Ariana Grande is under fire for her recent comments about Jeffrey Dahmer on Penn Badgley’s “Podcrushed” podcast. The pop star stated that the notorious serial killer and sex offender would be her dream dinner guest, sparking outrage and backlash, particularly from the family of one of Dahmer’s victims.
Victim’s Family Response:
Shirley Hughes, the mother of Dahmer victim Anthony “Tony” Hughes, expressed her dismay in an interview with TMZ. “To me, it seems like she’s sick in her mind. It’s not fancy or funny to say you would have wanted dinner with him.
It’s also not something you should say to young people, which she says she did,” Hughes said. She hoped that Grande understood and understood her hurtful words, noting that the pop star’s admission made her emotional.
Tony Hughes, who was 31 when he disappeared on May 24, 1991, was deaf due to a bout of pneumonia as an infant. Dahmer’s victims were predominantly men or boys of color, with the youngest being just 14 at the time of their disappearances.
Ariana Grande Explanation of “Podcrushed:”
Grande told a group of children about her fascination with Dahmer on the podcast. She said that when transitioning from her role as Cat on Nickelodeon’s “Sam & Cat” to her pop career, she was asked who her dream dinner guest would be.
She responded, “I mean, Jeffrey Dahmer is pretty fascinating.” Grande described how the children’s parents said they would explain her choice later and then quickly moved on to perform her hit song “Problem.”
Past Controversies
This isn’t the first time Grande has faced public backlash. In 2015, she was caught on a California donut shop’s security camera licking a tray of donuts and making controversial remarks with her then-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez.
Grande was heard saying, “What the (expletive) is that? I hate Americans. I hate America.” She later apologized, explaining that her words were taken out of context and affirming her pride in being American.
