Current:Home > MarketsMiranda Sings YouTuber Colleen Ballinger Breaks Silence on Grooming Allegations With Ukulele Song -WealthSphere Pro
Miranda Sings YouTuber Colleen Ballinger Breaks Silence on Grooming Allegations With Ukulele Song
View
Date:2025-04-11 22:03:58
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! (32)
Related
- Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
- BaubleBar’s Biggest Custom Sale of the Year Has 25% off Rings, Necklaces, Bracelets & More Holiday Gifts
- Texas man drops lawsuit against women he accused of helping his wife get abortion pills
- Hugh Jackman Makes Public Plea After Broadway Star Zelig Williams Goes Missing
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Experts warn ‘crazy busy’ Atlantic hurricane season is far from over
- These Sabrina the Teenage Witch Secrets Are Absolutely Spellbinding
- Woman who stabbed classmate to please Slender Man files third release request
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Nation's first AIDS walk marches toward 40: What we've learned and what we've forgotten
Ranking
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD packs more HP than expected — at $325K
- Why Anna Kendrick Is Calling on Rebel Wilson to Get Another Pitch Perfect Movie Rolling
- SpaceX says its ready for another Starship test: FAA still needs to approve the launch
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- Boeing will lay off 10% of its employees as a strike by factory workers cripples airplane production
- Green Party presidential candidate files suit over Ohio decision not to count votes for her
- These Sabrina the Teenage Witch Secrets Are Absolutely Spellbinding
Recommendation
Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
Children and adults transported to a Pennsylvania hospital after ingesting ‘toxic mushrooms’
BaubleBar’s Biggest Custom Sale of the Year Has 25% off Rings, Necklaces, Bracelets & More Holiday Gifts
Montana businessman gets 2 years in prison for role in Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol
Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
Hurricane Milton leaves widespread destruction; rescue operations underway: Live updates
Why Anna Kendrick Is Calling on Rebel Wilson to Get Another Pitch Perfect Movie Rolling
Far from where Hurricane Milton hit, tornadoes wrought unexpected damage