Ariana Grande has come under fire from the family of Tony Hughes, a victim of infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, after she named Dahmer as her “dream dinner guest.” The pop star made the controversial remarks during an appearance on the “Podcrushed” podcast, hosted by Penn Badgley, Sophie Ansari, and Nava Kavelin.
Tony Hughes, who was deaf and non-verbal, was 31 years old when he was murdered by Dahmer in 1991 after meeting him at a gay bar. Speaking to TMZ, Tony’s mother, Shirley Hughes, expressed her deep distress over Grande’s comments. “To me, it seems like she’s sick in her mind,” Shirley said. “It’s not fancy or funny to say you would have wanted to do dinner with him. It’s also not something you should say to young people, which she says she did.”
Tony’s sister, Barbara, echoed her mother’s sentiments, stating that Grande’s comments glamorize Dahmer and called on the “Wicked” star to apologize. The Independent has reached out to Grande’s representatives for comment.
During the podcast, Grande explained her fascination with serial killers, recalling a Q&A session she participated in when she was younger. “It was in between me being Cat [on Sam & Cat] and pop stuff, so it was like a younger group, and they were with parents, and someone said, ‘If you could have dinner with anyone living or dead, who would it be?’… And I was like, ‘I mean, Jeffrey Dahmer is pretty fascinating.'”
The singer went on to say that she would still like to meet Dahmer, despite the fact that he was beaten to death three years into his prison sentence in 1994. Dahmer was responsible for the deaths and dismemberment of 17 men between 1978 and 1991.
The Hughes family has previously expressed outrage over the portrayal of Dahmer in popular media. They were particularly upset when Evan Peters won a Golden Globe for his role as Dahmer in Ryan Murphy’s dramatization, “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” Shirley Hughes told TMZ at the time, “There’s a lot of sick people around the world, and people winning acting roles from playing killers keeps the obsession going and this makes sick people thrive on the fame. It’s a shame that people can take our tragedy and make money. The victims never saw a cent. We go through these emotions every day.”
The 10-part Netflix series, which depicted Dahmer’s gruesome killing spree in Milwaukee, broke streaming records upon its release in 2022. Despite a promotional video from Peters stating that the filmmakers aimed to be “respectful to the victims, to the victims’ families,” many families felt blindsided by the show and were not notified of its release.
Rita Isbell, the sister of Dahmer’s victim Errol Lindsay, wrote an essay for Insider accusing Netflix of exploiting the tragedy for profit. “I feel like Netflix should’ve asked if we mind or how we felt about making it. They didn’t ask me anything. They just did it,” she wrote.
Grande’s comments have reignited the debate over the glamorization of serial killers in popular culture. Critics argue that such portrayals can desensitize the public to the real-life horrors experienced by the victims and their families. The Hughes family’s reaction underscores the ongoing pain and trauma that these portrayals can inflict on those who have lost loved ones to such heinous crimes.
As of now, Grande has not publicly responded to the backlash. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for sensitivity and respect when discussing real-life tragedies, especially those involving such profound loss and suffering.
Source: TMZ, The Independent, Insider
