Colleen Ballinger Returns to YouTube | Therapist Reacts to Colleen’s Second Apology

[@mintyhippo8125]

I suggest to anyone watching this to not hate watch any of Colleen’s videos. She’s posting because she wants monetization and is capitalizing off the controversy.

[@caseyw.6550]

Say it louder!! 👏 👏 👏

[@AWindy94]

For the people in the back! 📣📢

[@angiep2229]

Oh yeah, never been a fan. I do have to admit that she's being smarter about all this than Illuminaughtii has been about their own bad press. (Seriously it's all over youtube if you're not familiar. It's quite a ride.)

[@hambeastdelicioso1600]

There's so much content about her now, there's really no reason to watch her stuff first hand. If you want a spoonful of hilarious sugar to go along with your second hand Miranda Sings content, many I suggest Nick DiRamio's videos on her horrible streaming show.

[@mintyhippo8125]

@@hambeastdelicioso1600 I’ve watched Adam McIntyre discuss it since he is one of the most vocal victims. He has messages and examples and gives context to what Colleen says, because he worked for her and followed her for long.

[@morganqorishchi8181]

My dad's way to shut down the "sorry I'm not perfect" line is to say, "you're not *trying*. I don't need perfection, I need effort", which cuts directly to the heart of the issue. And that's what I see with Colleen's apology. She isn't trying to do better. She isn't trying to be a good person. She's trying to save her career.

[@FeelTheRainOnYourSkin]

I also have a parent like this. Makes me sad how many parents including Colleen are like this. In contrast, thank goodness, my other parent treats me like an actual adult and LISTENS & takes time to think about what I say and would even come back days later to bring it up. Once you meet people who treat others with decency, it's wild how loud my own cognitive dissonance became. Your absolutely right. It's about career. It's amazing what we can see after growing out of our family of origin eh!

[@lolaf1er]

Also like idk, no one is perfect but most people don't send lingerie to a minor or (allegedly) send NSFW photos to a minor. That last one is a federal crime, and "I'm not perfect" doesn't exactly hold up in court. It's always bugged me when people say things like "I made some mistakes" or "I'm not perfect" for serious allegations. Like yeah everyone makes mistakes but most people's mistakes aren't literally knowingly distributing NSFW content to a minor!

[@PartanBree]

My own response to kids who do something careless and hurt somebody, and then say "I didn't mean to do it!" is to say "but you didn't mean NOT to do it". It's not enough to not have had "bad intentions", whatever that means. You need to actively have GOOD intentions. That's how we work together to keep each other safe. And even with good intentions you can still hurt people. That's all it takes to merit an apology.

[@amanday3103]

That’s a perfect response, I need to remember that one

[@catie5939]

"I don't need perfection, I need effort," is fucking EXACTLY it. Damn.

[@ExtraordinaryMachine333]

Also, the "sorry I've been quiet about this, but I'M A MOTHER". Taking accountability isn't mutually exclusive from raising kids

[@Theoracle_1111]

Right? Does she really think anyone believes that? Awfully convenient that she decided to apologize just in time to come back & make all that vlogmas money 😂 she really thinks she's the smartest person in the room

[@Emcostanza]

That just felt so random like okay congrats?

[@lyndsaybrown8471]

Trying to use her kids as a shield.

[@xLiLlyx98]

I actually think being able to hold yourself accountable is a pretty important skill for motherhood 😂 shocking and crazy, i know

[@justkiddin84]

And she is a terrible mother exploiting her kids and her nieces and nephews.🤮

[@SemiIocon]

Influencers who apologise to their audience instead of their victims - immediately disregarded. Unfortunately, a lot of her fans are children still, so they are not as critical about these things yet.

[@burymewithabook]

👏👏👏

[@icravedeath.1200]

All they want is an apology and for her to leave but she can't even do that.

[@beth4107]

if she hasn’t directly apologised to the people she knows she affected like adam, i don’t think her apology is worth anything tbh

[@shadygirlxoxo]

This.

[@jordy_muhnordy]

And Adam has even gone on the record to say that he'd stop talking about this situation forever if Colleen just apologized to him. It's insane that she's gone down this long, drawn out path instead of just saying "I'm sorry"

[@user-mv5zt8qd9l]

I think it bears repeating that Colleen has never been clear and specific in her wrongdoing without aggressively lying about it. The vagueness of her nonpologies absolutely is a means for her to garner sympathy while peddling a hollow sense of accountability, and people should not take the pressure off her for as long as she wants to play the charade of innocence.

[@deadmanandthebullet]

Man..that was beautifully said!!!!👏👏👏

[@user-mv5zt8qd9l]

​​@ville__ What video? The one that keeps getting taken down because they're untrue to the point of potentially being defamatory?

[@burymewithabook]

It feels like she's apologizing to her remaining fans and not the people that she hurt. So sad.

