Latest news with #RachelAccurso
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
The former nursery teacher building a YouTube empire
For most people, Rachel Accurso's January deal with Netflix for four episodes of Ms. Rachel – with the promise of more to come later this year – barely registered, if at all. And most people couldn't understand why pro-Israel group StopAntisemitism would be pressing US attorney general to investigate whether this same Rachel Accurso was operating as a pro-Hamas foreign agent. For parents, however, the Netflix deal was more important than Taylor Swift and Timothee Chalamet joining a reboot of Friends for the streamer. And Accurso's take on Gaza was a headline grabbing controversy that caused rows on Mumsnet. Accurso is a kids' YouTuber and host of a show called Songs for Littles. She's both integral to the Netflix business plan a lightning rod for the culture wars - one suspected by the pro-Israel group StopAntisemitism to be operating as a pro-Hamas foreign agent (a claim she vehemently denies). But watching a Ms Rachel video, you wouldn't immediately pick that up. Fair warning, unless you're watching with your child, it's not the most riveting content. Even with a pre-schooler, it is not really a shareable experience, unless it's about 4pm, you're still in your pyjamas, the floor is a mess, and you've opened the wine early again. In an episode titled Learning with Words and Colors for Toddlers, for instance, Ms Rachel appears in her uniform of pink shirt and denim dungarees in front of a brightly coloured animated background. 'Hi friends. I'm so excited to learn with you today,' she says. An animated egg appears next to her. 'What's that? It's a surprise egg. Yes. Maybe if we say open, it will open! Can you say open?' Pause. 'Open. Wow! it's a ball!' She looks at the ball and the screen in delighted surprise. 'Red ball. Red ball. Maybe if you say ball the ball will bounce. Say ball. Say ball. Say…' Pause. 'Ball.' The ball starts bouncing. And so on. She has an excited, open face and the patience to pause just long enough to encourage pre-schoolers to try for each word. And she's so wholesome she's somehow found the Platonic ideal shape of everyone's favourite primary school teacher. So parents love her for many things, not least of which is the length of her videos. Most are, at minimum, 30 minutes long whilst episodes of Songs for Littles, which sees her romp through classics like Wheels on the Bus, Old MacDonald and London Bridge is Falling Down, is a solid hour of content. That's a lot of time off to stare into space or text the parent group chat and one of the reasons she has been called 'the world's babysitter'. But they also love her for letting them do so without feeling guilty. Or at least, not as guilty as if the kids are watching the deranged animation CoComelon or any AI generated kids' animation on YouTube channels such as Yes! Neo or Super Crazy Kids. Miss Rachel is the closest thing to a Playschool presenter the Internet has produced. Before she found fame, the 42-year-old earned master's degrees in early childhood education and music education and worked as a music teacher in the Bronx. She left her job to spend time with her son, Thomas. Around his first birthday, she noticed that he was behind on speech development so started making videos for him. She and her musical theatre husband uploaded the videos to YouTube in 2019, and they immediately struck a chord with young children and their parents. She now has over 15 million subscribers, a small production team and earns between $10 million and $17 million a year through ads and merchandise. This is because YouTube is by some considerable margin the most popular place for kids' viewing. According to a May survey from Precise TV and Giraffe Insights, 72 per cent of two- to 12-year-olds in the UK watch YouTube, against subscription-based streamers (64 per cent), phone/tablet games (54 per cent) and console games (43 per cent). Kids spend an average of 83 minutes a day on YouTube, with only 26 per cent preferring British content over American. In part, this is due to the broadcasters retreating. 'All kids viewing used to be with broadcasters, but they've taken their foot off the pedal over the last decade, more so than any other genre, because you can't really monetise kids' content,' says Tom Harrington of Enders Analysis. 'There's not much you can advertise against it, kids 0-4 viewing isn't measured, and kids don't really need new content because they love watching the same thing again and again so there's no point commissioning 50 new episodes of Fireman Sam.' But kids' content is huge for streamers, he adds, because adults are fickle – they can take out a subscription for the latest cool drama then let it drop – but children are hyper loyal. They want their favourite shows available all the time again and again and again. 