Ariana Grande caught on video: Doughnut licker, America hater? She responds

July 8, 2015 12:50 PM PT

Ariana Grande’s idea of a fun July 4? Disrespecting people who work for a living, licking doughnuts that other folks might unsuspectingly buy and declaring in disgust that she hates America and Americans.

Ah, youth.

In other Grande news, she’s now bailed on performing at Major League Baseball’s free All-Star Game Concert in Cincinnati this Saturday, blaming a Monday wisdom-teeth extraction, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Demi Lovato will take her place in front of a crowd likely to be filled with many Americans, in America.

The singer said Wednesday that her words were taken out of context. Here’s how it went down Saturday during a late-night doughnut run in Lake Elsinore that was captured on surveillance video obtained by TMZ.

“I need a little help from the doughnut professional here,” Grande snarked.

The 22-year-old, who killed time giggling and making out with backup dancer Ricky Alvarez — that’s TMZ’s ID — in front of other customers, appears to sniff and then lick a doughnut in the absence of any employees. When her beau follows suit, she breaks into peals of laughter.

Fast-forward, and the former “Sam and Cat” star is shown sniffing a doughnut on yet another tray that’s been placed on the display case. Next up, a worker presents a tray of large pastries, and Grande — who apparently has been sheltered from maple bars and the like — goes off with a declaration of independence from high-calorie foods.

“What the ... is that?” she asks in disgust, and the tray is pulled away. “I hate Americans. I hate America. That’s disgusting.”

After the video generated America-hating headlines (see above), Grande said Wednesday in a statement to Fox411 that her comments during “a private moment with [a] friend, who was buying the donuts,” were taken out of context. “I am EXTREMELY proud to be an American,” she said, and loves her country.

She explained she was frustrated about “how freely we as Americans eat and consume things without giving any thought to the consequences that it has on our health.”

Shop owner Joe Marin, who shared the video with TMZ, told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that Grande and Alvarez also spat on the licked doughnut when an employee went into the back after being asked to show them more choices.

“This is not good,” said Marin, who had never heard of Grande before and didn’t care how famous she was. “I live only blocks away, and if I had known what was happening, I would have gone to the shop and kicked them out.”

He told the P-E that it’s unlikely the sullied doughnuts were sold to any unsuspecting customers because his employees are supposed to toss unsold products at midnight.

If anyone peed in a mop bucket on the way out of the shop, that was not captured on video. Well, not that we’ve seen yet.

Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs

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