Umm, Why Is Nobody Talking About Colleen Ballinger?

i'll just merge the 1,000 opinions i got from other videos into one blurred mega take and i'll make a three-part series explaining it okay this sounds monetizable
Twitter • / kuncandastner
Patreon • / kuncandastner
Twitch • / kuncandastner
Discord • / discord
Instagram • / kuncandastner
[MORE ME]
[✘] KZbin 2 / @kuncan2
[✘] Movie Pod / @themrmoviespodcast
[✘] Kunkstreams / @kunkstreams
[MUSIC CREDIT]
► KZbin Audio Library
► Various Game OSTs (ask about specifics!)
► Stevia Sphere: steviasphere.bandcamp.com/
► Outro Beat: / ian-kastner-985486525
thank you for watching my work :) ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ
#commentary

[@ria_x_rose]

Correction: The blackface wasnt debunked, her legal team denied it as being blackface because the paint wasn't actually black but green (part of a wicked bit). However her now ex husband who was a costar and writer on her live show back when she did that "bit" confirmed that she personally came up with the idea to do the wicked song and then purposely sing songs from black artists after (while in that dark face paint) as part of the "joke" that miranda didn't realise she was doing blackface while the audience did.

[@shamefulbeast]

that’s so unfunny and gross wow

[@poetrait941]

I would not put it past her

[@vini_the_human]

Do you have a source?

[@constanzaaarociolg9726]

where did u get this info?

[@KaylaMarie_]

Also Elphabas makeup is not that dark

[@Audreyperson37]

So glad you are talking about this since no one else is.

[@harinder13137]

but ppl have..

[@thatweirdodaniel]

​@@harinder13137its sarcasm 💀

[@FabiolaMacabre]

@@thatweirdodanielto be fair, a lot of ppl comment that they’re glad someone’s talking about it cause “nobody else is” , because they’re not aware of how big this is 😅

[@harinder13137]

@@thatweirdodaniel oh.

[@Ascension721]

@@harinder13137 didnt know kuncan was one person

[@fartemis]

I am in high school. The amount of kids at my camp aged 11-15 singing the song, making fun of it and joking about it and not evening knowing what she made the video in response to is so disheartening and kinda weird to me

[@_gremlinboy]

I think that was kinda her intention, to make her "apology" so over the top and cringey that a lot of people won't look into the actual allegations. I'm sure it is working pretty well on kids, who are what it's meant for, just like her other weird bs 😬

[@LordDomielOfElysium]

People are laughing about it because we know what it’s about, and it’s insane how she responded to it. This is how half the internet copes with things like this.

[@DE-GEN-ART]

thats exactly whyy she did this, shes a childrens entertainer regardless of what she says. she used her knowledge of childrens entertainment and is using it as a vessel to keep keep her head afloat. grade a manipulation

[@marzvstheworld]

They’re probably singing it because it is(was) a trend to parody and make fun of “Hi.”

[@Redheart709]

thats the point of any apology video where the person completely leaves out/downplays what theyre addressing and apologizing over

[@DudeWheresMyFish]

I didn't realize how much I needed to hear someone say that third point. Because, yes, this recent hot topic cannot be separated from the exploitation of children (in addition to her other allegations), and it's been hard to see so many reactions not acknowledging that or giving these allegations the weight they deserve. People act like Colleen is "dumb" or "cringe" for this song, but in my opinion the song was an incredibly smart move on her part. It's so absurd that people don't want to talk about anything else. It also reframes Colleen as an "embarrassing millennial" and not a predator or abuser. I don't think this effect would have happened if she simply published a notes app apology or made the standard apology video. By playing a silly character, people are able to forget about the real person behind it. Basically, it's the Miranda Sings persona all over again.

[@twiggledowntown3564]

You hit the nail on the head.

[@nailinthefashion]

Except this time instead of it being Miranda, it's just Colleen unfiltered under the guise of a 😝 filter lol

[@dizzykitteh]

exactly, well said. she knows what she's doing, she knows its fucked up to apologize this way, but it guides the eyes away from the "allegations" and more so to the absurdity of it all.

[@Vanessa-vz5cw]

Another commentary video that emphasizes that thrid point in a very creative way is Mr. Beard's. He does a parody of the song that emphasizes how a lot of her "defenses" in her original song mirror those of a more stereotypical predator. It gets into how she's still manipulating and trying to turn things around on her victims in her non-apology song.

[@cassinipanini]

Duncan and Ro Ramdin are two commentary channels who always approach topics like this with the nuance and thoughtfulness that they deserve

[@sleepingpotato942]

omg yes, im so happy they both made incredible videos about this topic, as much as i liked people dunking on the video when it came out, i also like hearing conversations like this

[@nightgenerator]

I thoroughly appreciated both of their videos, but at the end of the day, they're both part of the same cycle, just the 3rd wave. Soon there might even be a 4th wave that correctly pegs the similarities in this wave of the videos.

