PHOTOSPastor Charles H. Ellis III Apologizes For Groping Ariana Grande At Aretha Franklin's Funeral
Sept. 1 2018, Published 7:30 p.m. ET
Pastor Charles H. Ellis III has issued a public apology after he was seen groping Ariana Grande while both of them were onstage at Aretha Franklin's funeral on Friday.
Ariana was one of the many singers who performed during the ceremony in Detroit, Michigan. Others included Faith Hill and Chaka Khan.
Social media went in on former President Bill Clinton and the way he stared at the "God is a Woman" songstress while they were both onstage.
Pastor Ellis brought Ariana back up to the podium after she sang, where he joked with her over her last name (it reminded him of something at Taco Bell) while at the same time pressing his fingers against one side of her chest.
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He later on apologized about the incident that same day in an interview with The Associated Press. "It would never be my intention to touch any woman’s breast. … I don’t know I guess I put my arm around her," he said, adding: "Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar but again, I apologize."
“The last thing I want to do is to be a distraction to this day. This is all about Aretha Franklin.” He also apologized to Grande, her fans and the Hispanic community for joking about her name.
"I personally and sincerely apologize to Ariana and to her fans and to the whole Hispanic community," he said. "When you’re doing a program for nine hours you try to keep it lively, you try to insert some jokes here and there."
What are your thoughts on Pastor Ellis' apology? Sound off in the comments.
