14 DAY TRIAL // Pop star Ariana Grande has received a fair share of negative media attention in recent years, but it was nothing compared to the kind of backlash she’s getting now, after being caught on a surveillance camera licking donuts on display in a Cali shop and saying she hated America and all Americans.
Hours after the footage emerged online, she had her publicist issue a statement to clarify that she didn’t really mean it when she said she hated America. Then, she apologized in a new release, stressing that she was most definitely proud to be an American.
Since neither of these stopped the barrage of criticism coming her way, Ariana is taking matters into her own hands again, via an apology video she posted to YouTube. You can see it below, right under the original surveillance footage, showing her for the rude young woman she is.
She’s young, she makes mistakes
In the new apology video, a puffy-cheeked Ariana (from her wisdom tooth removal surgery), explains how the past 24 hours had been “rough” on her and how seeing herself in that leaked video was a “rude awakening.”
She’s disgusted in herself for behaving the way she did. She doesn’t hate America and she’s sorry she said that. Then, at one point, Ariana acknowledges the other offensive aspect about the leaked surveillance footage, though not directly, apologizing for licking the donuts that were on display and were later sold to other patrons.
She also mentions she’s “young” and bound to make mistakes, but she reckons it’s ok as long as she owns up to them and learns from them. You can’t possibly have growth and improvement if you don’t use your mistakes as a platform upwards, she reasons.
“I’m not here to make excuses or justify my behavior”
Some might argue that licking donuts in a shop at 22, when you think no one’s watching you, on a dare can hardly be labeled a “mistake.” The same people might argue that such a gesture betrays a lack of common sense and a sense of entitlement that goes hand in hand with extreme rudeness.
Consequently, Ariana’s heartfelt apology is nothing short of damage control, because she’s suddenly at the receiving end of a lot of criticism, justly so. The fact that there were already rumors she was an insufferable diva only makes this worse.
However, she does deserve some credit for saying something few celebrities have the courage of saying these days, whenever they issue an apology. While most stick to the line “I’m sorry anyone was offended,” which is completely different from “I’m sorry” or “I’m sorry I was wrong,” Ariana actually owns up to her stupid gesture.
“I’m not here to make excuses or justify my behavior,” she says towards the end of the video. “I’m just here to apologize. So, I’m sorry.”
need to clean up this mouth of mine & set a better example for my babes. i apologize and i love you. always learning. pic.twitter.com/BkJWcLxR5y
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) July 8, 2015