[@cassinipanini]

@@nightgenerator i see people say this in a tone that sounds like its a bad thing and im genuinely curious as to why. i dont see why it would be an issue, so much of life is just remixes of remixes so to speak. if you do think its a bad thing, would you mind explaining the rationale? im genuinely asking, i'd like to understand.

[@nailinthefashion]

Shut up because Ro's cinematography and framing choices are so new age and refreshing I guess I believe in life after love

[@MarceldeJong]

Add Swoop in there too

[@ChristopherTom]

You're right. With a topic as serious as this, it's weird for someone to mainly reduce it to "haha cringe apology" and gloss over the darker context surrounding it, especially considering the fact that these are very serious things that involved the exploitation of minors. They don't have to take a deep dive into it, but by not properly addressing or acknowledging it, they end up downplaying the severity of the situation. I also wonder how much of this is due to creators trying to avoid getting demonetized, so they choose to omit information or they try to skate around the seriousness of the topic, kind of like how people use ridiculous terms like "unalived."

[@sambugos4237]

Nothing is serious about silly “text messages” and dark humor. Get a life and stop overly reaching being a dramatic snowflake about. Let’s focus on real world issues like murders and ACTUAL victims out there

[@cassinipanini]

@@sambugos4237 imagine thinking cyber-abuse isnt "real" in the year of our lord twenty twenty three.

[@caseyw.6550]

Who are you watching on KZbin? Literally EVERY video I've seen on the topic explicitly condemns colleen's behavior and stresses how incredibly inappropriate her behavior was. I've never seen anyone downplaying her actions...except for papa gut and he (rightfully) got ripped to shreds for it.

[@zachanikwano]

I was under the impression that people use the term unalive to avoid KZbin censorship. Also people are condemning it as well as mocking Colleen.

[@futuristic.handgun]

​@@sambugos4237Colleen, that you?

[@digitalharmony26]

Majorly impressed you’ve never heard it. It unfortunately lives in my head rent free. I see her face and the panic sets in. It’s a visceral reaction.

[@acciousername6776]

🎶 tOxIc gOsSiP tRaiinNn 🎶

[@nahicorua]

🎶I'm not a groomer, I'm just a loser🎶

[@softwaifu]

I don't even have to hear it I just see the screen grab and it's stuck in my head

[@cassinipanini]

@@KaleighCee so many dumb ways to die !! dumbbb ways to dii- iii - iiiieeee

[@nailinthefashion]

At least you're having fun 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@minerva9843]

Colleen doing "green face" is just a work around. She had a costume change since the excuse is that she did the wicked witch skit prior. On top of that, she chooses the order of the skits! Leaving the green face on is how she gets away with doing blackface without being called out for doing blackface.

[@spookysomeone]

it's also really frustrating how the defense of the "green face" keeps changing. two arguments ive heard are "the joke is that miranda is out of touch" and "it was not intended to be a joke about blackface", but if the joke is that miranda is out of touch, it has to be a joke about blackface, and if it wasn't intended to be about blackface then it can't be a joke about miranda being out of touch! it's almost like it's bullshit and she put on a full face of face paint to imitate a black woman

[@_gremlinboy]

@@spookysomeone yeah her defenders on that point are simply picking two opposing talking points to defend her with, and can't decide which one sounds better. It's so clear based on everything else about her humor that the whole thing was set up for the "joke" to be Miranda blithely imitating a black woman while wearing a face of indiscernibly dark colored makeup.

[@ghostguru9156]

Her ex husband confirmed the green face paint x beyonce was on purpose

[@felixoupopote]

You really only can understand one layer at a time, can you? Goddamn the world is full of self righteous illiteracy now.

[@ghostguru9156]

@@felixoupopote her ex husband literally confirmed that was what she was doing

[@_Chlorophyllis]

EDIT: Wording because misreading As someone who was groomed as a kid, the song gave me not catharsis, or schadenfreude, but a secret third thing I will be unpacking with my therapist.

[@Perceptionreflection]

Is there a word for being aghast at f*ckery?

[@kd8663]

It made me mad for the same reason because all the boilerplate groomer manipulation tactics were in it. That said, I have made a joke or two just because of how absurd pulling out a ukelele was to me. I hope your unpacking goes well.

[@_Chlorophyllis]

@@kd8663 thanks, I was laughing it up at the ukulele for the same reason. Its so wild

[@MothsMusicBox]

Omfg I thought your comment said "as someone who also groomed children" and I was like WAIT WHAT 😭😭😭😭

[@lesbathmia]

DUDE REAL. her video felt exactly like the paragraphs my groomer sent to me when i finally cut contact. it is insane

[@samhenrigold]

This is one of the weirdest snake-eating-its-own-tail things on KZbin at the moment. The original song apology thing, the original reaction, the wave of commentary youtubers making videos on that apology and the original reaction, some people on twitter calling out "hey isn't it strange how these are all...the same?" and now you and Ro making retrospectives on the fallout. Idk, I just haven't seen this weird meta-reaction style in my years of indulging in online culture.

