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Ariana Grande Has A Problem
Ariana Grande has 99 problems, and an infatuated fan may just be one.
The American singer and actress, who rose to mainstream stardom this past year, may have shown her diva side after mishandling a situation with one of her fans.
Controversy had already been sparked up with breaking news of Grande’s “inner diva” nature. After visiting a Manhattan radio station for a fan-based autograph and photo event, she was reported by an “insider” as saying “I hope all [the fans die],” after meeting her supporters, according to TMZ Online. While both she and one of her representatives had come out to deny the claim shortly after it was made public, rumors always come from somewhere. Although the accusation may not necessarily be true, Grande should be even more careful with the way she treats others within the public eye so that she does not meet so much conflict.
In addition to her supposedly “diva” tendencies, Grande has also has been receiving a continuous stream of gifts from a secret admirer. Over the course of a few weeks, packages including a 42.5 pound pumpkin, assorted dog and cat-themed calendars, eight Yankee candles, a rock from the White Mountains of New Hampshire, a $200 anklet from Kay Jewelers, and a three-piece mirror set from Kmart were sent to the surprised “Problem” singer.
The “secret” admirer was soon revealed to be a 29-year-old Massachusetts fan, Tim Normandin, who was told by authorities to stop sending the packages. Refusing to relent with his incessant benefactions, Normandin now faces criminal harassment charges as a result of trying to win Grande’s affections. However, both fans and critics alike are now debating if the pop star had allowed the situation to get out of hand.
Although Normandin is indeed at fault for sending Grande the unwelcome parcels, she could have handled the incident better. Instead of donating them like other celebrities, Grande chose to involve authorities.
For example, after Kristen Stewart cheated on her fiancé Robert Pattinson with the married Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders in 2012, Pattinson was utterly heartbroken. Many fans began sending flowers, chocolate, letters of comfort, and even strange marriage proposals to the Twilight actor. As incredibly touched as he was, Pattinson still sent all of his fan mail and presents directly to local hospitals and senior citizens’ homes. In contrast to Grande’s situation, Pattinson appreciated the offers of consolation. Instead of keeping them for himself, Pattinson selflessly donated everything, an action that Grande could have followed after.
Yet, there have been scenarios in which celebrities were bestowed creepier items than Grande had. In fact, Zac Efron was once sent a piece of human skin from one of his fans—a “gift” that was rather disturbing and obviously unwanted—but he still took the matter good-naturedly. As disconcerting as the situation was, he simply did not make it public until his That Awkward Moment co-star Miles Teller described it on the show Conan, “I was like, 'Zac, what's the craziest thing a fan has sent you?’ He was like, 'Oh, I had a fan send me a piece of their skin.'" Efron proceeded to joke about the subject and talk about his love for his fans.
In addition, Grande could have brushed the incessant packages off. After all, when Zayn Malik received a mankini from a devoted fan, he began speaking about it, describing how much he adored wearing the clothing and the fact that his co-members had comical pictures of him in the outfit.
Of course, the “Break Free” singer is still young and not as experienced as her other fellow celebrities, but she can definitely learn from others’ engagements and prevent situations such as hers from spiraling out of control again in the future.
As the young star continues to grow ever more popular, she will gain both encouraging and deleterious reactions from critics worldwide. Grande still has much to learn, but she can definitely bolster her reputation by first learning to handle fan-related dilemmas.
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Don't worry--not trying to hate on Ariana Grande, because I love her! Just objectively evaluating one of my favorite stars--nobody is perfect, after all.