Bill Maher made two jokes about Ariana Grande's weight during the opening monologue of his HBO show "Real Time" on Friday, drawing groans from the audience. The jokes came as Maher recapped the week's bad news. Audience reaction was mixed, with some groaning during the segment.
The moment adds to a broader online debate about the pop star's body. In recent weeks, images of Grande have sparked intense discussion on social media, with one post calling on an AI assistant to "make Ariana Grande healthy and fat." Social media platforms have made limited efforts to suppress pro-eating-disorder content, and some apps redirect searches for "thinspo" toward support resources.