[@nailinthefashion]

Imo it's the potency and scale. Dramageddon 1 was like, tea btwn two superficial people. Logan is a hot straight white guy so he was gonna get away with anything anyway. This is a full blown scandal spanning a decade with so many bits and pieces to discuss I don't think we'll ever say what needs to be said. This is still before the lawsuits unfold too. We'll be discussing this for years to come. Another wave. Imagine she vlogs with her kids? Just fanning the fires, another wave of videos. Rachel still hasn't addressed anything I'm aware of, another one. It just keeps going lol

[@DeathnoteBB]

What shocks me is people not already realizing and accepting commentary KZbin is just the same stuff different channel. Like I thought we all already accepted that! But apparently some people didn’t know 😅

[@kokobraithwaite9764]

right 😭

[@lilliem8675]

that's a great analogy in the first sentence^^

[@everfluctuating]

​​@@DeathnoteBBpersonally the different videos i watched about it all had different things to focus on, but honestly how much different commentary can you expect from "child groomer releases 10 minute song about how shes not a groomer and all her accusers are actually clout chasers". its unilaterally absurd and inexcusable

[@AlexandraUtschig]

That video was not an apology, it was the opposite of one.

[@spookysomeone]

jacksfilms' spoof of her apology was a better apology than her actual apology

[@coralieofjumpwithnofear]

Your gentle way of talking has made this possibly the most calming video that I’ve watched on this particular topic.

[@CatFish107]

Agreed. Duncan's delivery is usually like a cozy hug telling you it's ok to not be ok.

[@tiia-liisakansakangas9569]

100% agreed. To me this was one of the most memorable videos of this topic. Because of the calmness and for the opinion itself. Every commentary channel creator should watch this video and really think what they are saying about colleen and the victims. Is it okay to only laugh at her apology song and not address about the fact that the victims are suffering while this music video makes people laugh and sing along. Sickening.

[@luiguigi]

the first wave of videos about this was honestly exhausting cause they were all the same. each person definitely did present it differently but it was ultimately the exact same info over and over. this and ro ramdins video are so refreshing as like a step back and look into the situation as a whole and not just "WOAH I CANT BELIEVE SHE DID THAT THIS IS CRAZY"

[@dylnpickl846]

Thank you for not including footage of the song. Its horrible, genuinely, and I have needed the commentary infinitely more than hearing clips of this song over and over. Thank you for another measured response, and for your perspective on this phenomenon. I enjoy a lot of different commentary content, but you continue to remind me of my core values when speaking to these issues. ❤

[@earlgaytea]

really off topic but aioli deserves her own video essay. she seems like she's got so much to say

[@luwildy]

💯

[@romywhite290]

The benefit I found in the Reaction style is that I got the context without having to watch colleen's and therefore pay her.

[@mijeongs404]

i agree with a lot of your points. it irked me when a lot of commentary channels has released videos just HOURS after colleen's video, leaving no room for enough research and nuance to discuss the topic. it has sensationalized the gravity of what colleen has done. i've noticed a lot of commentary channels these days (whom i used to watch a lot) have turned merely into reaction channels now with no addition or substance anymore.

[@_gremlinboy]

Makes me so upset how much of a brain worm that song is. I hold my stance that it's a form of psychological warfare.

[@maddiegeier]

I really appreciate and enjoy both you and Ro ramdin talking about the recent commentary channel shift. It feels like many have come to resemble the drama channels that used to be clowned on a few years ago for churning out shallow takes. Good commentary should bring more to the table than just "i think thing bad/ omg bro this is crazy!" There's so much to cover an analyze when it comes to internet culture and I really admire and appreciate the people who take that aspect seriously. Great video, I always like hearing your perspective on topics like this :)

[@kokobraithwaite9764]

exactly!! still love the other commentary channels but i feel like a lot of them are just getting more cruel and redundant idk

[@twiggledowntown3564]

Same. There are definitely commentary channels that only do things for drama.

[@aven7580]

i do understand a lot of commentary channels have overlapping opinions the same way people in your friend group would, its a subgenre and they act accordingly most of the time, but theyre still worth watching even if they all say the same thing because you cant expect people to fake their opinion just so they differ and also worth mentioning most of them made seperate videos discussing the allegations, her comedy special etc. (also dont get me wrong not to bring other creators down but duncan seems to always look at the bigger picture and ask questions that are very out of the box while still covering the "main" topic and i appreciate that a lot)

[@nailinthefashion]

Some people sit in the front and shout. Some sit in the middle and raise their hand. Some sit in the back and just whisper to their friend. All these perspectives are worth listening to imo, the more you know the more you know you don't know much. He actually says something similar at like 14:40 lol

[@ultraboombean]

All these channels see the view numbers and hop on the wagon for money but tbh I am okay with it.

