Ariana Grande has come under fire after revealing that her “dream” dinner guest would be the notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. This revelation occurred during her appearance on Penn Badgley’s podcast, Podcrushed, where the singer shared a personal anecdote from a past fan interaction, igniting a storm of criticism online.
During the podcast, Grande recounted an experience from a Q&A session with young fans. “Years ago, before the Dahmer series, I was in a Q&A with young fans. With a parent, someone said, ‘If you could have dinner with anyone living or dead, who would it be?” I responded, ‘Oh, honey, you’re so cute. Um, Mom and Dad, is it okay if I give the real answer?’ And they were like, ‘Sure, what’s the answer?’” She then confessed her fascination with Dahmer, telling the audience, “And I was like, Jeffrey Dahmer’s pretty fascinating. I think I would have loved to have met him, maybe with like a third party or something. But I have questions.’ And the parents were like, ‘We’ll explain it later, sweetheart.’”
Grande’s admission quickly sparked outrage as excerpts of the podcast were circulated online. The backlash was particularly intense in the comments section of the YouTube video where the second part of the podcast was posted. Critics condemned Grande’s choice, with one user expressing disappointment about the glorification of a serial killer, “That was heartbreaking to watch, can you imagine your loved ones being murdered in such horrific ways and then the killer is glorified in the media? I wish people would consider how shows like Dahmer impact the surviving family members.”
Others criticized Grande for being insensitive to the suffering of victims’ families. “She thinks she’s being edgy but she is just a tone-deaf person who doesn’t care about other people’s pain,” another user commented. The sentiment was echoed by a third user who stated, “This is so vile… I have a great interest in crime cases but the LAST thing I’d want to do is have dinner with a serial killer.”
Grande’s controversial statement has not only sparked a debate about the ethics of glorifying notorious criminals but also highlighted the often complex relationship between celebrity culture and sensitive historical events. As the backlash continues, it underscores the broader implications of casual remarks made by public figures about serious issues.