Ariana Grande ‘Donutgate’: How The ‘Problem’ Singer Can Recover


Ariana Grande has gone from America’s sweetheart to one of the most despised celebrities on the internet, thanks to her now infamous “Donutgate” scandal.

In it, the 22-year-old “Problem” star walked into a bakery and licked the doughnuts for sale on the counter before announcing to the world via security cam footage that she “hates America.” Ariana has since apologized to the world — twice — but will it be enough to win fans back?

According to E! Online, it’s going to be difficult — mainly because Grande has a history of being a diva.

“This isn’t the first time the ‘Problem’ singer has found herself in hot water. Whether it’s tales of her being icy around young fans who have won competitions to meet her, or a report that she once ended an autograph session by getting into an elevator and exclaiming about her fans, ‘I hope they all f**king die,’ scandal seems to have plagued her.”

She also made things worse when she apologized the first time. In it, Grande came off as disingenuine, basically claiming America overreacted to her comments. This did not go unnoticed by some of the top publicists in America.

“The second apology was a direct result of her first apology being so pathetic. I always tell people it should be about 100% responsibility, not a long, rambling, equivocating apology,” Fifteen Minutes PR chairman and founder Howard Bragman told the Hollywood Reporter.

According to Bragman, Grande has mishandled this fiasco from the get-go. Her first apology should have been a total mea culpa.

” ‘I screwed up, it’s not going to happen again, I’ve learned and I apologize.’ Then follow it up with some sort of action: Go volunteer at a food bank, work with Michelle Obama on teenage obesity, do a concert to promote awareness.”

So is there any hope for Ariana Grande, or has she forever sullied her reputation? Bragman thinks there is.

“It’s not fun for her and her team to be dealing with, but it’s not a huge deal. It’s a big social media story, but it wasn’t racist and it wasn’t homophobic. In other words, this was more ‘controversy’ than ‘crisis.’ “

Jim Bates, senior executive at publicity firm Sitrick & Co., agrees.

“She can very easily let her talent speak for itself. It’s not like she committed a horrible crime or did anything really drastic. It was a youthful experience and nothing more.”

What do you think? Is Ariana Grande’s career permanently derailed thanks to “Donutgate?”

[Ariana Grande photo credit by: Neilson Barnard / Getty Images]

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