[@JH-yj7kk]

Colleen continuing to say that she's "taken accountability" reminds me of that episode of the Office where Michael goes broke and his solution is to stand up and yell, "I... DECLARE... BANKRUPTCYYYY!!!!" And then Oscar has to take him aside and tell him "you can't just say the word 'bankruptcy' and expect anything to happen. That's not anything. "

[@JemRochelle]

omg YES EXACTLY

[@kezia8027]

I... DECLARE... ACCOUNTABILITY! "you can't just say you've been held accountable and then not change, that's not anything" I didn't say it, I declared it!

[@icravedeath.1200]

That's what I was like before I decided that shallow declarations and promises were harmful to the person I hurt and myself as well.

[@JH-yj7kk]

@ville__ yeah I've seen the receipts though

[@AeriaGl0ris]

I learned about that woman against my will. I still detest her, and her decision to involve an innocent ukulele in her first damnable excuse for an apology.

[@mintyhippo8125]

The thing is that she felt she did nothing wrong. So the song is to mock the people speaking up while saying, “I’m a talented singer and better than you.”

[@curlyhairblacklilacs]

Justice for the Ukuleles!!!

[@AeriaGl0ris]

@Formerlyknownasweirdo Well, maybe that particular ukulele isn't innocent. The rest who haven't even part of a fake apology vid that was just her mocking others? Innocent.

[@AWindy94]

​@@AeriaGl0rislet's not victim blame the ukulele. It didn't ask for this.

[@RenayOpish]

The ukelele abuse has not been answered for AT ALL.

[@justvibinginouterdarkness]

the white and light colored background and clothes, sitting on the ground with her knee to her chest, speaking so softly, just ALL the style choices here- it feels very much like trying to portray a soft, meek, 'feel sorry for me', innocent or child like sort of vibe that bothers me. I feel like she is trying to elicit feelings of pity from her viewers, and that is irritating.

[@EroticInferno]

“uwu I’m just a smol bean, please be nice to me 🥺”

[@maddi6081]

Also her playing the “I’m a mom” sympathy card

[@wrenmassey6876]

Gives me the same vibes as the Myka Stauffer video when she "rehomed" her adopted son. Trying to look as sweet and angelic as possible so people wont question your actions

[@mittenista]

@@maddi6081 Given that she's been outed as grooming minors, the whole "I'm a mom" thing had the opposite effect on me. I fear for those kids

[@venooshka]

@@wrenmassey6876 my first thought too, I got instant flashbacks to the Stauffers' "apology" when I saw the backdrop

[@GeekInSequins]

Some emotionally immature people think “taking accountability” means “I say sorry and you are obligated to forgive me no matter what or else you’re a big bad meanie.”

[@weirdhousewivesclub]

Exactly this. And not only has she not PERSONALLY apologized to any of the people who have publicly come out and said they were hurt afaik, either publicly or privately, she never actually cops to doing anything wrong, she dances around it and admits that she did 'wrong things' but that nobody is perfect. Not only is nobody obligated to accept your apology, they're absolutely not obligated to change their opinion on you especially when you show that you haven't changed.

[@WhatWouldLubitschDo]

⁠@@weirdhousewivesclubI suspect that she (and lawyer) don’t want any documentation of her admitting to anything specific. I also suspect she doesn’t care about Adam and the others and their experience AT ALL, based on what she has offered up so far

[@user-mv5zt8qd9l]

​@@weirdhousewivesclub She also doctors evidence and misrepresents facts to minimise her actions while further victimising the kids she hurt. Don't forget that part.

[@thesehandsart]

Nailed it!

[@doodleplayer4014]

Kindergarten level of understanding, tbh

[@FeelTheRainOnYourSkin]

"its not about you. It was ALREADY about you when you wounded someone." I dunno why that hit to hard!! Like i knew that, but they way and when you said it Mickey 🔥🔥 thank you

[@minuishaq631]

It's very well articulated

[@jaylynn8630]

This is like a spouse who has been having a multi-year affair apologizing for "making some bad decisions back when this started", as though it weren't a continuous stream of bad decisions that never stopped until they got caught.

[@gypsymoth8977]

Let’s all remember this is an “apology” of an “apology”. None of us are perfect, most of us don’t use a ukulele to minimize our exploitative actions against literal children.

[@NatanYael]

I’d highly recommend watching Adam Mcintyre’s video on this. He is one of her victims and used to be in her inner circles and talked her thru many of her past cancellations. He’s able to provide a LOT more context about her response and also add that she NEVER reached out to any of her victims to apologize and over the summer she hired Prince Andrew’s lawyer and was going around trying to legally silence the victims that were speaking out against her

[@lyndsaybrown8471]

Guess that explains why she's back to KZbin. Those legal fees must be expensive.

[@AeriaGl0ris]

She hired Prince Andrew's lawyer? Of all the ones to hire.

[@HeatherAnnDavis]

Her never apologizing to her actual victims completely invalidates any public “apology” she’s made.

