UPDATE:
Bettle Midler has some final words on Ariana Grande. The self-proclaimed “reformed old whore” made amends via Twitter late Tuesday:
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PREVIOUSLY:
Ariana Grande isn’t letting a diss from a very famous someone get her down. The “Love Me Harder” singer took to Twitter on Tuesday, Nov. 25, to respond to comments Bette Midler made about her and other young pop stars in a new interview with The Telegraph.
“It’s always surprising to see someone like Ariana Grande with that silly high voice, a very wholesome voice, slithering around on a couch looking so ridiculous,” the Divine Miss M told the British paper in an interview posted Monday.”I mean, it’s silly beyond belief and I don’t know who’s telling her to do it. I wish they’d stop,” Midler added, in reference to Grande’s team. “But it’s not my business, I’m not her mother. Or her manager. Maybe they tell them that’s what you’ve got to do. Sex sells. Sex has always sold.”
The interview was to promote Midler’s new covers album, It’s The Girls, her tribute to girl bands of her youth like The Ronettes, The Chiffons, The Marvelettes, and The Crystals. The only cover by a modern girl group is “Waterfalls” by TLC, and after reading the article, one thing is clear: Midler isn’t the biggest fan of whatever is happening with female pop acts these days.
“Whatever strictures there were have fallen apart,” she continued. “And now it’s whatever you feel like doing you can do. I mean, apparently people really like to pretend they’re having sex. They really like to slap each other’s butts.”
Grande responded to the criticism via Twitter, asking where the old no-judgement Bette Midler went.
https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/537366090087952384/photo/1
“Bette was always a feminist who stood for women being able to do whatever the F they wanted without judgement! not sure where that Bette went but i want that sexy mermaid back!!! always a fan no matter what my love,” Grande posted on Twitter with a photo of Midler in costume.
But later in her interview, Midler admitted she may not be the best person to ask about the current music scene.
“I mean, don’t ask me,” she told The Telegraph. “It’s beyond me. I’m too old. I don’t know what the end game is going to be. I don’t know where you go from all that sex in your 20s. I don’t know how you sustain it.”
Then she offered words of wisdom to all young pop stars: “Trust your talent. You don’t have to make a whore out of yourself to get ahead. You really don’t.”
Regardless of the drama, Grande is still a huge fan of Midler’s 1996 film, “The First Wives Club”:
Ah forgive them. If people can ignore the UN ambassadress feminist Emma Watson for slut shaming women, why not them. And by the way, I don’t think Ariana is much of a good singer either. None of these two are that good.
I personally find today female and male singer using more gross performance than good singing ; I like to hear a great voice performing that looking a someone imitating having sex or holding their privates and yelling bad words degrading women’s , but perhaps i must understand the new society is like them
The thing about ariana grande is she’s the last person i’d expect anyone to say this to. To say that she got her fame from being a whore is beyond ridiculous. Let’s not forget she started on a nickelodeon show. And her voice is pretty amazing. She’s finally starting to bust out of her shell. I would expect a comment like this to go towards maybe rihanna or someone who sexualizes things a lot. But honestly the comment wasn’t respectful at all, especially coming from someone pretty far along in life who should have known better not to say something as rude as this. Just because you’re old doesn’t mean everyone has to let you say whatever you want.
Keeping a bit of MODESTY & leaving some things to the imagination would be refreshing. Don’t know how much further we can go in the current direction – totally diverted toward sexual overkill in our language, behavior, dance, music & lyrics… The mystique is gone. Didn’t this happen in Rome and Greece before these civilizations fell into history? No, I’m no a Christian radical, either!
