Jill O'Rourke
Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
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| September 13, 2023 SIGN IN TO SAVE POST
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesReading Time: 2 minutes
JoJo Siwa was recently a guest on Howie Mandel’s podcast, where she opened up about her friendship with YouTuber Colleen Ballinger for the first time since Ballinger was accused of grooming her young fans. Siwa defended Ballinger against the controversy.
JoJo Siwa Defends Fellow YouTuber Colleen Ballinger
During Siwa’s recent appearance on Howie Mandel Does Stuff, Mandel asked the star if she’s still friends with Ballinger. Siwa said Ballinger has “always been nothing but kind to me.”
“The internet can take a lie and run so far with it. So far that it’s to the point where you just can’t do anything about it,” Siwa said. “And I’ve had that happen to me. And I know Colleen very, very, very well. And I think the work that Collen has done for the internet is incredible.”
Siwa said she met Ballinger when she was 12 years old, and the two became friends. Amid the controversy surrounding Ballinger earlier this year, videos resurfaced of her and a young Siwa in which Ballinger made suggestive comments.
“I think the problem is the internet was able to capitalize off of her cancellation, and they still are,” Siwa told Mandel. “And it’s not OK, because a lot of it is based off of lies.”
SEE ALSO: JOJO SIWA PARTICIPATES IN VIRAL BLIND DATING GAME
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Siwa Is Keeping Her Love Life Private
Siwa told Mandel that she hasn’t been in an exclusive relationship since last year. The star dated fellow internet personality Avery Cyrus for a few months, but she’s choosing to keep her love life more private these days.
“Within these last eight months, I’ve been able to keep it private,” Siwa shared. “I’m not hiding it. It’s more just, like, I don’t want that person’s life — whoever that significant other is — to be fully on display.”
Siwa also shared that she’s interested in women older than her. She shared that her preferred age range for dating is between 19 and 28. Siwa said she’s dated people both younger and older than her, and she’s noticed a “maturity disconnect.”
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