Ariana Grande's Groundbreaking Controversies: Unveiling the Untold Stories Behind Donut-Licking and Alleged Cheating

Ariana Grande Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Ariana Grande has encountered numerous controversies throughout her career, and her on-set romance with Ethan Slater is just the latest. One notable incident occurred in July 2015 when a video of Grande licking donuts and making disparaging remarks about America went viral, leading to public outrage. Despite issuing several apologies, she faced criticism for her actions and promised to improve her behavior.

In addition to purported disputes with former colleagues and allegations of plagiarism, Grande's personal relationships have stirred speculation over time. Naya Rivera once suggested that Grande's involvement with Big Sean may have coincided with her own, and some fans claim to have discovered similar evidence in Grande's subsequent romances.

After her rapid engagement to Pete Davidson, Grande made efforts to maintain privacy in her love life. In May 2021, she tied the knot with Dalton Gomez, but unfortunately, their marriage came to an end after a two-year union.

Following the news of Grande's divorce, Us confirmed her relationship with Slater. Subsequently, fans eagerly attempted to reconstruct their dating timeline. In July 2023, an exclusive source assured Us that Ariana remains resolute in progressing forward. Continue scrolling to discover a comprehensive overview of Grande's noteworthy controversies throughout the years.

The ‘I Hate America’ Donut

In July 2015, Grande faced criticism after a video of her and then-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez at Wolfee Donuts in California went viral. The footage, originally shared by TMZ, showed Grande licking pastries without apparent purchase while an employee was not looking. Upon the arrival of a fresh tray of donuts, she made provocative comments, expressing disgust towards America. (This incident occurred on the 4th of July.)

The video sparked immediate outrage, leading Grande to issue a statement apologizing for her actions to Us. In the statement, she expressed her immense pride in being American and emphasized her love for her country. However, Grande acknowledged that her choice of words could have been more thoughtful, especially considering her role as an advocate for healthy eating.

Later, during a Good Morning America appearance in September 2015, Grande once again extended her apologies. Reflecting on the incident, she spoke about the profound realization of disappointing her loving and loyal fans, an experience that she described as excruciating.

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Calling Out the Grammys

In February 2019, reports emerged that Grande had canceled her scheduled performance at the 61st annual Grammys due to disagreements in production. Producer Ken Ehrlich later alleged to the Associated Press that Grande believed there was insufficient time for her to prepare.

In response, Grande promptly responded on Twitter, stating, "Mhmmm here it is! I've remained silent but now you're spreading false information about me. I am capable of putting together a performance overnight and you know that, Ken. It was when you stunted my creativity and self-expression that I made the decision not to attend. I hope the show turns out to be everything you desire and more."

Grande allegedly received instructions that she could only perform "7 Rings" as part of a medley. In a series of tweets, she stated that she had suggested alternative songs and emphasized the importance of collaboration, support, art, and honesty in the music industry. She expressed her disappointment, stating that music should not be reduced to a mere game. In the same year, Grande was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album, ultimately winning the latter category. She later made a comeback to the Grammys stage in January 2020 for a performance.

Jennette McCurdy Fallout

Following her role in Victorious, Ariana Grande collaborated with Jennette McCurdy from iCarly to create a spinoff series on Nickelodeon called Sam & Cat. However, in her memoir titled I’m Glad My Mom Died, released in 2022, McCurdy revealed that she was restricted from exploring other opportunities while working on the show. Surprisingly, Grande did not face the same constraints and was allowed to pursue other projects. McCurdy further claimed that Nickelodeon offered her a sum of $300,000 to maintain silence about her experiences at the network.

"What ultimately caused my downfall was when Ariana gleefully burst into the room, whistling with excitement, and shared that she had spent the previous night playing charades at Tom Hanks' residence," she expressed. "That precise instant was the breaking point for me."

She further stated: "Ariana neglects her responsibilities at work in favor of pursuing her music career, while I am left confined to a mere box. It infuriates me. And I feel both resentment and jealousy towards her."

The series was placed on a production hiatus in July 2014 before it was later canceled. This pause occurred due to reports that Grande was receiving a significantly higher salary than her costar. Addressing these rumors on Twitter, Grande vehemently denied the speculation, calling it "absolutely ridiculous and false."