[@catherinemccormick3184]

@@AeriaGl0risnot only Prince Andrew, I may be wrong, but I think he also defended Bill Cosby 😬

[@justkiddin84]

⁠@@AeriaGl0risoh dude has represented a bunch of sexual villains including Armie Hammer, Danny Masterson, etc.

[@wrenmassey6876]

Hey Colleen, why are people mad at you? Could you explain that to me please? Or do you not want to admit to what you did to harm people?

[@lyndsaybrown8471]

Her lawyers have probably told her not to address the allegations directly.

[@orionspero560]

That's the thing my reed is that she really doesn't know/understand.

[@lindseystein9676]

Yeah I agree. I don’t think she’ll ever explicitly apologize to anyone specifically, as some victims have requested, because it would be seen as an admission of guilt & potentially open her up to litigation. I’m surprised none of the victims have filed police reports/pressed charges. I don’t blame them for making that choice, though.

[@wrenmassey6876]

@lyndsaybrown8471 that is probably what happened, it just makes her apology feel really disingenuous

[@icravedeath.1200]

​@@lindseystein9676it's kind of depressing that all they want is an apology but she can't even give them that.

[@morgancurry7286]

She’s still not apologizing for the actual bad things she did like grooming children, or at a minimum, the manipulating and using children for her own validation and gains. She just glosses over at the beginning by saying she was “accused of some pretty awful thing and I was mad.” That does not count as an apology. Her first apology wasn’t just “immature”, it was victim blaming and minimizing the hurtful things she did as “a fart joke” and such. Still way too little.

[@JemRochelle]

Mickey have you ever done a video about how to give a good apology? (for regular people in their relationships, not celebrity apologies) I think I struggle with interpersonal conflict and resolution when I'm the one in the wrong and I'd love to learn how to do it better, specifically how to be accountable without getting defensive, but to also stand up for yourself if an accusation isn't actually accurate.

[@eevee2411]

Yea I'd also love a video about how to have conflict and resolution in a healthy way!

[@klaratehcoolcat]

Cinema therapy/Mended Light did some really great vids on the topic. I'm in the app so it's hard to pull a hyperlink without losing your comment but shouldnt be too hard to find if you search "apology" or "repair attempt" on those channels

[@phoenixfalling]

I would love this, especially about how to prevent your emotions from manipulating the other person; like, I remember my mother would always do the "I'm a horrible person, you must hate me, I should die" song and dance when I was a kid and she messed up and I just ended up being the one to comfort her and couldn't actually be hurt and angry. I never want to do that to someone, but I'm very prone to tears and somewhat emotionally unstable (in therapy and psychiatry but I've been in both for like 15 years and still a mess), and I want to be able to apologize without making the other person end up comforting me

[@shannonp3864]

@@phoenixfallingAgree! I would love a video like this as well.

[@AlexandraUtschig]

I think one of Mickey's earlier videos is about a good apology. I can't remember which one, but I think it exists! 😅

[@c1nnamodoll]

something to note is that colleen's first words in her return were "sorry i've been gone for so long." she has still not apologized to any of the victims.

[@bonnieworley1159]

In the very first section, she is only apologizing for “disappearing” amidst accusations she claims are essentially false. She’s saying she was mad for being “wrongly” canceled and that she should have continued posting. Like she was being a baby or immature. She’s like shaming herself when she says that part. And she is focused on hooking those people who don’t believe the accusations and have missed her and only apologize to them and apologize to unnamed randos for whatever supposed way she hurt them. She’s doubling down on the ukulele video explanation. No doubt about it. She is boldly claiming these were false allegations. She’s covert.

[@izwolfsilver2393]

“Is the accountability in the room with us now?” 😂

[@jinx111]

yeah fr i can't believe this is still going on and she's still actively shaming the victims with this dismissive, vague, and self-saving behavior. not to mention she got the sketchy ass lawyer

[@user-mv5zt8qd9l]

Not only that, but she actively belittled them and mocked the severity of the scandal by putting up a vlog about "I've changed" just to come out as a football fan. This woman couldn't take her own actions seriously if her life depended on it.

[@mintyhippo8125]

@@user-mv5zt8qd9lwait, are you serious? If she “came out” as a football fan, as you said, that is 100% directly mocking her victim Adam McIntyre who wrote a tweet for her Miranda sings account where she “came out” as a Megan trainor fan…

[@user-mv5zt8qd9l]

​​@mintyhippo8125 I don't know if she used that phrasing in the video (because I'm sure as hell not giving her a click), but she very much used the language being used around her abuses as a punchline, which is vile. Given her extensive record of weaponising the "changed my behaviour" line, she definitely knew what she was doing by making a thumbnail and title out of it. I believe the video is now taken down, but there's a record of other people reacting to it.

[@Rain_Reign]

@ville__YOU AGAIN???? Seriously guy, get a better hobby.

