Frankie Grande is standing up for his sister, pop sensation Ariana Grande, against bizarre and unfounded rumors circulating on social media. The rumors, which suggest that Ariana is a cannibal, have reached new levels of absurdity, prompting Frankie to respond publicly.
On Thursday, Frankie took to social media to address a headline that stemmed from a fan’s joke about Ariana. The headline suggested that the “Boy Is Mine” singer was a cannibal, a claim that Frankie found both creative and incredibly low. “This might be the most creative and lowest y’all have ever gone,” he wrote, sharing a screenshot of the story. “Reaching new depths daily!”
Frankie, known for his witty remarks, added a cheeky retort to his post. “Listen, I know my sister’s been eating the girls up for years but this a bit extreme!” he wrote. “Besides, she’s vegan.”
The rumor appears to be part of a viral trend where fans of an artist try to discourage others from buying concert tickets so they can purchase them all. This particular rumor may have gained traction after Ariana shared a story on the Podcrushed podcast, hosted by her “The Boy Is Mine” video co-star Penn Badgley. During the podcast, Ariana recounted a childhood fascination with serial killers and mentioned that her dream dinner date, living or dead, would be the infamous cannibalistic serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. “I have questions,” she said, explaining her curiosity.
Earlier this week, Ariana also defended herself against negative comments about her speaking voice after a clip of her using different vocal registers went viral. “That’s a normal thing that people do,” she said on the July 9 episode of the Evan Ross Katz-hosted podcast Shut Up Evan. She explained that actors often change their voices to fit various characters, and criticized the backlash as sexist. “You see male actors… It’s always after the fact that they’re like, ‘Oh wow, how dedicated to his craft! What an amazing transformation! He’s a brilliant performer!’ And then, god forbid, I sneeze like Glinda or something, or if I make an intonation… it’s just that I’m crazy or ‘Should someone check on her?’ It’s the weirdest thing.”
Ariana, who has been busy filming the movie adaptation of the musical Wicked, in which she plays Glinda, mentioned that she and her team are exploring options to “trickle in some shows in between the two Wicked films.” She released her new album, Eternal Sunshine, in March and is eager to perform it live.
Frankie Grande’s defense of his sister comes after a comment made about Ariana on Penn Badgley’s podcast “Podcrushed.” Ariana revealed that her younger self was fascinated by serial killers and mentioned Jeffrey Dahmer as a dream dinner guest. “I was like, ‘Oh, you’re so cute. Mom and dad, is it okay if I give the real answer?’ And they were like ‘Sure, what’s the answer?’ and I was like, ‘I mean, Jeffrey Dahmer is pretty fascinating. I think I would have loved to have met him. Y’know, maybe with a third party or someone involved. But I have questions,” she recalled.
This comment left her parents stunned and was later used by fans to dissuade others from buying tickets to her concerts. Frankie, 41, took it upon himself to set the record straight. On X, he subtweeted a post from Buzzing Pop, saying, “HAHAHAHAHAHA. Wow! This might be the most creative and lowest y’all have ever gone. Reaching new depths daily! Listen, I know my sister’s been eating the girls up for years but this a bit extreme! Besides, she’s vegan. See you on tour!”
Fans quickly rallied behind Frankie, with one user commenting, “ ‘I know my sister’s been eating the girls up for years’ 10s 10s 10s.” Another added, “See yall done gone and get Frankie involved omg…”
Interestingly, Ariana’s new album Eternal Sunshine features Evan Peters, who portrayed Jeffrey Dahmer in Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning limited series, DAHMER, in the music video for “We Can’t Be Friends (wait for your love).” Although she has not announced a tour, she recently released a music video for “The Boy is Mine,” which stars Gossip Girl actor Penn Badgley and includes cameos from Brandy and Monica.
Frankie Grande’s defense of his sister highlights the absurdity of the cannibalism rumors. He took to X to laugh off the claims, pointing out that Ariana is a vegan and emphasizing her success. “Listen, I know my sister’s been eating the girls up for years but this a bit extreme!” he wrote.
The cannibalism rumor gained renewed attention after Ariana mentioned Jeffrey Dahmer on the Podcrushed podcast. The family of one of Dahmer’s victims even called for an apology from the pop star, saying it made her seem “sick in her mind.” However, Ariana’s fans have been vocal in their support, pointing out that similar jokes have been made about other artists without the same backlash.
Ariana Grande recently released her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, and is looking forward to performing it live. However, her busy schedule with the Wicked films has kept her from announcing a tour. Despite the rumors and criticism, Ariana continues to focus on her music and acting career, with the support of her brother Frankie and her loyal fans.
Source: Buzzing Pop, Podcrushed, Shut Up Evan, Entertainment Weekly