In her tweet, she clarified that she and Jennette had agreed from the beginning to be treated equally in all aspects of the show, as they both put in the same amount of effort. She further expressed her confusion about the source of these nonsensical quotes and aimed to put an end to the unfounded rumors.

McCurdy sparked speculation of a conflict between herself and Grande through her web series What's Next for Sarah? following the cancellation of Sam & Cat. The series showcased a music sensation named Gloriana who sported a distinct high ponytail, reminiscent of Grande's iconic hairstyle.

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Naya Rivera Caught Her With Big Sean

Grande dated Big Sean in 2014 after his split from former fiancée Rivera — but the Glee alum claimed there was some overlap in the two romances.

In her 2016 memoir, "Sorry Not Sorry," Rivera recounted a day when Sean didn't want to see her upon his return to LA. However, she mentioned that since she had a key, she entered his house and found a certain young girl sitting on the couch listening to music. Rivera expressed her surprise and frustration at the unexpected breakup, stating that she learned about it and the cancellation of their wedding through the internet, just like everyone else. Not only were they not getting married, but they were also no longer together.

Grande never responded to Rivera’s claims. Rivera, meanwhile, died in a drowning accident in July 2020.

‘Wicked’ Romance With Ethan Slater

In July 2023, it was confirmed by Us that Grande and Gomez had ended their marriage after two years. Following the breakup, it was also revealed that Grande had already entered into a new relationship with her Wicked costar. (At the time, Slater was married to Lilly Jay and they had a son together in 2022.)

According to a source, Slater disclosed his involvement with Grande to Jay a few days before it became public knowledge. (A close source to Grande disputed this.) While Grande and Slater did not initially address the scandal, Jay shared her perspective with Page Six.

"Ariana's the main focus here, not someone who is particularly close to other girls. My family is simply caught in the crossfire," she asserted. "The real story revolves around her and Dalton."

In July 2023, Slater initiated proceedings for divorce from Jay. According to a trusted source, Gomez, on the other hand, desired to give Grande some room but still maintained optimism about the possibility of reconciling."

Annie Wermiel/NY Post; Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA

Cultural Appropriation Accusations

Grande faced backlash for Blackfishing, where she appeared to darken her skin, as well as other instances of cultural appropriation over the years. In 2019, she was accused of exploiting Asian culture by incorporating Japanese characters in her visuals, even misspelling a tattoo.

Following the criticism, Grande tweeted and later deleted, "I can't read or write kanji obviously. What do you want me to do? It was done out of love and appreciation. What do you want me to say? Many people make this mistake and don't care just because they like how it looks. But I genuinely care. What would you like me to do or say? Seriously."

Grande had also offered merchandise featuring Japanese characters for sale on her website, but it was later removed. In response to the criticism, she expressed her disappointment in the lack of forgiveness and empathy on the app, stating that people only focused on their own feelings.

During this period, Grande faced allegations of plagiarism for her song "7 Rings." Princess Nokia posted a video on social media suggesting that Grande's hit had similarities to her own song "Mine" from the mixtape 1992. She hinted at the irony of a song about brown women and their hair being perceived as "white."

Alleged Diva Behavior

Grande took to her Instagram Story to share a message that she later decided to remove: "Addressing the topic of weaves among white women as a means to combat racism." Recognizing her earlier comment as inappropriate, she offered an apology for the remark she now deemed as "out of line."

Throughout her career, Grande has faced accusations of making excessive demands and exhibiting unprofessional behavior. In 2014, rumors circulated that her team had a list of forbidden topics for interviews and that she preferred to be photographed from her left side. (She dismissed these reports as "nonsense" during a radio interview at the time.)

In a 2020 conversation with Zane Lowe, Grande addressed the label of being a "diva." She explained that she had refrained from doing interviews for a prolonged period because she felt that whenever someone tried to twist her words or create clickbait, she would defend herself. This led to people branding her as a diva, a label that she found illogical.

While she believed that her opinions were frequently twisted for a catchy headline, Grande noticed that men in the public eye did not face the same treatment. She observed that men were praised for expressing their views, defending themselves, and taking charge, while women were not given the same credit. Although not a universal truth, this disparity made her feel inclined to tone down her own voice.

Grande admitted that adopting a defiant attitude towards negativity has not always been effortless.