[@abi_cat28]

​@ville__no you don't

[@FinntasticMrFox]

I didn't realize what a red flag the whole "many, many years ago" was for me, but damn, hearing that sentence really got my hackles up. Like I don't care if it was "many, many years go", yesterday, or within this very moment, the issue is that people are hurting *right now* because of your behaviour.

[@PGOuma]

Thank you!! People get mad and say that she doesn't need to apologize to the victims because they won't accept it anyway (which they don't know that to begin with), but apologies aren't for YOU!! They are for the people that you HURT whether they forgive you or not.

[@WhatWouldLubitschDo]

Honestly, if you feel entitled to demand a performance of forgiveness from someone, you’re definitely not sorry 😬

[@English3Muffin]

I follow several of her victims and saw the reaction from them play out on social media. It’s important to note that the people who deserve an apology THE MOST never got one. Adam, Becky, Oliver, Ella, Josh (and if I’m missing anyone, please correct me. They all deserve to be remembered and acknowledged.) It is important to remember that real people were impacted by her actions, real people went into therapy this summer due to the trauma of all of this coming out so publicly. Real people had to file police reports and physically move due to the harassment and threats from Colleen’s fans. It’s clear to me from this vague apology that she doesn’t care about them, she cares about keeping an audience and the apology was to them so they won’t leave her. Edit: Added a victim I didn’t include in my original comment.

[@SnoFitzroy]

You forgot her ex husband Josh who she has actively slandered, and allowed her cohorts to slander, especially for the purpose of framing him for what she did. I'm literally begging people to watch SWOOP's interview with him. He even actively apologized for what he *did* do, which, aside from the racist song, a lot of it was VERY mild, especially considering how Colleen practically was touching people. Not to minimize the spots where he did in fact fuck up, it is merely worth noting that he keeps getting blown out of proportion, has taken ACTUAL accountability, has ACTUALLY changed, and to top it all off he was literally one of Colleen's victims???????? He needs a fucking break

[@English3Muffin]

@@SnoFitzroy Thank you for the reminder. It’s really just so awful that there are so MANY victims of hers that it’s easy to forget to add one. That interview with Josh was incredible. He’s also just a really positive guy to follow on social media. I’ve had pleasant interactions with him on Twitter, just seems like a really good dude and I hope he continues to heal and grow from what she put him through.

[@lekiscool]

I never asked these people to be perfect… I asked them to be decent.

[@curlyhairblacklilacs]

AMEN.

[@lillianward2810]

Excellent distinction.

[@MoodyMickey]

Man I just want them to be somewhat adequate 😭

[@eevee2411]

Why is she acting like she is doing us a favour by making vlogs again?? 'It's gonna be awkward but im gonna try' nooo girl it's okay you don't have to :))) just stay away :)))

[@autoreject349]

She started out saying she was "accused" instead of saying "I did" some really horrible things. Made me not believe her immediately.

[@nataliepaad1869]

Yup! Same!

[@d0ntwearit0ut]

Justice for Oliver, Becky, Adam and everyone else Colleen and her family harmed, I truly wish them all the best and they are so brave. I understand how hard must be personally to face the amount of pushback Colleen is facing, but she has dug this hole for herself and at least she has a huge fanbase and a family to defend her. People like Adam and her ex husband Joshua who she sent hate mobs after were not given this luxury, so as bad as it may be for her, her victims have been through worse directly because of her. I hold zero sympathy for her

[@weirdhousewivesclub]

I'm coming to her current "apology" with a bias against her to be fair, but I do not see someone who is taking accountability or trying to learn and grow whatsoever. She never actually owns up to what she did. She tries to distance herself from her actions, saying it was "years" ago when even with the issue of the group chats with fans it seems that she was still in them up until recently - not years. She says nobody is perfect. This is not accountability, this is manipulation. She has not, as far as I've seen, apologized to the victims themselves, so to me, this was a whole lot of nothing so that she could feel OK coming back.

[@user-mv5zt8qd9l]

This woman has an extensive track record for only acting apologetic after aggressively spinning falsehoods about the facts of a situation. I think you're more than justified to approach her statements with a colossal heap of salt.

[@WhatWouldLubitschDo]

I would think the bare minimum for accountability would be actually addressing the documented instances of highly inappropriate behavior. So far, seems she’s only claimed that there are unspecified lies circulating about her, and that she’s been known to, idk, be socially inept and make juvenile jokes. Hard to take accountability for the real stuff without ever mentioning it.

[@emcrolls]

The framing of minors as a commodity for their parents or anyone else is HUGE issue online & off that doesn't get addressed enough. Recording your children for $$$ on the internet is traumatic. But you don't have to record kids to exploit them, even if they are under your care. Going out of your way to talk about what a sacrifice parenting is in itself ab*sive. Children are whole people who need added support, they never exist as extensions of adults, nor should they be treated as tools for means to ends for adults. --- signed a Recovering (nonprofit) posterchild

[@awright8416]

Colleen said she never meant to hurt anyone, but that is untrue. She enlisted the weenies to go after her "enemies", including her exhusband, and the ukele video was intended to hurt those victims speaking out imo.

