ariana Grande's Brunette Hair Transformation Is a Callback to Her Roots
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Man jailed after Tuskegee University shooting says he fired his gun, but denies shooting at anyone
- Roster limits in college small sports put athletes on chopping block while coaches look for answers
- Ariana Grande Shares Dad's Emotional Reaction to Using His Last Name in Wicked Credits
- 2025 'Doomsday Clock': This is how close we are to self
- The Daily Money: Mattel's 'Wicked' mistake
Ranking
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- Guns smuggled from the US are blamed for a surge in killings on more Caribbean islands
- The Daily Money: Mattel's 'Wicked' mistake
- Ariana Grande's Brunette Hair Transformation Is a Callback to Her Roots
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- NFL power rankings Week 11: Steelers, Eagles enjoying stealthy rises
- 'I heard it and felt it': Chemical facility explosion leaves 11 hospitalized in Louisville
- Princess Kate to host annual Christmas carol service following cancer treatment
Recommendation
Toyota to invest $922 million to build a new paint facility at its Kentucky complex
Nevada Democrats keep legislative control but fall short of veto-proof supermajority
Hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field can be fixed for about $55M in time for 2026 season, per report
Arkansas governor unveils $102 million plan to update state employee pay plan
A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
Republican Vos reelected as Wisconsin Assembly speaker despite losing seats, fights with Trump
US inflation may have picked up in October after months of easing
The Best Gifts for People Who Don’t Want Anything