Ariana Grande apologises after 'disgusting' joke about JonBenét Ramsey
Singer says she understands that joke was 'not at all funny'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ariana Grande has apologised after a joke she made about a friend dressing as JonBenét Ramsey, a six-year-old who was murdered in 1996, for Halloween prompted backlash.
Over the weekend, Grande’s friend Doug Middlebrook shared a now-deleted Instagram photo of a magazine cover featuring the child pageant queen with the caption: “No one has done more covers.”
In the comments, which were screen-shotted and shared on social media, Grande wrote: “I can’t WAIT for this to be your Halloween look,” to which Middlebrook replied: “working on it already.”
On social media, the 7 Rings singer immediately faced criticism from fans over the joke, which many called “disgusting”.
Ramsey was found dead in her home in Boulder, Colorado on 26 December 1996. The widely followed case has never been solved.
“Wait WHAT?? An eight-year-old girl who was violently killed, strangled and suffocated cannot be anyone’s costume…” one person wrote.
Another said: “...I love Ariana but I can’t believe she said that. The poor child was brutally murdered in her own home and the fact that she can’t wait for her friend to make a Halloween costume like that is disgusting.”
In response to the backlash, Grande responded on Twitter, writing: “Yeah no I deleted it very quickly and understand that it’s not at all funny. This was out of pocket and I sincerely apologise.”
According to BuzzFeed, the pop star also shared a further explanation for her behaviour in a now-deleted tweet in which she said: “Sorry I’m so f***ed up.
“Dark jokes are a coping mechanism for me and yet I hate when other people make them. Thank y’all for being real and always helping me learn. I’m happy I have a fan base who’s not afraid to call me out on my shit. Love u.”
Despite the singer’s apology, people have continued to accuse her of problematic behaviour.
“Why does Ariana Grande get away with her problematic behaviour time and time again?” one person wrote on Twitter. “JonBenét is not a costume.”
Another pointed out Grande’s joke about Ramsey is just the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the singer, who in 2015 shared a video apology after she was filmed licking doughnuts in a bakery and saying she “hates America”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments