Should podcasters like Raven-Symone give canceled creators a platform to apologize

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00:00Raven-Symona and her wife Miranda just dropped a new Tea Time episode and the internet is not

00:05having it because the guest was none other than Colleen Bollinger. The second Raven announced the

00:09episode, social media exploded with comments reminding everyone exactly why Colleen's return

00:14is so controversial. So today we're breaking down what Colleen did, why the internet is outraged,

00:19and whether creators like Colleen should ever be given a second chance. Colleen Bollinger is the

00:24YouTuber behind Miranda Sings, a character she created in 2008. Miranda is an over-the-top,

00:30delusional performer with exaggerated lipstick, off-key singing, and a hyper child-like personality.

00:35Hey guys, it's me Miranda, and today I am really ticked off because today I'm stuck to this kid

00:41for 24 hours. I'm too. The character blew up online, attracting a huge audience of young viewers who

00:47love the observed comedy and so bad it's funny performances. But over the years, public opinion

00:52about Miranda Sings shifted, with some people calling the character outdated, uncomfortable,

00:57or inappropriate for the young fanbase she appealed to. And back in 2023, Colleen, aka Miranda Sings,

01:13was accused of inappropriate behavior with underage fans. One former fan stated the YouTuber sent him

01:19underwear when he was 13 and asked invasive personal questions in a group chat. Others described

01:25uncomfortable interactions throughout her career, including on the set of Haters Back Off,

01:29where staff claimed she made insensitive or inappropriate comments. Colleen later acknowledged

01:34some of this, like sending the underwear, but denied grooming. And then came that ukulele video,

01:40a 10-minute song about the gossip train that many people saw as deflection instead of accountability.

01:45But that's not very interesting, is it? So let's go on. The toxic gossip train,

01:51the locomotives fueled with hateful accusations, the toxic gossip train, steamrolled over someone's

02:01reputation. So when the YouTuber suddenly popped up on Tea Time, people were already on edge,

02:06and very quick to remind her they hadn't forgotten. During the interview, Colleen does apologize,

02:11but only after Raven prompts her, which didn't help, since many felt she never fully took

02:16accountability for her actions in the first place. And one fan also noticed something else,

02:21quote, I love how the original title was Colleen's actual apology, and then looked back at it,

02:27realized she never apologized unless asked to do so, and then changed the title to Colleen telling her

02:33side, which many people saw as PR damage control, not accountability. And the rest of the comments are

02:38brutal. One user wrote, platforming a predator in 2025, wild. And another asked, are you going to

02:45give the victims the same platform? But this backlash isn't just about Colleen, it's about

02:50something bigger. Should podcasters give canceled creators a platform at all? Because whether they

02:55intend to or not, podcasters today are gatekeepers. They choose who gets to talk, who gets a comeback,

03:01and whose story gets amplified. And to many online, putting Colleen front and center without victims or

03:07outside voices, feels less like a conversation, and more like a soft reboot of Colleen's career.

03:13Especially because we've seen this pattern before. One example is Shane Dawson, who was canceled for his

03:19own controversies, including accusations of racism, inappropriate comments about minors, and offensive

03:25content. After he was canceled, he slowly returned through podcast interviews and collaborations with other

03:32creators. And James Charles was demonetized on YouTube after he faced major misconduct accusations,

03:37which caused him to take a short hiatus after he apologized for his communication with minors.

03:42He too worked his way back into the algorithm through carefully curated content. But Colleen,

03:48she stayed offline for nearly two years. And this interview looks to a lot of viewers like her

03:53trying to start her comeback arc. The problem? A huge chunk of the internet is saying, read the room,

03:58no one wants you back. So here's the real question. Should podcasters, especially big ones like Raven

04:04Simone, give creators with serious allegations a platform to quote, tell their side? Share your

04:10thoughts and follow us everywhere at What's Trending.

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