Ariana Grande and her mother have already gotten together for the Thanksgiving holiday — to take aim at British media personality Piers Morgan.
In the run-up to America’s national celebration of gratitude, “Thank U, Next” singer Grande and her mother Joan gave Twitter users plenty to be thankful for, as they went at Morgan with full force over comments he made about talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres and British girl group Little Mix.
The Grande women spent a healthy chunk of their Thanksgiving Eve railing on Morgan, after he cast DeGeneres as a hypocrite and accused Little Mix of ripping off the Dixie Chicks’ iconic, clothing-free Entertainment Weekly cover from 2003.
On Monday — also known as International Men’s Day in some social-media circles — Morgan bashed a video shared by DeGeneres of a montage of her celebrating men, with cheeky tributes to Idris Elba, Liam Hemsworth and Ryan Gosling, among other hunky showbiz males.
“Ellen drooling today over famous men’s bodies on #InternationalMensDay2018,” Morgan tweeted in response. “Yet I’ve been abused all day for complimenting @hollywills on her legs. The hypocrisy of modern feminism laid bare.”
The following day found Morgan calling out Little Mix over a photo of them posed with provocative words written on their naked bodies, in a manner reminiscent of the Dixie Chicks photo.
“Hey @LittleMix – when are you going to admit you stole this idea from @dixiechicks?” Morgan wrote.
Ariana and Joan Grande didn’t take kindly to Morgan’s critiques.
“Honestly what is wrong with you @piersmorgan ? Didn’t your mother ever teach you, if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say it!” Joan Grande tweeted. ” You came for @TheEllenShow yesterday which was disgraceful, she is an angel. @LittleMix today, did you ever hear of paying homage? And..well never mind.”
The elder Grande subsequently tweeted, “Damn… I was so caught up in my own little twitterverse that I missed my genius daughter @ArianaGrande actually handling the situation… hahaha I am a proud mother who raised a magnificent, beautiful, talented FEMINIST daughter!! Ariana … yay!”
Oh, yeah; Ariana was handling it, alright.
“Ellen is an incredible & kind human being.. I use my talent AND my sexuality all the time because i choose to. women can be sexual AND talented. naked and dignified. it’s OUR choice,” the singer tweeted, adding, “we will keep fighting til people understand. i say this w all due respect but thank u, next.”
To which Morgan replied, “Hi Ariana! How lovely to hear from you so soon after your mother. Of course, women can do what they like – but if they/you use nudity to sell records to impressionable young female fans, I’ll continue to call them/you out on it. All due respect, but thank YOU. Next…”
But the younger Grande wasn’t done raking Morgan over the coals just yet.
“also @piersmorgan, i look forward to the day you realize there are other ways to go about making yourself relevant than to criticize young, beautiful, successful women for everything they do,” Grande wrote. “i think that’ll be a beautiful thing for you and your career or what’s left of it.”
Ouch.
“Now now, young lady – my career’s doing just fine thanks,” Morgan responded. “For the record, I criticize/praise everyone – male, female, gender-fluid. Indeed, I’ve written columns praising AND criticizing you, and you deserved both.”
Got a craving for a Twitter spat? Fill up on the whole saga below.
Hey @LittleMix – when are you going to admit you stole this idea from @dixiechicks? pic.twitter.com/dLRX2TMv2k
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 20, 2018
Ellen drooling today over famous men’s bodies on #InternationalMensDay2018.
Yet I’ve been abused all day for complimenting @hollywills on her legs.
The hypocrisy of modern feminism laid bare..
My column: https://t.co/51EV8fbBvV https://t.co/myUb83jV9C— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 19, 2018
Today and tomorrow let’s focus on light and love and being grateful. I am grateful for so so many people in my life, I am grateful for my family, friends and all those people I have met and yet to meet! Thank you for what 2018 has taught me and most importantly #ThankUNext!
— Joan Grande (@joangrande) November 21, 2018
Damn… I was so caught up in my own little twitterverse that I missed my genius daughter @ArianaGrande actually handling the situation… hahaha I am a proud mother who raised a magnificent, beautiful, talented FEMINIST daughter!! Ariana … yay!
— Joan Grande (@joangrande) November 21, 2018
Hi Ariana!
How lovely to hear from you so soon after your mother.
Of course, women can do what they like – but if they/you use nudity to sell records to impressionable young female fans, I’ll continue to call them/you out on it.
All due respect, but thank YOU. Next… https://t.co/PpRK5Wqs92— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 21, 2018
Now now, young lady – my career’s doing just fine thanks.
For the record, I criticise/praise everyone – male, female, gender-fluid.
Indeed, I’ve written columns praising AND criticising you, and you deserved both. https://t.co/vfsDNqzYLl— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 21, 2018
Now now, young lady – my career’s doing just fine thanks.
For the record, I criticise/praise everyone – male, female, gender-fluid.
Indeed, I’ve written columns praising AND criticising you, and you deserved both. https://t.co/vfsDNqzYLl— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 21, 2018
Is that your screensaver? https://t.co/S0DgkhCQpz
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 21, 2018
????????????
Methinks the lady doth protest too much. https://t.co/QQXtuLj4fN— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 21, 2018
Since I’ve got your attention @ArianaGrande – want to come on @GMB on Monday to settle this like mano-to-womano?
We can bring our mothers too, if you like.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 21, 2018