Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, passed away last month on 16 August. Her funeral was held on 31 August in her hometown of Detroit where a couple of interesting things took place.
What should have been a service full of R-E-S-P-E-C-T turned out to be an event where, for Ariana Grande at least, boundaries were probably crossed.
Cringe.
Unsurprisingly, the hashtag #RespectAriana has been trending on the Twittersphere, with many people voicing their displeasure (to put it mildly).
I don’t care what you think about Ariana Grande, her music or her dress. This is wrong. That bishop’s hand should not be on her breast: I just saw this because I’ve been working and not watching pic.twitter.com/ixVhgYBJTN
— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) September 1, 2018
Bishop Charles H. Ellis III belittled @ArianaGrande, suggesting she was a Taco Bell menu item, while physically locking her in awkward embrace and squeezing her breast. This has nothing to do with what she’s wearing and everything to do with his shameful refusal to #RespectAriana https://t.co/KEbxaeUIdj
— Kate Woodsome (@kwoodsome) September 1, 2018
She CLEARLY looked uncomfortable. I can’t believe some would expect her to defend herself on live TV one someone else’s funeral. Her dress had nothing to do with anything. What women wears will never be an invitation for assault, she never asked for it #RespectAriana
— 윌러우 ❣ (@ilsansqueen) September 1, 2018
Can you IMAGINE the outcry from idiots currently saying “she should have said something” if Ariana HAD stopped & said “Bishop get your creepy hands off me & also don’t belittle my name you old perve” during a funeral? Predatory men rely on women not making a scene #RespectAriana
— Jess McGuire🌈 (@jessmcguire) September 1, 2018
Bishop Charles H. Ellis III has since apologised for perhaps being “too friendly” with the singer, but come on, who are you fooling?
Like so many women, she may have felt compelled to play the role of good sport at the service (what else can you do at a funeral?), but her body language did not go unnoticed by viewers.
Her reaction at the beginning of the Video makes my hearth get broken so hard 😭😭😭 Please Ariana Do not give up this ♥😭 pic.twitter.com/Ch41fW2gF7
— Arianator Arts (@MarkEFanpage) September 1, 2018
Ariana Grande’s face in this photo is every woman ever. #RespectArianahttps://t.co/6LsSB209Cm pic.twitter.com/F8tCNOSAS3
— The Mary Sue (@TheMarySue) September 1, 2018
Not only do we sympathise for Grande, we also feel bad for Franklin – can’t a woman rest in peace at her own funeral without some hanky panky going on?
You better think about what you’re trying to do, Bishop.
Related: The Legacy Aretha Franklin Left the Music World