Bette Divine was the Ariana of her day! Every show Bette did was in sequined underwear, the only thing Ari is missing is her boa! And those great boobs Bette never did let us forget. Really miss those disco days 🙁
I have to agree with Bette midler and of course I will always agree even of she is in the wrong…but she really isn’t the only whore out there… all these new Singer feel the need to get naked on stage or in there videos… and regarding jlo she can do whatever the fuck she wants she’s perfect
I thought what Mr. Midler said made some sense although she didn’t have to be rude. I remember her making jokes and playing with her breasts “don’t you like my voluptuous ta ta’s”? But this was part of her live shows which were comedic in nature. Young women use their bodies to sell their music. Arian can’t deny that and she does it too. Ariana is an extremely talented singer, but she learned from the generation before here…say Beyonce, Brittany et al…the trend for using sex to sell started with Ms. Midler’s generation though with people like Madonna, etc. I guess the days of someone just selling their voice alone and succeeding like Whitney are long gone.
What was once risqué, is now simulating sex acts. Young girls ( will not use the name lady) have no idea what self respect is. They think, to be a women today, you have to have sex with anyone and everyone, and to sell music you have to work the pole.
Bette, come on, for reals?! I find it hard to believe Bette who I adore, who started her career in a gay bath house and who has always been unconventional in her acting roles, would put another woman down that way. I understand that sexuality is not needed to promote songs but Bette, Honey, wait, listen Honey, I am sure that in your day lots of people could have catagorized you as a whore just because of the things out of your mouth and your daring costumes and your blatantly oozing sexuality for that time, so please, get down from the pedestal and realize that coming from you, calling someone who exposes herself and is overly sensuous a whore, is opening a door for people to perhaps do the same to you albeit, your past you, but still you….so play nice. I also believe that women today are highly sexual in everything they do, we were their first example, we were way ahead of our time, and trust me I wish I had not been…sometimes; I was an exotic dancer in Miamin Beach and who now gets ‘the vapors’ when young girls are almost naked on videos and on stage, but yet we did it, and admit it, wasn’t it fun? We didn’t know it was derogatory, not leading to sexual equality and against all that woman want to achieve, that is the only difference, these girls know, but to each its own. I do hope she can sing though…
No, it’s not about what Bette did, because what she did was vastly different. She’s not talking about using sexuality, she’s talking about the contemporary model of young female popster that is basically a prostitute model, and even uses the aesthetic of one. These girls are pimped out as singing whores. It is nothing – at all – like the era of Middler. Even Madonna projected sexuality so differently. These girls are objects of the male gaze MADE by men to make money for MEN. It’s vulgar.
Bette Midler is awesome. She will always be a respectable actor and singer. But, I don’t think it’s right judging others on what they do. Just leave them be and do your own way, which is for sure the better way than hers If she likes doing her talent like a whore then let her be a whore in her own way. Who cares? That’s entertainment! 🙂
Very grown up of Ariana. I applaud her.
Yes Bette is right about “Where do you go” and “Trust your talent”, BUT…the tweet is a class act return!
21 year old who showes more dignity than a 68 year old, always remarkable to see
Just look at her…If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I guess the truth hurts!
Bette is WAY MORE than the First Wives Club…girl should listen up.
It so weird that someone who used to work at a Bath House, and hang around with Gay people, and Drag Queens, would say anything about Ariana.
Why can’t she? Do you think all gay people and drag queens do all day is have sex?
Hanging around a bath house is the opposite to what he is talking about, which is sexuality fashioned of a misgonistic heater male gaze. You people are so ridiculous. This is where it’s come to, that people cannot even see this modern sexuality in the pop world for what it so very clearly is. These are not young girls in control of their sexuality, they are whores.
Hanging around with gay people or drag queens is irrelevant to your argument you silly little girl!
Selena forever
It is hard for these young girls to get the attention when u have a Beyonce & Jennifer Lopez with no standards sexually on stage. Always proving they can out do the younger girls. I really think there is an age these woman need to stop showing their ass & showing their maturity. If they can sing & have true talent then sing!
You are unfortunately sounding like an old hag Betty – get over yourself
mothra….This is the problem. Betty sounds like a women who has self respect. I sure you would let your daughter do this as long as it brings in the money.