Ms. Rachel posted about children in Gaza. The reaction that followed was intense
Jael Richardson and Kathryn VanArendonk discuss the criticism Ms. Rachel is getting for wading into conflict
Ms. Rachel is one of the biggest names in children's entertainment right now, with 15 million subscribers on her YouTube channel alone.
In her feed, you'll usually find posts about potty training tips and collaborations with organic yogurt companies. More recently, however, she's also begun using her influence on social media to talk about how the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has affected children in the region.
Following these posts, a prominent pro-Israel group called StopAntisemitism called on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether Ms. Rachel is being paid by Hamas. Ms. Rachel has denied the accusation, telling The New York Times: "This accusation is not only absurd, it's patently false."
Today on Commotion, host Elamin Abdelmahmoud chats with author Jael Richardson and Vulture TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk about the reaction and criticism Ms. Rachel is getting for speaking up amidst the ongoing conflict.
You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.
Panel produced by Jean Kim.
Clarifications
- An earlier version of this story did not name the group calling on Ms. Rachel to be investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice. It has been updated to name the group, as well as to include Ms Rachel's response.Jun 20, 2025 3:28 PM EDT