[@Audreyperson37]

Def agree she made the video weird and BAD to change focus and create a different conversation for SURE

[@cassinipanini]

manipulative people gonna manipulate :[

[@torixsilver444]

I was avoiding this from EVERY commentary channel I could, I told myself; if Kuncan Dastner does a video on this, I'll learn about this thing. So, here I am

[@acciousername6776]

I've watched every commentary channel's take, but hot danggit I'm pumped for Kuncan

[@FabiolaMacabre]

I’ve watched a ton of videos on this and idk who this dude is, but I’ll listen 😂

[@purplelamp273]

I will just add - Colleen thought the uke video was actually a good video. She sent it to Trisha Paytas when she published it to let her know she responded. If she genuinely thought it was bad and it was just a way to save some sort of face, I do not know why she would send it to Trisha as a "please watch this, this is my response" text

[@dillpickle-no9hl]

I mean trisha is has a reputation of being someone who's constantly involved in controversy and scandals (and is honestly really good at creating new controversies/viral moments to distract people from the terrible things that she does). Like if I was Colleen and was trying to distract people from the seriousness of the allegations Trisha is EXACTLY the person that I would go to for advice.

[@Perceptionreflection]

@@dillpickle-no9hl Except it was Trisha's nudes she sent to CHILDREN and Trisha's body she hosted watch parties to make fun of so... no. She wasn't asking for advice. She was telling Trisha this was her response to people being upset she did this.

[@dragone7897]

@@dillpickle-no9hl well that’s the opposite of what happened pretty much. Trisha actually made a serious response which is… unexpected to say the least

[@juulvandijk5041]

@@dragone7897 I think this is because Trisha knows this game an plays it well. She's not stupid and probably knows when someone is doing a "trisha" basically

[@blackdahlia42]

just watching it you can tell she thinks she's brilliant for what she's doing. She literally has times in the video you can see her smiling with this smug impression like "oh yeah, thats a good line" like she's blatantly pleased with herself even when she tries to fix it and go back to a serious expression

[@AnnamarieForcino]

wait…who’s colleen ballinger?

[@possumpaints6852]

I appreciate your take on this! It's been bothering me that so many channels kind of brushed the actual allegations to the side because the whole time I was watching them I was only able to think about the awful things she's done, and those allegations were sort of hanging over those videos like a dark cloud. It felt wrong to see a video about such a serious topic filled with mostly jokes

[@WormBeetle]

You are one of the only commentary channels that I trust on these topics, Ive been watching your videos since forever ago and I still think your takes are some of the best out there, and even if I don't agree with your opinions entirely I can always understand where you're coming from. Even if I've seen 50 videos on the same topic I will still watch your video on it and make that number 51 because I think you're amazing at what you do

[@sambugos4237]

He’s literally acting about it in a satire way, but I thought you guys don’t like satire comedy which is what Miranda does? Oh right but he is a male, so it makes it ok for him to do it. Got it.

[@WormBeetle]

@@sambugos4237 I do not have a problem with Colleen’s content I have a problem with the fact that she allegedly groomed minors.

[@xolliex4122]

@@sambugos4237 mate wht she literally groome dsomeone what bs are u spouting, many ppl like her content

[@bridget1482]

i really like your channel because for a while i thought i just didn’t like commentary videos as much as i used to, but after watching this video, i realize that it’s because they r all just reaction channels now, and nobody is actually sound commentary! your videos are so great because you actually give coherent thoughts and opinions that you took time to develop. it makes me want to hear your opinion on things, versus other channels who are just saying the first thing that comes to their mind when they watch something. love your channel

[@Gustavozxd13]

the peak of the insanity to me was her smiling while looking at a underage girl's panties, while the girl is on the floor legs open with her ass pointing directy towards colleen, in front of a massive audience, and again, Colleen is smiling like a comical creep. How can something like that happen and it just gets past everyone without anyone finding it maybe a bit weird?

[@LezbeOswald]

i’ve seen so many videos about this woman, but this is the first one i’ve seen acknowledging the fact that her miranda sings character seems to be a harmful charicature of autism. as an autistic person, thank you. though i also understand why many people didn’t mention it, as colleen managed to do something to potentially offend literally everyone. hard to cover all of that.

[@cassinipanini]

she admitted in an interview that she based the character not only on her classmates (whom she looked down on) but on her autistic cousin. so it is very very much intentional :/ edit: its not her autistic cousin but apparently her deaf brother. either what theres some serious ableism there

[@elen5871]

its not her autistic cousin, it's her deaf brother, Trent. you know, the pedophile. specifically his tantrums. she mixed making fun of her classmates with making fun of her brother.

[@pinkerhero]

I only ever heard it was based on a disability, I don't know it was specified

[@cassinipanini]

@@elen5871 thank you for correcting me, i will update my comment !!

