This week, Ariana Grande became the latest celebrity to be accused of queerbaiting thanks to a seemingly innocent comment while promoting Wicked. After three weeks of weeping and one-finger holds, does this film really need more promotion? Well, that's a conversation for another day.
In yet another bizarre sit-down—this time with The Gay Times—the pop star and actor theorized that Glinda the Good Witch might just be Glinda the Gay Witch.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating the deep connection that both of them have," Grande said when asked about fans shipping Glinda and Elphaba. "I think they do have a real relationship, it is true love, which is probably why people are shipping it because what they build with each other is an unbreakable bond.”
"Glinda might be a little in the closet," she then tacked on. "You never know! Give it a little more time." Hey, nothing wrong with that!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6gzsTBWWuk
Even the original Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth, agreed on Instagram: “I thought so too way back when…” she commented on a post quoting the interview.
Grande went on to note the story's inherent queerness, in that even its setting is a "celebration of uniqueness." Emerald City, as Grande sees it, is like a "Pride parade."
“Even the chickens…those chickens are gay," she jested. Sure! Still, the terminally online took some offense. Following the interview, fans hopped right on Twitter and claimed the star was queerbaiting.
"The queerbaiting is getting too out of hand," wrote one user. "Why can’t they just be platonic?" tweeted another. Is two fictional women being close friends queerbaiting? Hell if I know. Is this discourse just another marketing tactic? Maybe!
Whatever it is, I just need this press cycle to end.