[@jayspeers8653]

it's so interesting how everything in the video is set up to make her look softer. the wispy bangs, airbrushed face, pink lipstick, bottom lashes, and everything's white with the light soft colors on her sweater

[@jayspeers8653]

even the facial expressions

[@hurududu29]

Thank you for this. You put words to why my dad’s letter “apology” felt icky to me. He said hindsight is 20/20, and I wish I did things different raising you, but I did the best I could. I know all these things. It doesn’t change the fact that I am now hurt because of his choices or lack there of.

[@lindseystein9676]

I really get annoyed when people use the excuse “well, I’m not a perfect person…” in an apology. No one is expecting perfection from anyone, just basic human decency & you know, don’t manipulate & be inappropriate with kids. It’s like saying “well, we’ve all made mistakes before in our lives…” like sure, we have, but we all haven’t instigated/participated in inappropriate sexual conversations with minors

[@Jay_and_Meeka]

also note the amount of white in the video frame. it's a very common trend to have a lot of white in apology videos to make the person in frame seem "righteous" or "clean".

[@cucamongaphilips]

I LOVE what you said about apologies being for the other person. That just really resonated with me.

[@krazymiranda]

The title is sending me! Thank you for all the great content you post. You're actually a big reason I am pursuing a mental health career. You are an inspiration for me :)

[@Marle_xvx]

You are literally one of the most intelligent people I watch. Pointing out that she has this misplaced anger for not being allowed to do whatever she wants on the internet speaks VOLUMES to her true character and what she really thinks.

[@Marle_xvx]

So so so spot on.

[@dinosaysrawr]

Something that *immediately* rubbed me the wrong way was her saying she's been "learning." That's something you might say if you used a word you didn't realize was an offensive slur or if you offered a misinformed hot take on a complex topic. If you have to do learn that grooming, manipulating, or exploiting vulnerable people is wrong, you are all but confirming that you're a threat to those around you!

[@bethabugaboo]

This video is great. I also think its important that Adam said that real start to repair for him is just a personal apology to him and his mother. Which he hasn't received. (None of the people harmed have gotten an apology)

[@keriezy]

I loathe the "I am a mom," statement. And? I am a human! Fuck that noise.

[@jinx111]

thank you mickey, you give voice to and describe issues that are hard for me to orate sometimes

[@laurenconrad1799]

I knew a reckoning for Colleen was coming after the sheer amount she showed her kids on camera and her associations with controversial people like Trisha Paytas, but I had no idea what the details would be. I’m stunned how long she was able to keep up this facade of niceness while being a domestic abuser. Shane Dawson and others couldn’t keep up that facade for that long.

[@justkiddin84]

Actually, if you watch the Miranda content and the things like ‘Sam and Labia’ with Kory, there was no facade. She was openly gross beyond belief with the content.

[@kezia8027]

Mickey, watching your expression as colleen gives her excuses is honestly everything. I know if this was me I would have just flipped my lid, so seeing the *barely* contained rage is really refreshing knowing that you are able to feel that and then also articulate why the behaviour is so problematic. I tend to just get stuck at the rage knowing that she is full of it, but unable to articulate why, and for that reason, these kinds of videos are SO important.

[@LoudLeo3]

I feel so guilty that I followed her for so long. I started watching her at the start of the pandemic. She was in my town performing a day before the COVID shut down and I regretted not going to her live show for a long time since it was literally the last thing I could have gone to before the shut down. then when she started daily blogging I found a lot of solace in her content. Looking back I feel like I should have seen some sign and it made me mistrust my instincts. I listened to her podcast with her husband and vlog channel and was so clueless. But having watched so much from Adam and the swoop docs I can’t go back. I was surprised how much the revelations hurt me and I am genuinely disappointed in everything including her come back because I thought she was a better person than this. par-asocial relationships are real because I was genuinely hurt by her lack of accountability. Thanks for covering this topic!

[@mirrortarget5729]

Don't feel guilty, people like her can put up a facade while doing horrible things. She manipulated her audience into thinking she was a decent person, and for the most part, that veil has fallen. Honestly, I think learning the signs to recognize possible manipulation is a good investment. I wish you the best of luck with healing from this!

[@LoudLeo3]

@@mirrortarget5729 aw thanks for saying that. I guess I have always prided myself on having a good gut instinct about people so this really did throw me. My daughter is the same age as her son Flyn so I think part of it was she was going through the same struggles I was through the pandemic experience. I never really under stood the whole Miranda thing but thought she was just a normal person otherwise. Also can’t imagine family vlogging in the wake of all her stuff plus the 8 passengers thing. If she wants to share her life cool and I always thought she was more on the not over sharing side of things with her kids but I for sure feel differently about sharing anything about kids now

[@user-mv5zt8qd9l]

I don't think people honour the knock-on effects these scandals have on wider audiences beyond those directly victimised enough. When you lose someone you respected and admired to this kind of revelation, it can be hurtful and disorienting, and people should be given space to air those feelings out. There's no shame in supporting someone you didn't know at the time was this problematic.

