Nickelodeon accused of ‘sexualising’ Ariana Grande as a teen as ‘uncomfortable’ videos resurface
Ariana Grande. (Getty)
Nickelodeon has been accused of “sexualising” a young Ariana Grande during her time on Victorious.
Fans have shared their discomfort over a video of a 16-year-old Ariana Grande in character, putting a finger in her mouth, screaming: “I’m soaking wet”, and grasping a potato while shouting: “Give up the juice.”
It was published by Nickelodeon’s now-defunct website, The Slap.
Warning – sensitive content
everyone keeps bringing ariana grande for stan drama against jennette and idk why. let’s not forget, ariana is a victim herself from the creepiness of dan schneider. this is why she doesn’t talk about the role of cat valentine anymore. they sexualized and infantilized her. pic.twitter.com/72MrdW2j33
— khalia. | FLOnomenal stan ☀️ (@VERONASFILMS) August 11, 2022
The Twitter user which resurfaced the video followed up with a scene from Victorious showing Grande’s character Cat Valentine surrounded by men shooting water pistols at her while she wore a bikini top and shorts.
remember that episode of victorious and they were all locked in that rv? these scenes with cat all felt very uncomfortable too. pic.twitter.com/qZPwgRMNwf— khalia. | FLOnomenal stan ☀️ (@VERONASFILMS) August 11, 2022
“As a kid I always thought this was weird. It’s even worse seeing this now,” one fan said about the videos.
Fans made the allegation after former Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy claimed she was sexualised as a child in her new memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died.
The book deals with the abusive relationship she had with her mother, Debra McCurdy, who died of cancer in 2013, and also sees McCurdy reveal uncomfortable experiences she went through during her time at Nickelodeon with an unnamed person she calls The Creator.
McCurdy, who starred in iCarly for five years and later Victorious alongside Ariana Grande, said The Creator supplied her with alcohol, despite her being underage, and that she was “sexualised” during her time on iCarly.
She details in the book how she was “terrified of being looked at as a sexual being”, and alleges that The Creator forced her to reshoot her first onscreen kiss several times, gave her shoulder massages against her wishes, and that she was asked to wear a bikini at a wardrobe fitting.
Dan Schneider, who created Victorious, iCarly and various other Nickelodeon shows, denied allegations he “sexualised” child actors in his shows in a 2021 interview with the New York Times.
He said the claims were “ridiculous” and that the “comedy was totally innocent”.
He added: “I wouldn’t have the long-term friendships and continued loyalty from so many reputable people if I’d mistreated my actors of any age, especially minors.”
PinkNews has contacted Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider for comment.
