Let it be remembered that Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, and the undisputed Queen of Halloween) told Jezebel just three years ago that she was, and I quote: “a good secret keeper.” Given Peterson, a pop culture icon since the 80s, spent nineteen years in a relationship with a woman and no one knew until she revealed it in her 2021 memoir, I have no trouble believing her!
Recently, Peterson let a little more industry gossip out of its crypt during a Q&A with fans at Knotts Scary Farm in Buena Park, California. When asked who her worst celebrity encounter was, she named none other than Ariana Grande.
“I’ll tell you briefly…she came and she brought 20 guests, so she wanted 20, 21 tickets,” Peterson told the crowd of the time Grande brought her family and friends to Peterson’s live show in 2017. “We’re like, ‘OK,’ and we give her the tickets. She comes backstage and she asks if I could take pictures with all of her friends and relatives she brought.”
“I take a picture with every single one of them. I sign autographs for every single one of them,” she went on. “Then I say to her, ‘Can we take a photo together?’ She goes, ‘Nah, I don’t really do that.'”
Now, I would typically have some empathy for a celebrity—especially one whose concert had very recently been the target of a terrorist attack that killed 22 people—being asked for a photo while trying to spend time with their family, but…it’s Elvira. We’re talking about a legend here. Beyond that, 21 free tickets and at least half an hour for signings and selfies should warrant one photo, at least. In those circumstances, saying no is just bad form—by industry standards and otherwise.
Inevitably, a video of Peterson’s answer went viral on YouTube and TikTok. Even Peterson—petty legend that she is—shared it on her Instagram grid, only for Grande to comment on the post.
“I’m so disheartened to see this,” Grande wrote. “I actually don’t even remember getting the chance to meet you because I had an anxiety attack and to my memory, left before the rest of my family (this was around 7 years ago and at the time i was really not great with being in public crowds or loud places).”
“But if i’m misremembering this moment, i sincerely apologize for offending you so. thank you for being so nice to my mom, she told me how lovely you were (she might have different feelings about that now but i’ll talk to her…clearly, we all have our days!).”
She concluded with: “Sending love always. You’ll always be our queen of Halloween.”
First, Grande’s explanation is all very confusing. She doesn’t quite recall the encounter, yet distinctly remembers having a panic attack and leaving? That seems a bit contradictory, no? Second, if she was having issues with interpersonal interactions at this time, why attend at all? Surely, her team could’ve coordinated the tickets and time with the star for free without her present? Third, an apology doesn’t count if it contains shade…and is delivered on a public platform. Sorry!
Naturally, Grande’s stans (Ariantors, or whatever they’re called) are acting very normally about this exchange. Peep the comments on Peterson’s post and you’ll find scores of her young fans making ill-informed cracks about not knowing who Elvira is. That may be true, but the point is, Grande and 20 of her family members do—they just weren’t willing to pay for an experience her other, less-connected fans would probably kill for.
Frankly, I can’t think of anything more embarrassing…except maybe not paying for a donut I licked.
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Still here. Still without airbrushing. Still with teeth.