[@canofbeef]

this video’s thumbnail is a work of art. “Is the accountability in the room with us now?” 😂 KZbin has been suggesting your vids to me for the past week or so but that thumbnail is what sealed the deal - I’m subscribing

[@Lilyanna298]

“I was being ACCUSED of doing terrible things” is the most telling part. You did terrible things. If you still can’t admit that then you haven’t learned anything

[@Sarah-re7cg]

I think my favorite part of your videos is seeing your reaction and facial expressions in real time lol please don’t ever get rid of that little on-screen bubble with you in it reacting lol

[@sarahd9074]

She starts the video by saying how embarrassed she is about her ukelele video and how disappointed she is in herself for that behavior...... and yet that video is still uploaded and public on her channel. How embarrassed is she really if she keeps that video up?? Or does she just want to keep up that stream of monetization?

[@hambeastdelicioso1600]

As far as I can tell, Colleen still hasn't apologized to any of the people who have come forward and catalogued her abuse. Adam McIntyre has been saying for years that if Colleen apologized to him and his family that he would never mention her again. He's still making Colleen Ballinger content and I hope he's making a crap ton of money off of it.

[@laurenconrad1799]

I’m shocked that she’s still vlogging her kids. It is possible to do a video diary without children. I’m sure that has dawned on her.

[@FalscheHoffnungen]

She speaks like she knows she did something wrong, maybe, but doesnt understand what people are actually on about.

[@mintyhippo8125]

I’m not going to diagnose, but narcissists can feel guilt for being caught, but don’t feel bad for what they actually did. So she probably feels really bad that her career is in the toilet for being caught, but she doesn’t actually think her behavior deserves to be punished.

[@klaratehcoolcat]

Did she ever actually state the accusations at any point in her new "apology"? I feel like that's a huge red flag. If you are apologizing for something you have to be able to say what you're apologizing for or else it's worthless

[@jeannedd.2709]

I happily stumbled upon your content a few days ago. So great! I love all your art in the background, you really shine!

[@austiiee1953]

Oh Mickey, you're like my internet best friend and we dont even know eachother 🤣 seriously you're a beacon of intellectual light in an otherwise dark world. Thank you for your insights on this latest internet stuff 🙏

[@klaratehcoolcat]

Love you Mickey. You help me make sense of this crazy internet world, and my real world too!

[@AMNmrrll]

it sounds like Colleen got just enough therapy to be more manipulative. She learned the lingo.

[@DanSlaughter85]

I've been looking forward to this i couldn't wait to hear Mickey's thoughts. We love you hope things are going well Mickey. 💙

[@SaraxAdam]

I think for me with Colleen, I've always taken my cues from the victims first and foremost. All I need to know is the fact that she didn't apologize to any of them directly. She apologized to her fans, here, via KZbin video. It doesn't really matter to me the diction or anything else. If she had said this to them directly, and then uploaded this & they corroborated, I think it would've been an easier pill to swallow. (key word being easier, obviously)

[@jordy_muhnordy]

Her "lost footage" felt like even more of a slap in the face to her victims. While they were in therapy and trying to deal with what she put them through, she was frolicking down by the creek la-di-da

[@jinx111]

she made a video again so she could keep monetization on her channel

[@katherinec4360]

I don't think that "being demonetized after 6 months" thing is real

[@ginger_nspice]

I love the thumbnail, "is the accountability in the room with us now?" sent me lolol

[@valerielevasseur8674]

The video diary thing would make a lot of sense to me as a therapy tool, but to my mind family vlogging, even if it truly goes unposted, is a different beast altogether. It's about the veneer, and largely concerns other people being all telegenic. Am I missing some obvious parallel?

[@ryanrasmussen2124]

Wow I couldn't agree more with the opening of the video! I feel like there's been such a big misconception about what an apology is in recent times. So many people take an 'apology' as an opportunity to defend and justify themselves which is not at all what they're meant to be. When you apologize to someone it's supposed to be about the person you're apologizing to. It should be about wanting to support and relieve any pain you've inflicted on them because you want the best for them, not to repair your own reputation. Sharing your side of the story has a time and place, but it is never an appropriate placeholder for an apology.

[@SlugcatEmporium]

I had no idea this happened until you uploaded. I love living under this rock.

