Children's entertainer Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, has apologized after accidentally liking an Instagram comment calling to 'free America from the Jews.' The incident, which occurred under her post advocating for 'Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo, and Free Iran,' sparked backlash amid her history of anti-Israel activism. She claims the like was a mistake while trying to delete the comment.
Rachel Griffin Accurso, known as Ms. Rachel, gained popularity through her 'Songs For Littles' YouTube videos, which aid children's speech development using songs and puppets. The content became a hit during the coronavirus pandemic as parents sought resources for isolated children.
On Tuesday, a user alerted Ms. Rachel to the antisemitic comment under her Instagram post, noting it was marked 'liked by author.' She responded quickly, stating, 'Deleted, how horrible. Oh wait let me check, I did delete one like that,' and added, 'Ya I believe I deleted that earlier right when I saw it! I hate antisemitism.' However, the comment remained visible the next day, still showing as liked, leading to widespread criticism.
In a 1-minute-46-second apology video posted on Instagram, Ms. Rachel explained she mistakenly liked the comment while attempting to delete it, attributing the error to being 'old and not as good with touching things online.' She said, 'I am super sorry for any confusion it caused. I delete antisemitism any time I see it. I am against all forms of hate including antisemitism against the Jewish people.' The video was captioned, 'I’m so broken over this.'
Reactions were mixed. Supporters commented, 'I do that all the time on accident. We understand,' and 'We love you. Accidents happen.' Skeptics pointed out the like button is not near the delete option and questioned why it stayed up for two days, with one saying, 'You left it up for two days..you had more than ample [time] to unmistake this.' Ms. Rachel also replied 'oooooooooohhh' to a comment suggesting 'they left the comment themselves,' though 'they' remains unclear.
The controversy coincides with Ms. Rachel's political activities, including campaigning for and appearing with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who declined to renew executive orders on antisemitism and Israel boycotts. She was named to his inaugural committee and joined him in a pre-K sing-along promoting free child care. Ms. Rachel defended her advocacy, stating, 'My advocacy is wonderful and beautiful and I’m so proud of it.'
Parents like Vanessa Santos, a mother of two, have expressed concerns, choosing not to let their children watch her content due to her criticism of Israel and associations with figures like Mamdani. Santos wrote, 'I don’t trust her to help shape their moral understanding.' Ms. Rachel, 43, maintains she is a neutral humanitarian advocating for children worldwide.
