Does anyone remember Jenna Marbles?
She was one of YouTube’s original breakout stars in 2010, amassing over 20 million subscribers and nearly two billion views.
Although Jenna Marbles, whose real name is Jenna Mourey, still maintains her platform, she has not uploaded any content since June 2020, which she later took down.
The reason for her sudden departure is tied to her controversial past – the 37-year-old faced widespread cancellation.
In an 11-minute apology video, she explained to her followers why she decided to step back.
She said: “I do want to tell you how unbelievably sorry I am if I ever offended you by posting this video or by doing this impression, and that that was never my intention.”
The controversy stemmed from a 2011 video where Marbles, who was 24 at the time, appeared in blackface while impersonating Nicki Minaj.
Addressing this in her apology video, she remarked: “It was not my intention to do blackface. I do want to tell you how unbelievably sorry I am if I ever offended you by posting this video or by doing this impression, and that that was never my intention.
“It’s not okay. It’s shameful. It’s awful. I wish it wasn’t part of my past.”
So, where has she been since her departure?
Marbles has remained largely silent since leaving the platform, but some significant life updates have come through her partner, who is also a YouTuber.
In April 2021, just 10 months after her exit, her then-boyfriend Julien Solomita shared with fans that he had proposed to Marbles. The couple married in December of the following year.
During their honeymoon period, Solomita revealed on Instagram that a female stalker had broken into their home after months of harassment.
Solomita managed to pepper spray the intruder and remove her from the house before calling the police, who subsequently arrested the woman.
Despite her absence from YouTube, Marbles still has a consistent income stream, earning an estimated $2,000 a month, partly due to the popularity of her dog toy based on her pooch, Mr. Marbles, and her extensive view count of over 1.8 billion on the platform.
In 2022, a fan spotted her at a mall, took a picture, and uploaded it online, sparking hope among fans for her return.
One fan even suggested her comeback video be titled ‘Jennaissance,’ a play on the words Jenna and renaissance, which means ‘rebirth’ in French.
Do you think Marbles should make a return?