[@thenameiswater2921]

You’ve given the apology explanation a few times now, and every time I just think of all the conversations I’ve tried to have with my mother about how I’ve been wounded over the years, and she always ALWAYS goes on about how she did the best she could and gets increasingly defensive and upset, no matter how gently or matter-of-factly I say it. When I do get her to agree to a behavior change, bc of my own attempt at boundary setting, she will try for a week or two before throwing up her hands and saying she’s “just gonna parent [me].” The phrasing she uses when she reverts has changed into my adulthood, but I have stopped trying. I tried for a full decade to make a better relationship with her. I’m done trying to save her all the time, and I’m done being her emotional crutch. My siblings always tell me when I’m hurt by family members’ actions that I “need to grow a thicker skin”. And I’m done. My only caring sibling just passed away, so I have no reason to stay connected to any of them anymore.

[@breew7126]

i don't think she'll even realize how gross what she did is, until HER children reach teenagehood. hopefully then she'll realize hmmm i wouldn't want adults communicating with MY 16 or 17 year old this way. but even then who knows...she's delusional

[@amandamandamands]

I have seen a couple of people react to this 'apology', this is the first time that my brain has processed that towards the end of the 'apology' part Colleen says to have patience with her while she gets back into vlogging because she has been away for a while. Move on to her catching up on what she has been doing over her time off line and she says that she has still been vlogging every day. Possible that she was filming differently while she took the break but still she is saying that she was still picking up the camera every day.

[@caseyw.6550]

I feel like colleen is an example of how a little bit of shame is a good thing. 🤷‍♀️ I wouldn't be able to show my face online again.

[@rishaa682]

Guilt is good shame is not

[@thylacoleonkennedy7]

It's pretty remarkable how cookie-cutter Colleen's apology is. It hits all the same points as every generic youtuber apology. Like, you could prompt ChatGPT with 'youtube apology' and I feel like this is pretty much what would come out.

[@Rain_Reign]

Tim foil hat time: that’s exactly what she did 😳

[@destinyhudson4562]

Her “apology” was very “written by a lawyer” coded. She gets to post again and make money without risking implicating herself in crimes which is what she would be doing if she actually took accountability. Every other video she posted has previous “therapy” clips that she was absolutely saving to monetize later. She even let Flynn do it one video and he did all the same things she does which means she has been talking to the camera as if she was going to post it all this time. It was never for therapy, it’s for views and money. Iswis.

[@SallyJoeTimestamps]

I LOVE THE HAIR COLOR the bronde looks so good!!!

[@TheGong00zler]

“I’m sorry” TO WHO??? FOR WHAT??? If the “apology” doesn’t include these things, it’s not an apology

[@HolldollMcG]

"I'm sorry. I know I made choices that hurt people and caused harm, and I am so sorry for that. Thank you to those who called me out and made me aware of the damage I did; that's not your responsibility, so I really appreciate it. I promise to put in the work to learn from my mistakes and make better choices in the future. I will also do X,Y,Z to make it up to those I hurt with my choices. I know I can't unring that bell, but I will do everything in my power to make you whole. That is a promise." That's all it takes, Colleen. Or, all it usually takes. In her situation, maybe prison or huge monetary reparations is what it takes. But the deflection, the manipulation, the "sorry my words/actions were taken out of context " and general lack of accountability stuff is so tiring. If you fuck up publicly, yeah, it's embarrassing. That embarrassment can be a valuable tool to learn, grow, and most importantly, MAKE THINGS RIGHT.

[@Monicalia]

What I find bonkers in this entire "apology" scandal is that people actually began singing her "apology" song, added the gossip train or whatever into internet meme vocabulary. "But its catchy" . I don't care? How was she supposed to think we take her problematic actions seriously if then we sing her little song? "What you did was awful but damn, that song slaps"? Its such contradictory behavior.

[@patchesheadphones3570]

The other thing is she was only able to do the harm she did because of youtube. If her therapist recommended her to do video diaries, she could have done that without showing anyone else, and not have started back on the specific site that garnered her the access to do the things she did. I always appreciate your humanistic side to these apologies. Sometimes it's hard to see her as a person and more as a source of harm to a lot of people and so your "she might be traumatized, but even if she was, it does not excuse her actions or make her apologies right" is really helpful. Great video

[@hollyp.8849]

I’ve never liked Colleen. Well before the Toxic Gossip Train mess, I thought she was a nasty piece of work who exploited her kids. I’m glad that she’s been exposed, and I appreciate you breaking down this fake non-apology.

[@Fiona-68]

So she was accused of grooming her fans who were literally children at the time. Now she wants to have a vlog with herself and HER CHILDREN in it when they are not able to give their consent. Completely unrelated I despise family channels. No Colleen you have done nothing except made it worse by now probably bringing your own children into it which is a new low that I didn't think was even possible,

[@julienotsmith7068]

She is hellbent on getting back on top. She’s taken a swerve in her content but she’ll keep on creating it. Her ego won’t put up with anything less. What makes my eyebrow go up, is the rage under everything we saw. How dare we try to hold her accountable. And now family vlogging, for a whole new type of horribleness.

[@Leena79]

She still hasn't apologized to her victims or worded the things she should apologize for.

