Ariana Grande apologises after 'insensitive' JonBenét Ramsey joke

30 July 2019, 17:12 | Updated: 30 July 2019, 17:21

By Emma Clarke

@emma_clarke_26

The 'One Last Time' singer has received backlash after she made a joke about the murdered six-year-old.

Ariana Grande, 26, has apologised after making a joke about dead six-year-old, JonBenét Ramsey.

The singer was called out after making a "disgusting" joke about the murdered pageant queen, who died at her home in Boulder, Colorado on 26 December, 1996. The case was widely unsolved.

The joke was made when Grande's friend Doug Middlebrook posted a now-deleted image of a magazine featuring the child, with the caption: “No one has done more covers.”

Grande then commented on the post saying: “I can’t WAIT for this to be your Halloween look,” to which Middlebrook replied: “Working on it already.”

Ariana's unsavoury jibe didn't go unnoticed by fans, who have called the '7 Rings' out online.

One person wrote: "Wait WHAT?? an 8-year-old girl who was violently killed, strangled and suffocated cannot be anyone's costume..."

Another added: "I need people to stop with this strange, very unnerving JonBenet Ramsey obsession. Jeffree Star has her tattooed on him. Ariana Grande is endorsing her as a Halloween costume. She is not a character or celebrity. She is a little girl who was murdered. It's cruel and gross."

A third commented: "I will NEVER understand the weird fetishisation around JonBenét Ramsey. JonBeńet was a 6 year old little girl who was cruelly and brutally murdered. she should not be the centre of your jokes, your Halloween costumes, or a centrepiece for your tattoos. show some respect."

In response to the online backlash, Ariana tweeted: “Yeah no I deleted it very quickly and understand that it’s not at all funny. This was out of pocket and I sincerely apologise.”

According to BuzzFeed, the pop star also wrote additional tweets explaining her behaviour, which have now been deleted.

They report that Grande wrote: “Sorry I’m so f***ed up. Dark jokes are a coping mechanism for me and yet I hate when other people make them. Thank y’all for being real and always helping me learn. I’m happy I have a fan base who’s not afraid to call me out on my shit. Love u.”