'In the data, what we can see is that preschool content is at the top for Netflix,' according to kids' content media analyst Emily Horgan. 'Preschoolers have a limited media footprint. Parents put them in front of Netflix because it's a safe space.' That's why Netflix just bought Sesame Street and originally did a deal with YouTube animation CoComelon in 2020. All eight seasons of that show appeared in the Netflix top 100 until 2024, when viewing started to trail off. In May, Disney + swooped in an bought the full eight eps of the strange cartoon, which it plans to show from 2027 alongside Bluey – which amassed 55.62 billion viewing hours on the streamer last year. In other words, Ms Rachel's theatre-kid-on-Adderall vibe woman is a serious part of Netflix's business. To be fair, she does actually know what she's doing. 'There's techniques Ms Rachel uses that are interesting – everything's incredibly slow, she's incredibly expressive, she talks to the camera and when she says something, she'll give a visual cue,' explains Rachel Diment, a UK speech and language therapist. 'I work with lots of kids that may have cerebral palsy or autism, and they're fascinated. In terms of supporting early language milestones, I would say Ms Rachel versus, say, Teletubbies then Ms Rachel's amazing.' The Teletubbies are unlikely to pose much of a threat to her empire, but Gaza might. Christian conservative parents have previously objected to her Instagram and TikTok content, which is not kid focussed. In 2024, she wished everyone a happy Pride Day, which lead to complaints. But but the Israel-Hamas war is proving a rolling maul of controversy and follows her advocating for Palestinian kids injured or made homeless in Gaza. She first posted about the conflict in May 2024 on Instagram, announcing that she would be raising money for Save the Children's emergency fund for children in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. Within hours she had raised $50,000 with orders for 500 personally recorded videos. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ms Rachel (@msrachelforlittles) A few days later she followed up with a message saying 'children should never experience the horrors of war – nor be killed, injured or taken hostage.' The messages seemed designed to be non-political and she has specifically posted in support of hostage children Ariel and Kfir Bibas. Her posts brought a backlash, and Accurso has posted tearful videos rejecting claims she is antisemitic and talking about her Christianity, saying she loves every child. Remarkably, she managed to ride out the row for almost a year. But in May, StopAntisemitism asked US attorney general Pam Bondi to find out whether Accurso was 'being remunerated to disseminate Hamas-aligned propaganda to her millions of followers.' Accurso has called accusations she received money from Hamas 'absurd' and carries on posting messages on Tik Tok, including a recent video where she told political leaders to 'be ashamed' for not doing enough to stop the killing. The conservative calls for boycotts and imitation 'Christian Ms Rachel' don't appear to have hurt her popularity. She's added two million subscribers this year. 'The kids don't know what her politics are and if the kids watch and they're quiet then I think that's more powerful than probably any political belief,' says Harrington. 'I would argue that you'd have to be quite a resilient person to say, well, I'm not going let the little ones watch that. I'd just prefer if they screamed for the next four hours.'
The Onion
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Onion
The Onion's Exclusive Interview With Ms. Rachel
Rachel Accurso, better known as Ms. Rachel, is a popular YouTuber who creates videos for toddlers. The Onion sat down with Ms. Rachel to discuss education, social media, and the backlash to her public support for the children of Gaza. The Onion : Why did you create your show Songs For Littles ? Ms. Rachel: I figured if that dipshit Blippi could make it big, anyone could. The Onion : What song do children love most? Ms. Rachel: 'Toxicity' by System of a Down. The Onion : What inspired you to speak out about Gaza? Ms. Rachel: While I've enjoyed a great deal of success, my real dream has always been getting called an 'antisemitic cunt' online. The Onion : What's the biggest advantage of creating content for babies? Ms. Rachel: They can't leave death threats in the comments. The Onion : Any fun stories from the set? Ms. Rachel: One day, no matter how many times I tried, I just couldn't count to four correctly. Turns out, I was having a stroke. The Onion : What do you say to children who recognize you in public? Ms. Rachel: Don't touch the overalls. The Onion : What do you say to your critics? Ms. Rachel: Good luck potty training your child without me.
