Singer Ariana Grande sat down with Piers Morgan last week to discuss their Twitter spat. Rather than applauding the exchange, fans were miffed.
When they should’ve seen the meeting as a rare instance of civil discourse arising from a petty online feud, people grew furious the celebrities talked at all.
It started in November when the loud-mouthed journalist complained on Twitter that girl group Little Mix and Grande use their “nudity” to sell records. The pop star known for her long hair and short skirts shot back that using her talent and her sexuality was her choice. The exchange continued with a bizarre back-and-forth that included Grande accusing Morgan of hypocrisy with a semi-nude photo of himself and Morgan asking her if that was her screensaver.
Quality stuff.
If any celebrity, or obscure social media user, for that matter, is to understand the frivolity of owning some hater on Twitter, it will have to happen through a conversation involving more than 240 characters. So, good for Grande for sitting down with Morgan when she ran into him at a restaurant last Wednesday. Grande called their talk a “v productive conversation” and said it didn’t equate to an endorsement of his views.
https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/1098845036580503552
For some reason, Twitter curmudgeons remained shocked and confused by the exchange.
sorry but???? I will never understand that whole “u should be civil and be able to see both sides even if u don’t agree with each other!!” shit that ‘leftist’ white ppl do
— ollsss (✯◡✯) ?? (@k_illua) February 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/1098847144612524033
What, actually speak to someone who insulted you? Why do that when you can own them with a clapback and log off?
Last fall, sandwich chain Taylor Gourmet shuttered after its co-founder was photographed shaking hands with President Trump. Never mind that the entrepreneur met the president at a small business roundtable and spoke about the importance of his immigrant employees. He fraternized with the other side and, once tainted, was demolished.
Grande and Morgan are no left- or right-wing champions, and neither are they exemplars of good behavior. But, in this one instance, they got something right. What opposing sides need are more conversations, not fewer, especially if the other viewpoint appears unacceptable.
