Ariana Grande's appearance is once again becoming a major talking point-and this time Megyn Kelly is putting the pop superstar's inner circle squarely in the hot seat.
In a new Aug. 14 episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, Kelly and journalist Maureen Callahan expressed serious concerns about Grande's well-being and questioned why the people surrounding one of the world's biggest stars aren't encouraging her to step away from the spotlight. The segment was provocatively titled "Ariana Grande is Being FAILED By Those Around Her."
And Kelly certainly didn't tiptoe around the subject.
"Ariana Grande. We've been talking about it here. You've been talking about it on The Nerve," Kelly began before describing the singer as "dangerously thin" and "disturbingly thin." She then alleged that Grande's team appeared more concerned about keeping her working than addressing whatever might be happening behind the scenes.
To be clear, neither Kelly nor Callahan presented evidence that Grande has been diagnosed with an eating disorder or any other medical condition. In fact, later in the conversation they explicitly acknowledged that they had no confirmation of such a diagnosis and stressed that they were expressing their opinions based upon Grande's public appearance.
Still, their concern was unmistakable.
Callahan, who spoke openly about her own experience with an eating disorder, said looking at Grande made her believe the singer needed medical attention. She described from personal experience how severe restriction can eventually make eating physically difficult.
The conversation became even more uncomfortable when Callahan questioned whether the entertainment industry can sometimes treat enormously successful stars less like human beings and more like valuable commodities.
Looking at Grande, Callahan argued that she appeared to be surrounded by people who did not have her well-being at the top of their priorities.
"She is a cash cow," Callahan declared. "She makes money for people. That is it."
Ouch.
Kelly then wondered where Grande's family, manager, talent agent and other trusted people were-and why somebody wasn't telling the superstar that she had already achieved enough professionally to take time away if necessary.
"Where are the people who love her?" Kelly asked.
The discussion also took aim at the wider entertainment media. Callahan argued that outlets sometimes sidestep genuine concern about a celebrity by turning the discussion into a broader debate about whether anyone should comment on women's bodies at all.
For Callahan, that wasn't the issue.
She and Kelly repeatedly compared their concerns about Grande to the tragic story of Karen Carpenter, who died in 1983 at just 32 after suffering from anorexia nervosa. Callahan said she feared Grande could be heading toward a similarly devastating outcome-again, while acknowledging that she has no firsthand knowledge of Grande's medical condition.
Kelly also blasted comedian Bill Maher after playing a recent joke he made about Grande's appearance. After the punchline, Maher joked that perhaps it would "make her eat something."
Kelly wasn't laughing.
"It's really not funny," she responded.
The increasingly public conversation surrounding Grande's body is particularly sensitive because the singer herself has previously urged people not to speculate about other people's health based solely upon their appearance.
In 2023, Grande famously addressed comments about her changing body in a TikTok video, explaining that the body people had been comparing her current appearance to was actually an unhealthy period in her life. Her larger point was simple: outsiders rarely know what another person is experiencing privately.
That makes Kelly and Callahan's latest discussion especially controversial.
Are people expressing legitimate concern for a celebrity they believe may be struggling? Or does repeatedly scrutinizing Grande's body-even under the banner of concern-cross precisely the boundary Grande has previously asked people to respect?
Kelly clearly believes silence isn't the compassionate option.
"I really hope she does get the help she needs," she said as the discussion wound down.
The video description similarly frames the segment around concerns for Grande's "health and well-being," criticism of remarks being made about her appearance, and questions about whether her team is providing sufficient support.
Whatever is-or isn't-happening privately with Grande remains hers to disclose.
But one thing is becoming increasingly obvious: the conversation about Ariana Grande's appearance isn't going away.
And now Megyn Kelly is asking a much more pointed question.
Where are the people around Ariana Grande-and are they protecting the superstar, or protecting the machine?