CNN
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Climber rescued by helicopter after 30-foot fall in California
Climber rescued by helicopter after 30-foot fall in California A helicopter rescue crew hoisted a climber to safety after they fell roughly 30 feet while scaling Lily Rock in Idyllwild, California. The climber was left clinging to the cliffside with a limb injury. 00:49 - Source: CNN Vertical Trending Now 16 videos Climber rescued by helicopter after 30-foot fall in California A helicopter rescue crew hoisted a climber to safety after they fell roughly 30 feet while scaling Lily Rock in Idyllwild, California. The climber was left clinging to the cliffside with a limb injury. 00:49 - Source: CNN Kermit the Frog's advice for 2025 graduates and what he learned from 'the school of life' The University of Maryland's 2025 commencement speaker Kermit the Frog shares his advice for graduates with CNN's Sara Sidner. 01:14 - Source: CNN What most people don't know about the man who played Norm on 'Cheers' CNN senior data analyst Harry Enten shares some interesting facts about 'Cheers' actor George Wendt following his death at the age of 76. 01:33 - Source: CNN Ms. Rachel meets 3-year-old from Gaza YouTube star and children's educator Rachel Accurso, whose 'Songs for Littles' have been viewed billions of times, meets and sings one of her trademark songs with Rahaf, a 3-year-old double amputee from Gaza. Accurso, who has millions of followers across social media, has been outspoken about her views that the children in Gaza face a humanitarian crisis, and says she has received both support and bullying for her posts. 03:15 - Source: CNN Lightning bolt strikes police vehicle in Oklahoma Security footage captured the moment a lightning bolt struck a police vehicle in Newcastle, Oklahoma during severe storms that swept across the southern US on Monday. No one was injured in the incident, according to the Newcastle Emergency Department. 00:18 - Source: CNN Colombian model murdered in investigated femicide A 22-year-old university student and model was killed in the Colombian city of Cúcuta, in the latest case highlighting femicide rates in Latin America. 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Learn how both a pig's similarities and differences make their organs a good match for humans. 'Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Animal Pharm' airs Sunday at 8pm ET/PT on CNN. 01:27 - Source: CNN Rare dust storm blankets Chicago The Chicago skyline disappeared momentarily as a wall of dust blew through the city. The National Weather Service attributed this to 60 to 70 mph winds that blew over dry farmlands, collecting dust and blowing it through the Chicago area, according to CNN affiliate WBBM. 00:32 - Source: CNN 'Robocake' includes edible batteries made of dark chocolate This wedding cake, created by researchers and chefs in partnership with the RoboFood project, has edible robotic bears that dance and chocolate batteries that power the candles. 01:28 - Source: CNN Pete Rose eligible for Hall of Fame Major League Baseball removed Pete Rose and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson - two of the sport's most famous players who were previously kicked out of baseball for gambling on the game - from the league's ineligible list. The historic decision allows Rose to be considered for induction into the iconic Baseball Hall of Fame, an honor that was previously ruled out as part of the settlement he reached with the league back in 1989. CNN's Andy Scholes explains. 01:03 - Source: CNN Kim Kardashian tells Paris robber she forgives him CNN's Max Foster notes three words that stood out during Kim Kardashian's five hours of testimony in a Paris courtroom today, where ten defendants are facing charges including armed robbery, kidnapping, and conspiracy. 01:07 - Source: CNN Rare volcanic eruption not seen in nearly 40 years Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano could be seen hurling lava upwards of 300 feet into the air during a series of 'rapid rebounds,' which scientists say hasn't been seen in nearly 40 years. 00:33 - Source: CNN Man injects himself over 600 times with snake venom Tim Friede, a self-taught snake expert from California, injected himself with snake venom 654 times over 18 years and later contributed his blood to help scientists develop a new universal antivenom. 01:42 - Source: CNN Hundreds of dachshunds gather in Hungary in record breaking attempt In Hungary, dachshunds and their owners gathered in an attempt to break the record of biggest ever dog walk – a record previously set at 897 by the German city of Regensburg. The Hungarian Records of Association tallied the dogs as they walked through the street with their owners. 00:41 - Source: CNN
Malay Mail
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Ms Rachel was a popular YouTube educator, until she spoke up for Gaza — now pro-Israel groups are trying to cancel her
WASHINGTON, May 21 — At first glance, the Instagram profile of Ms Rachel fits the image an influencer who has won millions of devoted subscribers for her sing-songy educational content for toddlers and parenting tips. In a pink hairband and denim dungarees, the 42-year-old mother-of-two doles out advice on potty training kids and moral support for struggling parents — always with a reassuring smile. So it was an abrupt shift last year when she began speaking out about the plight of children in Gaza, peppering her account with appeals for aid that sowed discord among followers and spurred calls for a federal investigation. 'I think it should be controversial to not say anything,' she said in a recent interview with independent anchor Mehdi Hassan, of the mounting backlash against her fundraising and advocacy. 'It's sad that people try to make it controversial when you speak out for children that are facing immeasurable suffering. Silence wasn't a choice for me,' she added. That compulsion has put a spotlight on the beloved figure in millions of households, the American early childhood educator and social media sensation known offline as Rachel Accurso. The fallout comes at a perilous moment for children in the war-battered Palestinian enclave, where aid has only just begun to trickle in after Israel cut it off for weeks, and where aid groups have sounded the alarm over food shortages and famine. But the backlash against her activism — which she has aimed at parents on social media, rather than in her videos for children — reflects broader polarisation in the United States over the war that has swept campuses, offices and society at large. 'All children, in every country' In May last year, Accurso launched a fundraising drive that gathered US$50,000 for Save the Children. But she spoke also spoke tearfully about the vitriol and 'bullying' that came streaming in the form of allegations of anti-Israeli bias. 