Overview of Colleen Ballinger Is Back & Already Cancelled — H3 Show #212
Ethan Klein (H3) hosts a chaotic, freewheeling episode (Nov 17, 2025) with guests Harley Morenstein and Rich Lux. The show mixes sponsor reads, comedy bits (screaming contest, merch plugs), long-form reaction to a recent Raven-Symoné podcast episode featuring Colleen Ballinger, and a sustained, combative segment about Dan Bilzerian — including screenshots/DMs Ethan reads aloud. The tone moves between mocking, outraged, and straight-up entertainment commentary; the hosts repeatedly call out poor apologies, bad PR strategy, and online bad actors.
Guests & Setup
- Host: Ethan Klein
- Guests: Harley Morenstein, Rich Lux (plus studio regulars such as Tamara)
- Location: H3 show studio, Los Angeles
- Sponsor: Monarch Money (financial app). Promo: code H3 for 50% off first year.
Main segments
1) Opening, sponsor read, and show business
- Standard Monarch Money ad about tracking spending, subscriptions, and taxes.
- Light studio banter: merch (Teddy Fresh) plugs, puzzle merch, and jokes about clothing sizes.
- Announcements: upcoming shows (a poker/poker-tournament special in Las Vegas), a planned screaming contest to measure decibels.
2) Long conversation & reaction: Colleen Ballinger on Raven-Symoné’s podcast
What they watched: Colleen’s appearance on Raven-Symoné’s podcast — the Raven hosts attempted to “hear her side” about past scandals and a now-infamous ukulele apology video.
Key points discussed by H3:
- H3 panel thinks Raven’s interview gives Colleen too soft a platform; they expected harder accountability.
- Critique of Colleen’s responses:
- Panel calls her answers evasive and insufficient; they wanted a clear, direct apology and named accountability for specific victims.
- Colleen framed some problems as “misunderstandings” and blamed audience perception rather than acknowledging the gravity of specific actions.
- The hosts say the apology/“ukulele” bit originally was tone-deaf and became an emblematic PR failure — coming back now (two years later) made things worse, not better.
- Specific allegations/topics raised in the podcast and discussed on H3 (presented as topics covered and how Colleen responded — not new allegations from H3):
- Sending lingerie/underwear to a young fan (Ethan and panel reference a fan “Adam” who received items and whose mother was alarmed).
- Group chats with fans in which minors participated and crude/inappropriate topics were discussed.
- A viral ukulele apology video and subsequent edits/criticisms.
- Stage bits (e.g., “yoga challenge” on live shows with minors onstage) that some former attendees say triggered uncomfortable feelings later in life.
- Family-related items that surfaced (e.g., weird parental content—discussed as background oddities).
- Panel consensus: if Colleen wanted redemption, she should have offered a direct, accountable apology earlier and not returned with a half-measured PR attempt; Raven’s show may have boosted Raven’s views more than it helped Colleen.
Bottom line from H3 about Colleen: public remorse should be explicit, name victims, acknowledge wrongdoing plainly, and avoid performative, defensive, or obfuscating language. The episode framed Colleen’s podcast appearance as a failed comeback.
3) Dan Bilzerian DM feud / anti-Semitism allegations
- Ethan read and reacted to direct messages and public posts between him and Dan Bilzerian.
- Main themes:
- Ethan accused Bilzerian of using anti-Semitic language and calling him slurs in DMs.
- Bilzerian allegedly refused to debate Ethan on Zoom or in LA, insisting on in-person in Vegas; Ethan interpreted that as cowardice and baiting.
- H3 panel criticized Bilzerian’s public persona (wealth flaunting, alleged trust-fund narrative) and labeled some of his rhetoric as extremist/offensive. They discussed Bilzerian’s responsiveness in DMs and his tendency to oscillate between conciliatory and aggressive.
- Ethan invited Bilzerian to a moderated debate on anti-Semitism and Israel-Palestine; the exchange largely stayed on insults, with both sides accusing the other of cowardice.
- Important caution: H3 repeatedly editorialized (insults & strong language). These are the hosts’ characterizations and not independent verification of criminal wrongdoing — the episode functions as commentary/reaction.
4) Finance, crypto, and investments (ad-libbed talk)
- Ethan and guests discussed markets, selling part of positions, crypto skepticism, Beyond Meat (short-term Reddit-driven gains), and general personal investing philosophy: long-term S&P 500 strategy vs. volatile crypto trades.
- Sponsor Monarch Money was recommended for tracking subscriptions and taxes.
5) Miscellaneous bits, recurring show elements
- Screaming contest teaser (decibel meter; animated “Time to Roar” button).
- Weight-loss and surgery anecdotes (Ethan and Harley discussed weight-loss journeys and surgeries).
- Merch plugs (Teddy Fresh), puzzle merch, and other studio/production flubs (green-screen shirt, frozen computer).
- Pop-culture tangents (Jerry Seinfeld/Miranda Sings clips, JoJo Siwa references), banter about regional accents/Canadian slang, and audience donations/requests.
Notable quotes & moments
- Ethan on PR apologies: “If you want redemption, be explicit — name victims, apologize plainly, don’t do the ukulele.”
- On Bilzerian: Ethan repeatedly accused him of cowardice for avoiding a straight Zoom debate and criticized anti-Semitic rhetoric in Bilzerian’s DMs/public posts.
- Raven’s on-stage interviewing approach: the panel alternately praised Raven’s directness and criticized her for giving Colleen a platform.
Main takeaways
- H3 believes Colleen’s recent podcast appearance did not fix public perception because:
- Her comments were viewed as evasive and insufficient by hosts.
- Bringing up the controversy again without a plain apology risks reigniting criticism.
- The Dan Bilzerian exchange illustrates how online feuds escalate quickly and become performance/power theater; Ethan attempted to turn it into a moderated debate on important topics (anti-Semitism, public rhetoric).
- Always handle minors/audience power dynamics carefully: the episode stresses that creators must be aware of parasocial relationships and maintain strict boundaries.
- For everyday listeners: Monarch Money was presented as a useful tool to track recurring payments and organize finances.
Recommendations (based on the episode’s themes)
- For creators: If you’ve harmed fans (especially minors), lead with concrete accountability — avoid performative or deflective “apology” content.
- For consumers of creator content: Be skeptical of late-stage “comeback” interviews; look for specific reparative steps rather than PR framing.
- For people managing subscriptions/finances: Consider tools like Monarch Money (H3 promo code H3) to audit recurring payments and categorize spending.
Quick summary — what to expect watching this H3 episode
- A long, comedic, and confrontational live-show format that mixes:
- Reaction and critique of Colleen Ballinger’s Raven podcast appearance (main focus).
- A detailed—and heated—reading of DMs and public interactions with Dan Bilzerian.
- Sponsor segment, product plugs, off-topic tangents (finance, accents, pizza), and studio bits.
- The episode is opinion-heavy and intended as entertainment and commentary rather than investigative reporting.
If you want a tiny TL;DR: Ethan and co. think Colleen’s podcast appearance was a soft, poorly executed “comeback” that didn’t properly apologize for past actions; they also publicly call out Dan Bilzerian for offensive DMs and avoidance of a moderated debate. The show is part comedy roast, part media-critique, and full of unscripted tangents.