Bishop Charles H Ellis III has apologised for appearing to grope singer Ariana Grande at a memorial service for Aretha Franklin
The bishop was on stage with Grande at a memorial concert for Franklin, who died in August. Grande performed Franklin’s beloved hit ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’.
However, many commentators noticed that Ellis’ hand was wrapped around the side of Grande’s chest, and that she appeared to be in very clear discomfort.
Bishop Charles H. Ellis III belittled @ArianaGrande, suggesting she was a Taco Bell menu item, while physically locking her in awkward embrace and squeezing her breast. This has nothing to do with what she’s wearing and everything to do with his shameful refusal to #RespectAriana https://t.co/KEbxaeUIdj
— Kate Woodsome (@kwoodsome) September 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/NLiddle16/status/1035720185192361985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1035720185192361985&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Fnewsbeat-45381687
Ellis now apologised for the interaction.
“It would never be my intention to touch any woman’s breast,” Ellis told the Associated Press. “Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar. But again, I apologise. That’s the easiest thing for me to do, that’s the right thing for me to do, and I hope she will forgive me.”
Ellis also made a joke about Grande’s name, saying that when he first heard it he thought it was a new item on the menu at Taco Bell.