[@marakenyon4871]

I feel like she came *so close* to hitting many of the points that you need in an actual apology, which just tells me that she rehearsed really really well, but doesn’t actually care about a single word coming out of her mouth.

[@ChristyH-B]

That's way too many ums. I'm now even halfway through and the ums are driving me almost as mad as the slippery lack of true apology.

[@EFMMike]

I agree " I am not a perfect person" was a predictable statement from a former narc tend i dealt with for 7 years

[@sasamafrass]

"I'm not a perfect person" Ma'am, do not quote Hoobastank at me. Also, how she's claiming to learn to not exploit children...she's still doing it by family vloging if she's showing her children.

[@lyndsaybrown8471]

Honestly, what should we expect? The character who made her famous, Miranda Sings, was a character she based on people she knew. Her career started with making fun of people she knew.

[@aylacrissman3443]

I would love to see you react to anything that Guy Hammond has put out. He was revered in the cult I was raised in.

[@elleamental788]

She is saying the exact same things she said before - just softer. "I'm not perfect." "I didn't mean to hurt them." "The mistakes were many, many years ago." She didn't learn, she just stopped being as angry.

[@gillian2325]

"is the accountability in the room with us now?" 😂🤣😂🤣

[@dannelle17]

She needed to take time to make sure she was “listening”…..? Well honey if u had put the ukulele down maybe u would have heard the kid

[@NateEngle]

For what it's worth one of the realizations that she made in therapy is that maybe she just doesn't have other ways to make a living. So while it may be toxic this is also possibly a tacit admission on Colleen's part that it's the only thing she knows how to do.

[@HolldollMcG]

Also, the whole "it happened a long time ago" thing doesn't fly. I get residual shame and guilt for shit I said more than a decade ago, even if the person I hurt has explicitly said they've forgiven me and were cool. How anyone can say "well, it was a long time ago, I didn't know what I was doing, so basically I am not responsible for the harm I caused" is baffling. Like yes, inexperience, upbringing, our social circles and environment can all play a part in shaping our thought processes and the behaviours we think are okay. And certainly, no one is perfect. No one expects perfection. But we do expect you to say "hey, when I was in 8th grade, I said a lot of racist shit and I hurt people for a joke. I sacrificed the dignity of others for a fleeting laughs and it was not okay. I am so sorry." Start there, please. The passage of time is not a Get Out Of Jail Free card.

[@Lilas.Duveteux]

I think this lack of accountability and sincerity is more frequent in people who are in the spotlight, because they tend to be exposed to constant critique more often than regular people. And the people who cope the best with being hated are typically assholes. There are exeptions, but it's the overall vibe I get for a lot of them, even if I tend to personally like them. It's a personality type that does not internalize messages, and uses social conventions as a tool rather than a kind of meaningful connection. Self-reflection is a luxury they cannot afford, because it means taking many hurtful messages they get seriously. In many celebrity kind of personalities, it can mean a thirst for attention with little discrimination between the kinds of attention.

[@DivineMissIggy]

Just wanted to say how much I love your content!

[@Bry_bryyy04]

I feel like mentioning somewhere that it’s interesting she uses past tense when saying what the intention of the video was. “I wanted…” instead of I want, feels weird when you’re in the process of filming something. In that moment, it’s happening live so why not say “with this video, I want to.. etc” Small thing but it stands out anytime I hear that part.

[@Clownbunnycosplay]

I’m subbed to both you and Hannah and it’s till sometimes amazes me you two are good friends! Just because your content is so different

[@treefrog1018]

12:02 🤯So that's why I didn't feel any better after apologizing for doing the biggest fucked up thing I ever did. Apologies are not about you but about them and trying to repair. All my damn life, I was told "Telling them the truth will make you feel better." So when I fucked up, I told the truth and no the fuck it did not make me feel better. It fuckin' hurt to come clean. I am thankful that I could bring healing to the people I hurt but fuckin' hell, mate. Telling them suuuuuucked. Only after YEARS of therapy (and leaving toxic religion) did I start to not hate myself anymore.

[@bethanyredd2948]

If it was “really embarrassing” why is it still up? 🤔

[@divacassandra1]

If this had been an actual apology, before the ukulele, she may have salvaged her career. Too little, too late.

[@user-mv5zt8qd9l]

Honestly, she could probably still be given grace if she were just frank, open and honest in owning up to her shifty past. But she's either too egotistical or scared of the legal recourse to apologise sincerely.

[@bigby2k]

She shouldn't have said anything and instead deleted her KZbin channel and find another line of work. Then again, I doubt that she's employable because of potential criminal conduct with minors...

[@eljayism]

My main takeaway from this video: "Oh god, she's a MOTHER???"

[@Rubester-cl6op]

Ill watch later but it seems like every “negative” comment was removed which makes believe its not an apology. Not only that going straight into a vlog was inappropriate given the circumstances. She could have at least mad a longer apology had people do as they wish with that and made a separate vlog.