[@Ascension721]

I never even thought of it like that. Wow

[@cassidywebb7228]

Thank you for actually naming the fact that her character is just a series of harmful stereotypes about autistic people! I haven't actually seen anyone talk about that in this post-song discussion.

[@Hakumeiun]

New info dropped just recently showing her brother ALLEGEDLY DMing children in a creepy, possibly sexual, nature. As with Colleen, the evidence seems pretty damning, consisting of screenshot and verbal accusation corroborated by witnesses. So it seems to be family trait. If you have kids, keep a close ere on them and watch for signs of grooming or abuse. And if you are a kid, don't let any adult ever speak to you in a sexual or intimate matter. Tell a trusted adult immediately. You deserve better. edit: I suck at spelling, so...

[@dandelion_official4812]

Oh that stuff with Oliver came out ages ago - Trent is giving legit pedo vibes 🚨🚨🚨

[@Hakumeiun]

@@dandelion_official4812 It was kind of shocking. Who tells a teen kid they'd "look good pregnant"? Who tells anyone that? It's absolutely disgusting

[@dandelion_official4812]

@@Hakumeiun oh yah definitely and Oliver isn't the only one he was speaking to 🤢 Oliver said in an interview that there are others who have contacted him but they are too scared to come forward publicly 😪

[@Hakumeiun]

@@dandelion_official4812 I saw that. Can you imagine? These poor kids. First abused by people they trust, then shamed into silence. I know this happens way too often, and I'm happy there might finally be some repercussions, but it never stops being horrifying

[@dandelion_official4812]

@@Hakumeiun and there's still idiots in the comment sections asking how receiving underwear in the mail is traumatising 😅💀 Loorrrrddd give me strength 😑

[@2001arms]

Secret Topic #3 has been unknowingly going on in the back of my brain. I am always wondering why some channels I used to watch for commentary aren't as appealing to me now and it's exactly that, they don't do commentary anymore! I have to hope that maybe after making so many videos and taking the hobby as a job now, the effort they put intp their videos is just lower (and I can have some sympathy for that but not when actual dangerous and serious things are being ignored because the apology song is more exciting)

[@rosecity_chris]

The worst part about the horrible thing she did...is make a damn song about that gets stuck in your head. Ive been singing toxic gossip train for weeks.

[@luwildy]

Dude same

[@marleyaddsomemoore]

glad somebody's FINALLY sharing their thoughts on this topic

[@laurenb309]

the laptop closing transitions are so cool

[@rootbeerrain]

this video and the one by Ro Ramdin are by far my favorites on this topic. i try to keep my distance from internet discourse (just for my own mental health) but you consistently make videos that bring way more to the table, which broadens the video's subject matter to way more than "this lady did some stuff, here's her weird song" or whatever you're talking about in a given video. thanks for sharing.

[@Vampress09]

She wanted to distract everyone from the heinous things she did and she succeeded.

[@dizzykitteh]

exactly.

[@absolute-creature]

That still image activates my flight or flight, I don't even want to fight I just want to run.

[@bloodlove93]

you don't usually have that reaction do you?Just curious, i once knew a real weirdo,she said she lacks fight or flight and instead becomes "the deer in the headlights" in her words, over a few years... i can confirm, she was serious, she will inevitably be a victim one day, can't fight,can't even run,just stuck scared in place, can't even speak, I've seen more from cornered rabbits surrounded by rabbid wolves. not my problem now, i can't tolerate such a weak creature that can't even stand up to a swift breeze.

[@absolute-creature]

​​@@bloodlove93wat

[@iamahiphopfan3759]

@@bloodlove93 weak creature?

[@TheBeatlesToday]

Can we stop calling her video “an apology”? She didn’t apologize even once 😂

[@julietofthebriar]

I’ve watched so many Colleen videos because there’s so much to cover that it highlights the strengths of someone’s commentary. I think Rachel Oats is the first one I’ve heard talk about how one of Colleen’s books photoshopped a vagina onto a baby, and only two channels I’ve seen have mentioned her brother or how her ex husband has the same behavioral patterns. Some bring on victims for an interview to hear their voice on the matter, others look at the culture that enabled Colleen to escape getting ‘cancelled’ for so long. It’s kinda sad that some people just want to take the piss when there’s so much to discuss.

[@EffyGomes]

thank you! I've been so annoyed at ppl going "idk anything about this situation, but here comes my video anyway" or "meh, i don't really care about the drama, let's go haha at silly apology". this is a serious situation with real victims. the moment i saw her video i thought it was a way to redirect the conversation. she's not dumb. anyway, stumbled into the channel by algorithm and really enjoyed this, so I'll definitely come back

[@MosesSuppose]

What’s super interesting to me is that not only did “hi” make the “commentary KZbinr meta” more apparent, but it even created a similar meta for commentary about the commentary. I wonder if we’re going to get a third wave of meta meta commentary, repeated ad nauseam until someone eventually does something crazier than “hi.”

