The Controversial Claims and Emotional Response Unveil Troubled Past in the Life of a YouTube Star
In a denial filled with melodic notes, YouTube sensation Colleen Ballinger dismissed accusations of grooming minor fans. However, her ex-husband countered her nonchalant response, asserting that her dismissiveness encapsulated his reality.
Joshua David Evans, a fellow YouTuber who was once married to the renowned Miranda Sings persona, took to Twitter on Wednesday to address his ex-wife’s allegations. Though he refrained from mentioning her by name, Evans made it clear that she did not take him seriously.
“Throughout 2009–2016, this behavior was a regular occurrence whenever I voiced my dissent or disagreed with her actions and rhetoric,” he tweeted, seemingly referring to Ballinger’s apology video. “I, too, experienced gaslighting.”
Continuing his message, Evans empathized with Ballinger’s accusers and followers, stating, “I constantly felt like I was the issue. Any pain I experienced was disregarded and belittled. I comprehend every ounce of emotion you’re feeling.”
Representatives for Ballinger did not promptly respond to The Times’ request for comment on Friday.
In a recently published 10-minute YouTube video titled “hi.,” Ballinger finally broke her silence regarding the grooming allegations that had surfaced in the past weeks. Fellow YouTubers and ardent supporters had made accusations that Ballinger had engaged in grooming behavior and made inappropriate sexual remarks in a group chat involving minors. In response to the mounting allegations, Ballinger, who was in the midst of a Miranda Sings tour, ceased posting on her social media platforms for nearly a month.
In the video, Ballinger strummed a ukulele and delivered her denial through song. She mentioned that her team had strongly advised her against expressing her true thoughts but highlighted that they had never explicitly forbidden her from singing.
“People automatically assume that I manipulate and exploit children — I want to clarify that the only things I’ve ever groomed are my two Persian cats,” Ballinger melodically proclaimed. “I’m not a groomer; I’m just a misguided individual who didn’t realize I shouldn’t engage with fans.”
Shortly after sharing her musical response, Ballinger faced significant backlash from social media followers who accused her of trivializing the serious allegations.
“Colleen Ballinger thought it was cute to respond to the extremely SERIOUS allegations against her by singing ‘I’m not a groomer; I’m just a loser.’ It’s beyond sick,” tweeted comedian and TV writer Franchesca Ramsey.
“Colleen Ballinger, this is NOT a joke… allegations of grooming fans, manipulating them to spread hate, and sending lingerie to CHILDREN, and you turn it into a song??” expressed Twitter user @unIoverscIub.
Another YouTuber, Adam McIntyre, who previously claimed that Ballinger exploited him for unpaid social media work in April 2020, parodied and criticized Ballinger’s YouTube apology in a video released on Thursday.
“Hey, it seems this is the only way she’ll pay attention,” sang McIntyre, strumming a ukulele in a similar fashion. “So, I thought I’d give it a try.” He also pointed out the inconsistency in Ballinger’s defense of wanting to be “besties” with her fans.
“Besties with children? I’m not sure that supports your case,” McIntyre sang.
In another tweet shared on Wednesday, Evans acknowledged the justified anger of Ballinger’s accusers and reassured them, “Your experiences were genuine.”
“You deserve better. Reclaim your power,” he added. “Sending you love.”
Evans swiftly responded to critics who speculated that he was leveraging the attention surrounding his ex-wife to relaunch his YouTube career. He made it clear that the video-sharing platform was “not a safe space” for him and that his intention was solely to validate those who were hurting.
“I have no interest in profiting from this. That is repugnant and not aligned with my values,” Evans concluded in a third tweet.