Gypsy Rose Blanchard has publicly apologized following widespread criticism of a social media video in which she appeared to reference her involvement in her mother's death during a popular TikTok challenge.
In an interview published Monday, March 23, Blanchard addressed the controversy surrounding a video she created with fellow social media personality Natalie Reynolds. The pair participated in the "We Listen We Don't Judge" TikTok challenge, during which participants share controversial or embarrassing confessions.
During the video, Blanchard stated she went to prison for eight and a half years, making an "X" gesture with her arms rather than explicitly saying she killed her mother. The gesture was immediately understood by viewers as a reference to the 2015 murder of Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard in Springfield, Missouri.
Blanchard explained that the original intent behind the video was to demonstrate accountability and personal growth. "The whole idea behind it is like, you know, yes we understand that we are not perfect, we are influencers, and we have gone through some difficult things but we are focusing on positivity," she told TMZ. "That was the entire point of the video — is accountability and growth."
The content creator acknowledged understanding why viewers reacted negatively to the content. She noted that her audience has historically followed her journey because they appreciate witnessing her personal development. Blanchard admitted this represented her first attempt at a more direct approach to discussing her past, stating, "Unfortunately it was not received like we wanted."
Regarding the "X" gesture that particularly troubled viewers, Blanchard clarified it was a deliberate choice to avoid content moderation issues on the platform. She explained that she and Reynolds discussed various terms they could use, but determined that words like "homicide" or "unalive" might trigger TikTok's content filters and result in the video being removed.
"I was like, 'Well what happens if I just do a gesture — an X?' People know what that means without having to actually say the word. And that was why we had to do it that way," Blanchard said.
Blanchard was released from the Chillicothe Correctional Center on December 28, 2023, after serving eight years of a ten-year sentence. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2016 and was granted parole in September 2023. Her then-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn was also arrested in connection with the case after Dee Dee Blanchard was found dead from multiple stab wounds in her Springfield home in 2015. Dee Dee Blanchard was 48 years old at the time of her death.
In her apology, Blanchard emphasized she never intended to make light of the serious nature of her past actions. "I say that I do deeply apologize to anyone who may have been offended by it — that was never my intention," she stated. "I was not laughing about it — I do not think it is funny to joke about a heavy topic and my past. I apologize because the delivery was wrong on that."
She further elaborated on her intentions, explaining that her goal was to demonstrate personal transformation. "I am trying to be my authentic self and if my authentic self is saying I did something bad in my past but look at where I am now, that is where I am coming from with it," Blanchard said. "But I would never joke about my past. So I do apologize if it came off too abrasive."
Blanchard welcomed her daughter Aurora with partner Ken Urker in December 2025. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges individuals with controversial pasts face when attempting to navigate public life and social media presence while demonstrating rehabilitation and personal growth.