[@guacamojo]

but before i go on, let me quickly introduce myself! my name is kuncan dastner, and this is the only channel on youtube where all videos are written and produced by a cat. aioli couldn't be--oh nvm, she's here. there goes the greenscreen. ok

[@banafanafofana6914]

I understood that reference! 😅

[@luigiboyinblu]

I appreciate the effort behind this video. It must’ve been at least conflicting to release it knowing that you’re saying something like “Hey everyone, maybe we’re fucking up” to your colleagues and even friends. But you have a strong point, the darkness of the event was heavily overshadowed by how ridiculous it was and that is stopping us from realizing why it’s so important to talk about it. For a hot minute I thought that it was one of the rare occasions where the whole internet agrees with something. What I didn’t notice until now is that we did, but we agreed on Colleen’s video being stupid, not on it being BIG TIME fucked up and downright sinister. Let’s never forget that she made fun of the victims by improvising a song where she mostly stated that she’s not sorry about anything and that WE are the problem while she actively ignored all the evidence against her. Thank you, Duncan.

[@hollyjones3614]

I’ve watched much of Adam Mcyintre’s videos and they honestly broke my heart. Colleen really made his life hell - and I’m not saying that the commentary channels didn’t watch those videos, it just felt like they focused on the lol this apology video is dumb over real people’s stories. Though I am sitting here behind a screen not talking about these events outside of this comment so I guess I’m not one to talk.

[@FakeFailsafe]

I love that the true meaning of the title is hidden behind two chapters, and I love when a video essay's scope shifts as it progresses. Anyway, I thought you had some pretty good thoughts, and I'm sorry that all I can ever say is that I like the way you structure your videos

[@val6886]

aside from this video being genuinely very well structured and insightful, i have to say i absolutely loved the editing. you always put a lot of effort into the way you edit your videos but this one especially felt incredibly well put together and enjoyable to watch. great work as always duncan! :]

[@keetzaberry]

You and Ro are my favs. Thank you for giving me a lotta hope for the commentary genre with each video.

[@Amyphere]

Your videos always feel like they’re tricking me into learning and growing as a person

[@yahooanswersofficial]

Thank you for spreading the word, this is unheard of.

[@Kazooples]

My theory about all the reaction videos from commentary channels is that basically the cost of living crisis has everyone jumping at any opportunity to get more views, even if it’s not up to their usual standards, and I get that, I would do some lazy stuff if it meant more money, but it’s still a problem.

[@badger6882]

I think this video really brought out your distinct style and approach to the commentary genre: for example, slowing the pace for an easier and nicer to digest video compared to a lot of the playing field, as well as zooming out on the issue. Also you’re kind of fucking right about commentary KZbin’s reaction as well as commentary KZbin being a friend group and a business

[@nerd26373]

We appreciate your insights as always. We know for certain you’re the best at making these commentaries about creators.

[@kh-wp1mj]

its kinda disrespectful to the victims to just react and not even know what happened/get info wrong, there are videos by the victims and interviews with them including with H3 covering it all, its just so transparent that they dont gaf and have nothing to really add

[@penichilling]

Thank you so much for explaining beforehand exactly what is going on. I feel like so much of what she did has only been alluded to in other videos I've watched, and even though I watched Adam's original video it feels like so much information has been added since then and I have no clue what's going on anymore. Everyone has just been making fun of the apology without discussing the weight of the accusations behind the "funny singing apology." edit: I made that comment before part 2 & 3 and it feels really irrelevant after everything that comes afterwards.

[@jadziajan]

KZbin likes to recommend me commentary videos, but aside from a few creators I like, I've grown tired of the genre too. Especially when creators center their channels around making jokes - so many channels are just about making fun of a new topic in every video. It's embarrassing to see some creators still use the word cringe when it's felt to me like mature Internet users mostly agreed that cringe is dead long ago. Many of the jokes are either empty or mean spirited... And I fail to see what watching those videos brings me. There are some creators I watched a bunch because they were funny and came across as nice, but the more you hear from them (oftentimes with the inevitable podcast, sometimes by checking out their social media), the more you realise their messages are hollow. They do in fact just say whatever seems agreeable to please their audience, but are in fact ignorant about the very things they talk about. I know my current view is very negative, but I've had an interest in this genre of video for a long time, and with time it feels cheaper and cheaper. Like... Why should I care about these guys' opinions? Really, why should I?

[@luishp3]

I hadn’t really thought of these very valid points, perhaps because I’ve been watching videos by Adam, and some of the other victims so I’m highly aware of how effed up the situation really is, but I guess most people are not really as informed, and could see all of this as just another meme. Good analysis, mate.

[@RisingSunfish]

Yeah, I think I’ve been spoiled by my YT feed centering around the hours-long deep-dives from the likes of iNabber, SWOOP, etc. I genuinely had no idea those types of responses took up only a minority of the spotlight.

