August 7, 2026

OUT ON A LIMB: It’s not ‘body shaming’ to worry about Ariana Grande’s appearance.

Fame can be very tough. And Grande should be treated with civility and kindness. But there is something a little tiresome about celebrities and their PR teams claiming that the public is wrong to comment on their appearance. A pop star like Grande knows that not only is her music important, but so too are her looks. She has used said looks to secure lucrative advertising deals with Swarovski, Givenchy, Reebok, Mac, T-Mobile and her own fragrance line. It’s only fair that those of us expected to buy what her face is selling might have some views on the face itself.

This goes beyond the disingenuous hand-wringing of Hollywood stars who don’t like to be criticised. Much of the concern over Grande’s appearance stems from its potential impact on her young fans. They are watching a once healthy-looking girl fade into a shadow of a woman. Those of us who grew up in the era of ultra-skinny ‘heroin chic’ know that we’ve been here before. But at least during the 1990s we had the confidence to criticise what was clearly an unrealistic and warped view of femininity.

For those of a certain age, we’ve been here before:

Posted at 1:35 pm by Ed Driscoll