Cancel culture at it again: YouTuber Jenna Marbles with 20mn subscribers preventively quits platform over past ‘racist content’

Jenna Marbles, a Youtuber with over 20 million subscribers, has rushed to self-cancel – announcing a possibly permanent hiatus from her channel – after facing accusations of “racism” due to her content from years ago.

In her apology video released on Thursday, which has gained almost 4 million views, she mentioned that she’s been asked to “address” some of her old content, which may seem “offensive” nowadays.

Specifically Marbles, who has been on the platform for 10 years, was talking about a 2011 video, in which she used blackface to impersonate rapper Nicki Minaj. The video, according to the YouTuber, has been private “for quite some time”. 

“It was not my intention to do a blackface,” Marbles claimed. “[But] it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that people were offended, and it hurt them, and for that I am so unbelievably sorry.”

In another video from the 2011, which she also apologised for, the YouTuber raps: “Hey, Ching Chong Wing Wong / Shake your King-Kong ding dong / Sorry, that was racist / I’m bad at rap songs.” 

Yet another apology was for a 2012 video that “came across unbelievably slut-shamey.” 

On top of that, Marbles said she has made all of her “What Guys Do” and “What Girls Do” videos private, because she doesn’t believe “jokes about gender” are “funny.”

Many people have rushed in to show their support for Marbles, calling her a victim of “cancel culture”. 

One user said the practice of "cancelling people for things they did years ago that were not considered problematic back then” has to stop. 

Others stressed that by quitting, Marbles only shows that “cancel culture” is toxic, because “genuinely harmful people” don’t feel the need to “deplatform” themselves. 

Some suggested “cancel culture” is becoming hypocritical, with Marbles feeling the need to leave the platform over a relatively harmless sketch, while other YouTubers, including Shane Dawson, who actually used blackface and “racial slurs”, don’t even address their past actions. 

Meanwhile, some spoke out in favour of her decision, applauding her for owning up to her mistakes.

Users pointed out that Marbles is “forcing people who love and support her to recognise and take full accountability for their problematic behavior.” 

Marbles is not the first public figure to take such a form of preventive action. The Dixie Chicks have changed their name and will now be called “the Chicks”, the band announced on Thursday,explaining that “Dixie” refers to the southern states that made up the Confederacy.

Earlier in June, the Grammy-winning country group Lady Antebellum decided to drop the "Antebellum" from its name and go by Lady A. The group claimed that they realized the word "Antebellum" has an association with slavery.

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