[@racheldare.]

I have been noticing more reaction style videos from channels I thought were commentary channels and I really don’t like it because I watch commentary videos for information and analysis, not first brush reactions. One creator (who shall remain unnamed) has flat out said in a few videos that they haven’t looked into the subject and don’t really know what they’re talking about and if it’s on a topic I’ve seen other videos on I notice that things they’re saying are just plain wrong or based on now outdated information and it’s really frustrating and makes me not want to watch their content anymore

[@sylmaerie]

i think i know who you’re talking about and it’s getting to me too. if i’m right then another related thing they do that’s been bugging me is when they end a video by going “but that’s just me idk guys what do you think” bc the comments are then consistently full of corrections and they just…don’t take that as a sign that maybe they need to look into things more? bc the very next video they’re back to “idk i haven’t really looked into this all that much” and it’s frustrating

[@anvisriva1824]

I'm so happy you talked about the third point so much. I started to stray from the commentary sphere a while ago and I already knew not to watch videos about the situation. It's also why I was very dissatisfied watching commentary videos about Andrew Tate and alpha male podcasts. The stuff these men say literally leads to the dehumanization and violence of women and is raising a new generation to accept and normalize misogyny and most yt commentators in their videos basically just say "andrew tate and these other male podcasters are kinda weird :/" and it just frustrates me. There's no addressing the larger themes or topics. Most commentary now a days feels reactive and surface level without any deeper thought into the issues they are covering.

[@heatherlee2047]

Cheyanne Lin made a really good video on this that actually examined the child-exploitation aspect of this case as the main topic. Really high quality commentary channels exist on this platform, but they are not necessarily the ones in the spotlight

[@TravelingGaby]

She is still FULLY manipulating everyone and I thank you for saying it what it is!!

[@gigiforever9097]

honestly i’ve never been able to articulate the way a lot of commentary channels have been moving towards lately but saying that they’re turning into reaction channels makes a lot of sense. so thanks for helping me put into words what my own thoughts were. like you said, i don’t think it’s necessary a bad thing they just need to stick a healthy balance. i think reactions are a good addition because i think the way people react to things says a lot about them. while reactions on KZbin are definitely played up a lot of the time, I still think it says a lot about what that person thinks is important from what they say but also from what they don’t mention. i’m not really sure what the point of this comment was but i just wanted to put it out in the good old ✨market place of ideas✨ great video btw! you’re stuff never misses

[@ZDubbed]

When is the “What’s the deal with red trees” video dropping?

[@-_-august.amber.-_-]

I agree about your thoughts on commentary videos to reaction videos. It's an understandable change with how KZbin promotes creators. If you want to have a livable job, it's understandable. Similarly, commentary can be hard when it's all you do. Reactions can be lighter. Although sometimes I've found it leaves me feeling heavier and overwhelmed. I like to sit with stuff and reactions don't do that. I greatly appreciate how you try to end with a positive note or a take away for that reason.

[@CatFish107]

Anthony Fantano reviewed the song itself. That was a worthwhile watch.

[@Tamara-tt2fi]

i love how creative and calm your videos are. Its really refreshing to me, thanks for your work😌🫶

[@Nina-zm4ej]

I think I saw legal eagle mention that criticising the song falls under fair use.

[@kd8663]

He’s right, but KZbin has a terrible track record for respecting legal fair use, so I understand why people are just avoiding it.

[@KrooTon]

Off-Topic: Duuuude Man Carrying Thing is one of your patrons?! That’s wild! Great commentary on the recent deluge of commentary. Also the meta of commentary commentary. 😂

[@basboye]

one of the interesting things i noticed in the comments of reposted screenshots of mia's tweet was a lot of misogyny every single instagram post i saw was flooded with people targeting gabi specifically

[@biggestastiest]

i absolutely love kuncan's hair and i am dead serious. if someone ever insults his hair i will find their real time coordinates.

[@__rm307]

Is that a threat? 😳👀

[@hugitkissitloveit8640]

He'd look great with curls

[@lemon4087]

Last year, I found myself watching some topic and was interested so much in it. So I just watched all the commentary channel vids that came my way. That went on for couple of months and I realised I'm just watching same video over and over. I got out of those echo vids immediately 😅😅

[@kitty2894]

the anxiety that builds up every time you put in the beginning of her clip is so insightful but infuriating btw love your videos, always curious and happy to watch; sorry you have to put yourself through so much man

[@hotdirectioner2215]

you always make such insightful, well articulated points with your vids and take them in a direction that I never suspect but always love

[@draven31]

The KZbinr Swoop actually did a fantastic job covering this.

[@angelical.3384]

I always love to listen to your different angles on popular topics! I love your commentary! Keep it up!

