‘This is actually so freaking wrong’: Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s horrifying attempt to go viral succeed, but at what cost?

Gypsy-Rose Blanchard is facing a wave of criticism after making a joke about her mother’s murder during a viral TikTok trend. The 34-year-old, who has been working to build a career as an artist and content creator, appeared in a video with influencer Natalie Reynolds. Per UNILAD, the clip quickly garnered attention, but not for the reasons Blanchard might have hoped.

The duo participated in the popular ‘We listen and we don’t judge’ trend, which usually involves people sharing awkward or embarrassing confessions in a lighthearted way. However, viewers were pretty stunned when Blanchard used the platform to reference the killing of her mother, Clauddine ‘Dee Dee’ Blanchard. 

Standing alongside Reynolds, Blanchard said, “We listen and we don’t judge: I went to prison for eight and a half years because I… [makes a choking sound]… my own mom.” Reynolds looked visibly shocked by the comment, but Blanchard quickly reiterated, “Hey, we listen and we don’t judge.”

Well, that is one way to show that you have moved on

The viewers weren’t impressed. Many commenters felt the moment crossed a serious line, with one person writing, “Nothing funny about this at all.” Another viewer added, “That wasn’t cute nor funny,” while someone else simply questioned, “Why would you post this?” This video has certainly reignited debate around Blanchard’s public presence, especially considering the disturbing and globally recognized case that made her famous.

Blanchard was sentenced to 10 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for conspiring with her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, to kill Dee Dee. Godejohn was later found guilty of first-degree murder.

Her case drew international attention after it came out that Dee Dee had allegedly subjected Blanchard to years of abuse linked to Munchausen by proxy, a condition where a caregiver fabricates or causes illness in another person. Since being released on parole in  2023, Blanchard, who has since become a mother herself, has been pretty open about her efforts to move forward. 

She has spoken about taking accountability for her past actions, acknowledging that she accepted her sentence and the weight of her choices. Her goal was to move “forward with clarity, peace, and self-forgiveness,” believing that justice was served for both Dee Dee and herself, as the system had failed her throughout her life.

Following the backlash, Blanchard explained that the video was “supposed to reflect accountability and growth,” clarifying she was “in no way joking about my crime.” She noted that both she and Natalie started the video on a serious note, with plans to end the trend with more humorous comments on other topics later in the video. 

Blanchard expressed deep sadness that the video was “so deeply misunderstood” and offered an apology to anyone who took offense. She added that she doesn’t normally express things so bluntly and felt the video “came off as a little too abrasive that it completely missed the mark on what our intentions were for what viewers would take from the video.”