Entertainment

6 Controversies Ariana Grande Has Faced

by Jaclyn Anglis

Ariana Grande is one of the biggest names in pop music right now, with chart-topping hits like "Problem" and "Break Free." But with a big name comes big responsibility. And with big responsibility comes the potential for some pretty big scandals — something the powerhouse singer is no stranger to. For a relatively short time in the mainstream spotlight, Ariana Grande already has had her fair share of controversies.

From reportedly demanding to be photographed on only one side to licking doughnuts that did not belong to her, the former Nickelodeon star has received attention for some pretty outrageous and, let's be honest, kind of strange diva behavior. The 22-year-old has brushed off much of what she describes as rumors, but has also apologized when caught for some wacky and disrespectful behavior, such as with #DoughnutGate. But considering her behavior has earned her one of the top spots on the most disliked celebrity list of 2015, it looks like she might need to take things a step further to return to the public's good graces once more. In the meantime, take a look back at some of Grande's most famous controversies over the last couple of years.

1. Sam & Cat Feud

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Grande reportedly got into it with her former bestie, Jennette McCurdy, before the Nickelodeon show they starred on together, Sam & Cat, was canceled in the summer of 2014. Allegedly, McCurdy had accused the network of unfair treatment and pay inequality as Grande's music career began to soar, and both ladies were caught possibly subtweeting at each other about the tension. While Grande did not specifically address a feud, she did take to Facebook to address the accusation that she was being paid more. She wrote,

Jennette and I agreed upfront that we would be treated equally on this show in all regards (as we should be, considering we each work just as hard as the other on this show). The rumors circulating about our contracts and our salary not being equal are absolutely ridiculous and false. I don't know who's putting these idiotic quotes out there but I thought I'd straighten it out and try to end this nonsense.

Since then, McCurdy has released a web series with an annoying, diva-like character called "Gloriana." Yikes. That said, McCurdy told E! News in March 2015, "I just feel that, you know Ariana and I were and are extremely close and very like-minded in a lot of different ways and then, sorta as the show dissolved, everybody wanted to find some sort of hidden meaning in our relationship."

2. Photography Demands

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Allegedly, Grande had a long list of demands for professional photos, some of which included not being shot on the right side of her face and also not using any natural lighting. To top it off, she was accused of walking out of a photo shoot in the middle of it when she didn't like the pictures shot so far. Grande spoke out against those rumors on 96.1's Mike E and Emma , saying, "My fans know who I am, my family knows who I am, my friends know who I am, and that's all that matters. No matter what you do, no matter what your profession is, no matter how old you are, everybody deals with haters. We could talk about it for hours." Though the photography demands are unconfirmed, it is admittedly difficult to find a snap of Grande not shot from her apparent favorite side.

3. Wishing Death On Her Fans

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After a meet up with fans, Grande reportedly revealed her feelings for them were less than positive. An industry insider revealed to the New York Daily News that Grande said, "I hope they all f*cking die" in regard to her fans, after being all smiles for photos and autographs. Grande's rep denied the rumors, saying, "Ariana loves her fans," and Grande herself brushed them off on her Twitter page:

4. Giving Journalists A Tough Time

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Giuliana Rancic claimed that Grande pushed her to the other side of the camera during an awards show interview in the fall of 2014, so that the singer would be on the left. Rancic said that it is OK to have a diva attitude if you are an established artist, but she said she felt that Grande was too new to be acting like that. The E! News presenter said, "When you're trying to earn your stripes, you're young, you just gotta do what you gotta do, try to get a great reputation, try to go overboard to please people." Grande has yet to respond to Rancic's comments.

5. Being Carried Around Like A Baby

Claims surfaced in December 2014 that Grande reportedly demanded to be carried around "like a baby" by her staff members following big events, photoshoots, and other experiences that made her tired. It didn't help her case that she had actually documented on occasion this very thing happening on Instagram. Ouch, millennials, sometimes photographing your every motion is not the best when it comes to accusations like this. Nevertheless, Grande commented on the situation on her actual Instagram, editing to include this comment in response:

by the way to everyone who's coming back to this photo to argue about my rumored behavior.... thats my friend griffin carrying me. we were laughing and talking about life on our way to the car. we wrapped at 5am and I was doing pointe for an hour. it was for DBGTL.. I took the time to shake everybody's hand who worked on the set and say thank you.. my toes were LITERALLY BLEEDING 😂 so yes i asked my friend to carry my to the car. I'm human!!!! and I'm proud of who I'm becoming. 😊😘 sending you love.

6. #DoughnutGate

Ah, the controversy that would equally piss off American patriots and Homer Simpson. For a refresher, Grande caused a ruckus in a California doughnut shop with her friends by licking baked goods that did not belong to her. She also inexplicably said, "I hate Americans" and "I hate America" while doing so. All of her antics were caught on a security video, which naturally went viral. Though Grande did apologize for her actions and words, she never offered an explanation as to why she licked the doughnuts and her insistence that she is a proud American did not seem to win her any favors with followers.

Can Grande come back from the controversies? Considering her big voice and her undeniable talent, it is certainly possible. We'll have to stay tuned, but hopefully her music can speak for itself from now on!