college admissions scandal

What Is Olivia Jade Trying to Tell Us?

Photo: Olivia Jade/Youtube

It’s been about eight months since disgraced YouTuber Olivia Jade vlogged a vlog — during which time her parents, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli, were arrested for their alleged involvement in the college-admissions scandal — but now, she’s back.

In a video titled “hi again,” uploaded December 1, Olivia Jade welcomes her 1.94 million subscribers back to her channel with a smile and her signature raspy ASMR voice. But if you think she’s about to spill the tea on Operation Varsity Blues, think again. “As much as I wish I could talk about all of this … I’m legally not allowed to speak on anything going on right now,” she says. Lucky for us, though, she’s got some cryptic wall art behind her that appears to offer a subliminal message.

Jade admits she was conflicted about returning to YouTube. “Is there a point in coming back and not being able to say anything?” she asks the camera. This is a rhetorical question, because the answer is obviously a resounding yes. “I genuinely miss filming and I feel like a huge part of me is not the same because this is something that I’m really passionate about and something I like to do,” she says, adding: “I wanna come back because I wanna come back.” Maybe she can’t tell us anything legally, but the law is not going to stop her from pursuing her passion, which is vlogging.

Olivia Jade’s Abraham Lincoln artwork. Photo: Olivia Jade/Youtube

But what will Olivia Jade talk about, if not rowing or USC? Definitely not herself. “It’s so hard, because I’m not trying to make this about me, or how I’ve been, because it’s not the point of this,” she says about one minute and 30 seconds into the two-minute video. And definitely not her parents, who have both pleaded not guilty to charges of mail fraud and bribery, among other things, and are awaiting an early 2020 trial.

Still, while she’s not saying much of substance, Jade does seem to be sending us a message. Otherwise, why would she be filming her vlog in front of a giant, serial-killer-esque painting featuring the face of former president Abraham Lincoln? It may sound crazy, but Jade has sent subliminal messages in the past, some less subtle than others.

Let’s examine the evidence. There appears to be a female figure in the upper left-hand corner of the canvas as well. Perhaps Marilyn Monroe? Words are spray-painted across their faces like clipped magazine headlines: “TALKING TO / FREEDOM / MYSELF / BECAUSE / I AM / MY OWN …” The last word starts with “CON-” but is cut off by her shoulder.

“Talking to myself because I am my own consultant,” happens to be a Lil Wayne lyric. Perhaps Lil Wayne, Abraham Lincoln, and Marilyn Monroe all have something in common, and that’s Olivia Jade? I mean, what is a vlog if not a chance to talk to yourself? And what is a career in vlogging if not to be your own consultant? This checks out. But what about Abraham Lincoln and Marilyn Monroe? Well, Mr. Lincoln was known for his honesty. “Honest Abe,” they called him, right? And Marilyn Monroe had her fair share of scandals, but maintained a popular, public-facing image nonetheless. As for Lil Wayne, he’s also had trouble with the law, but didn’t let it stop him from pursuing his passion, either.

Whatever Olivia Jade is trying to tell us with this painting, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more perfect piece of art to decorate her otherwise sparse bedroom. Our final question is this: Did she paint it herself? We’ll just have to wait for her next vlog to find out.

What Is Olivia Jade Trying to Tell Us in Her New Vlog?