'Palestinian children, Israeli children, children in the US — Muslim, Jewish, Christian children — all children, in every country,' she wrote in response. 'Not one is excluded.' Allegations of anti-Israeli bias and anti-Semitism have only mounted since. And so too the toll among children in Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry says more than 10,000 children have died since the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas that left 1,218 people on the Israeli side dead. A privately funded pro-Israel lobby group last month urged US Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Accurso 'is being funded by a foreign party to push anti-Israel propaganda to skew public opinion.' The organisation StopAntisemitism, which describes itself as a grassroots watchdog, alleged Accurso was spreading 'Hamas propaganda.' But it also acknowledged that Accurso had posted in support of Israeli children, including Ariel and Kfir Bibas who were the youngest hostages taken by Hamas and died in captivity. Accurso told The New York Times the accusation she is being funded by Hamas was 'absurd' and 'patently false.' 'The painful reality,' the newspaper quoted her as saying, 'is that Palestinian children in Gaza have been killed by the thousands and continue to be killed, maimed and starved right now. The idea that caring about one group of children prevents us from caring about another group of children is false.' Palestinians move with their belogings through Jabalia as they flee the northern Gaza Strip towards Gaza City on May 19, 2025, amid Israeli evacuation orders and ongoing strikes. — AFP pic 'You should be ashamed' Accurso has deactivated comments on some of her posts urging support for Palestinian children. But commentators on other posts reflect the depth and breadth of emotions that have erupted over her posts. 'Love your show. Not your politics,' one user wrote under a Ms Rachel Instagram post promoting an interview on her activism. Another commentator says: 'Ms Rachel is a national treasure.' Among those voicing support for the megastar was Tommy Vietor, who worked with former president Barack Obama and hosts the popular Pod Save America podcast. 'Antisemitism is a real problem and cynically and dishonestly making those allegations for political purposes makes things worse, not better,' Vietor wrote, dismissing the anti-Semitism allegations. Accurso has ultimately doubled down, despite the criticism. She recently posted images of her meeting with Rahaf, a three-year-old girl from Gaza who lost both her legs in an attack. 'We know treating children like they are being treated in Gaza isn't right morally and ethically. We know it in our souls and hearts,' she wrote along with a picture of the two embracing. 'Leaders who are silent and not helping these children, you should be ashamed. Your silence will be remembered.' — AFP
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Ms. Rachel makes emotional plea for Gaza's children as UN warns 14,000 babies could starve under Israeli blockade
Children's YouTube star Ms. Rachel has made an emotional plea for help for kids in Gaza, as a United Nations official warned that 14,000 babies could starve to death within days if Israel did not end its blockade of the territory. In a tearful video posted on her Instagram, Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, shared an image of an emaciated Palestinian baby while rocking her own newborn Susannah on her arms. 'World leaders, please help this baby. Please look at her. Please, please look at her. Just, please look at her eyes for one minute,' she says in the video. 'If you just look at her, and if you just think about a baby you love, think about a baby you care so much for, there's no way that we all don't know that you can't kill 15,000 kids, and you can't be about to let 14,000 kids starve,' she continues. The image appears to be that of Siwar Ashour, a 6-month-old baby, who has a problem with her oesophagus that makes it difficult for her to drink breast milk. That has left her dependent on specialized baby formula, which is in short supply due to the blockade. 'Whatever is keeping you from standing up for these kids who don't have food and medical care, and who have had amputations without anesthesia, whatever is keeping you from saying it, it's not greater than your humanity,' Accurso continues in the video. Her emotional plea comes hours after the U.N. humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, warned that 14,000 babies in Gaza are at risk of dying in the next 48 hours unless Israel allows life-saving food and supplements into Gaza immediately. Israel partially lifted its 11-week-long aid blockade of Gaza on Sunday after dire warnings of famine and severe malnutrition from aid workers inside the territory, but Fletcher said more access was needed to save lives and described the humanitarian situation there as "utterly chilling." The UN said that no aid had been distributed as of Tuesday. Since the aid blockade began, 57 children have reportedly died from the effects of malnutrition, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The UN said last week that one in five people in Gaza, which is around 500,000 people, face starvation. A former child educator from Maine, Ms. Rachel has built an audience of nearly 15 million subscribers on YouTube with her mix of educational videos and songs for young children. With billions of views on her channel, and millions more across Instagram and TikTok, she now sits atop a booming empire with her own line of toys and books, and a show on Netflix. The New York Times called her 'this era's Mister Rogers.' Accurso has become an outspoken critic of the dire humanitarian situation for children in Gaza as Israel's war has continued for more than a year and a half. She previously told The Independent that she was motivated to speak out against the ongoing war after seeing videos and images of children being killed, injured and malnourished on her social media feed. 'I couldn't look away from the scale and gravity of suffering I was seeing every day,' Ms. Rachel said in the January interview. 'I know how crucial the first few years are for brain development and the lifelong effects trauma and malnutrition have on the brain. It's a failure of humanity to deny children food, water, medical care, shelter and education, and to not protect children from violence,' she added. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Israel's ensuing offensive has killed more than 53,000 people in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials. Of that number, some 15,000 are children.
