Colleen Ballinger
Table of Contents Background.................................................3 Creating Miranda........................................5 Features.......................................................9 Philanthropy................................................11 Where is She Now?....................................13
Where were you born?
I was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. I lived with my two older brothers and one younger sister, Mom, Dad, cats, chickens, fish, birds, etc.
Where did you go to school?
I was homeschooled until high school and I graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 2008. After graduating I worked as a voice and piano teacher for children. I also worked at Disneyland as a performer.
What started your career?
I started posting Miranda videos in 2008 and quickly got recognized at my job in Disney so they had to let me go. I then commited to Miranda full-time.
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Colleen started making youtube videos as Miranda in 2008. Her videos were known for singing off-key to most pop hits, ranting about “haters”, and punctuation quirks.
Ballinger based the character partly on the young women she knew in college. She told The Times of London “There were a lot of cocky girls who thought they were really talented, and they were so rude and snotty. Then I saw all these girls trying to make a career out of putting videos on Youtube, clueless to the fact that they were terrible” She also said that “...at first Miranda videos were meant to be an inside joke...I took what people hated and exaggerated it more in my next video”
Ballinger expresses her character as exagerated as she can so Miranda is also known for her unusually active eyebrows, crooked smile, head tilt, out-of-style clothing, and overlined red lipstick.
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“Clowns are meant to make people smile. Thats my goal”
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“The fact that I went from making a minute-and-a-half video in my bedroom to doing an hour-and-a-half show is just crazy”
Miranda’s Selp Helf book on how to get a boyfriend and be more like her.
Colleen Ballinger on The Jimmy Fallon Show, the second time.
Colleen Ballinger on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld as Miranda Sings.
Colleen Ballinger on Live with Kelly and Ryan.
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Miranda is featured in the movie Ralph Breaks the Internet.
Long time friends with Ariana Grande, Colleen features in her Thank You Next Music Video as a pregnant cheerleader.
Colleen writes, produces, and acts in her own Netflix Show Haters Back Off! for 2 seasons.
Colleen played Dawn in the hit musical, Waitress in New York.
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When did you start raising money for childhood cancer?
Since 2015, I have conducted an annual fundraiser to benefit children with cancer and their families on my birthday in November.
How do you raise money?
Using my YouTube channel and GoFundMe, I am able to collect donations by giving away merch, draft scripts, props, or stuff I buy with my own money to hopefully bring in more donations.
How much money have you raised since 2015?
In 2015 we raised about $40,000. Last year we were able to raise just over $200,000. So all together we raised about $2.3 million dollars for childhood cancer.
What else do you do for Childhood Cancer?
I always tell my fans if they can’t donate, they can volunteer like me or spead the word. I sometimes go to the children’s hospital to read to them, color with them, play and just try to keep them happy. I’m so grateful for my platform because I am able to spread the word easily.
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How did you meet your husband?
My husband is Erik Stocklin. We first met when I cast him to play Patrick, Miranda’s love interest on Haters Back Off! We were friends for over a year and quickly started dating. In 2018 we got engaged and pregnant with my first son, Flynn.
How many kids do you have?
Erik and I have three kids together. Flynn Timothy Stocklin, our oldest born in 2018. We also have twins, one boy and one girl, Wesley Coy Stocklin and Maisy Joanne Stocklin.
Do you still post on Youtube?
Yes, and I still love it! I still post on my vlog channel and on a podcast channel I have with my husband. I also still sell merch and go on tours around the country.
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What was it like becoming a Mom?
I have a whole new perspective on pregnancy and motherhood now that I’m experiencing it. Just beacuse it’s so hard and so confusing and so exciting. Women are so amazing that their bodies can do this and that they’re strong enough to do this. I can’t believe almost every woman goes through this, because it’s so hard.
What is it like being a working mom now?
Amazing, hard, hectic, wonderful, exciting, all the things. Before becoming a mother, I was (still am) a workoholic. I would work late nights and have many brand deals and companies reaching out to me because of it. Now with three kids under 5, the house gets too crazy to do all that. I still work late nights, but with crying kids and after being with them all day, so not as much gets done.
I have figured out my routine with a toddler and twins while still working on my career. The only reason I have any success at all in my career is because of the Internet. I’m always so terrified that tomorroe no one will watch me anymore or care anymore. Every day, I say that I can’t believe this is happening. It’s so crazy. Because of that, it makes me work so hard every single day.
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