[@protogon]

It's rare to see a commentary channels that actually have something insightful to say about a topic. You're one of the good ones, keep it up

[@1977TA]

I agree that a lot of commentary channels fell for Colleen's trick in their coverage of the "Hi." video. It was a brilliant plan that no one identified because they were too busy trying to be the first to rip it to shreds. The story became about the "Hi" video which essentially took the eye off the ball of why Colleen got in trouble in the first place. The child grooming accusations and other horrible things she has done stopped being the focus of thumbnails as the "Hi" video took center stage. If you are Colleen that is exactly what you wanted. Less focus on why you are in trouble and more focus on a distraction that is not as damning. The accusations got buried under countless "Hi" video coverage to the point uninformed viewers would think she is in trouble solely because she made the "Hi" video. Duncan, your video may be the most productive I've seen in a long time. It puts the focus back on the actual reason Colleen is in hot water.

[@cassbrown8591]

I love the ending of this video. You made me feel like you genuinely cared about what I thought, like a goodbye chat. I appreciate your video and I hope you have a good weekend

[@acciousername6776]

4:29 god-tier transition

[@MP-kx7kq]

Thank you for highlighting the importance of real commentary ❤ and not just reacting to the topic

[@GCARD]

I need an apology in song form Duncan

[@beaniecat7753]

The whole time she intended to abuse the copyright claiming. You're right, she's been on KZbin the whole time so she knows the easiest way to get that in the algorithm was with a ukulele rather than having such a unique video the algorithm could identify seconds of it.

[@dandelion_official4812]

Not according to her legal team who sent a cease and desist to H3H3 for saying Colleen claimed their video. Apparently it was someone else 😂

[@evoregnar5354]

I love this video, I always wait for your videos, I binged all your channel when I first saw u, I just can't get enough and I love it, I love how your perspective always gives me something new I never thought of and a good amount of empathy, but not too much, just enough, thanks for that

[@oliveknots]

Loved the video and your message thank you for covering the kinda meta but necessary reflection of the community. please please please show more videos of atoli in future videos I am obsessed and love how she yells at you thank you

[@WhimzyInteractive]

Love the thumbnail. Love the video. Love the GUIDLINES!?! Big enjoyer of your work

[@DoodleMcNoodles]

I love your editing it's so nice and smooth!

[@nataliefemenella4420]

i genuinely love the input and thought you put into making your videos, very very cool

[@Brannington]

she really is following in Led Zeppelin's footsteps of creeping on younger fans

[@eewahnah]

I couldn't help but just swoon over the Drag Race shade noise, haven't heard that in years!

[@jules0520]

I hadnt thought about it until this video brought it up, but I definitely did wait to learn anything about Colleen. I was seeing videos on my recommended left and right but they were super short and from creators I wasnt familiar with. I waited until inabber posted his video, then I consumed a bunch of stuff from Adam MacIntyre himself, and then I watched this. I think even though I got a seemingly small amount of opinions all the videos i watched were much more based in relaying facts which allowed me more space to form my own opinions. I think that space, giving the audience all the information so we can form our own opinions, while still explaining their own opinion/viewpoint, is the best trait a commentary youtuber can have.

[@pauline853]

this is simply aioli’s channel now

[@Emileigggggh]

I wish youtubers weren't basically penalized for not uploading as often as possible :(

[@elizabethpage_]

So glad you’re bringing this topic to light

[@step-hen-ie]

Lol I for real revised a couple of my thumbnails after taking notes on your template explanation segment 😀

[@Magochilly]

Im sorry unrelated but if I’m correct did you use music from Kirby’s Epic Yarn? Great video, that for some reason just made me so unnecessarily happy

[@renminb1]

aioli is so beautiful i love torties i have three rn😭😭😭

[@tegantalks9612]

One of my favourite line by line breakdowns was Runkle of the Bailey, who is a criminal defence lawyer, who basically explained how if criminal charges did come up for Colleen how the prosecution could use specific lines against her. I also really liked Adam’s response videos to this because this effects him directly.

[@goonsdirge3464]

can't wait for the new wave of meta where commentary youtubers talk about commentary youtubers talking about commentary youtubers talking about colleen ballinger

[@Lwhale.3797]

When people talk about Shane Dawson nowadays, it usually just tends to be (1) his weepy “Taking Accountability” video, & (2) the fact that he joked about intercourse with a cat. And we hear very little now about his racism, inappropriate behavior toward kids, etc. Some commentary videos tend to thrive on the bizarre, unusual, and what sticks in people’s brain rather than the actual heinous and intolerable acts that are more uncomfortable to talk about. And even what they do reference the bad stuff, it’s from this weird high horse and moral sense of superiority, like “GASP! I could NEVER imagine doing something as AWFUL as THIS!” Like… I’m sorry is that really a productive way to discuss such sensitive topics? Anyway, banger video.

[@Lincoln_Bio]

Damn I've been offline for a couple of months and you really upped your lighting & editing game while I was gone