Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo: A Blueprint For Real Friendship

What happens when real friendship shows up on camera; bold, protective, and tender, and the internet can’t decide whether to cheer or sneer? We take you inside the public bond between Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, from warm interview moments to a tense red carpet scare that sparked headlines, memes, and a tidal wave of comments. The story becomes a mirror: a culture that says women should support each other, then punishes the sight of that support when it looks unapologetically close.

We unpack why visible affection between women draws suspicion, how maturity gets confused with emotional distance, and why a split-second act of protection can expose our own unmet needs. Along the way, we explore the difference between romantic safety and the distinct strength of platonic loyalty, the kind of ally who moves first without waiting for permission. You’ll hear a candid look at hypocrisy online, the role of envy in our reactions, and the power of modeling solidarity in public without turning it into performance.

If you’ve ever longed for a friend who reads your mind, finishes your thought, or stands in front when life surges, this conversation offers both language and a roadmap. We challenge the snark economy, argue for tenderness as a form of courage, and invite you to practice the gestures you want to receive: the check-in text, the steady hand, the quick defense when it counts. Listen, reflect, and share this one with the person who would leap for you, or the person you’d leap for. If the message resonates, follow the show, leave a rating, and tell me: what does real support look like in your life? 

*Watch the video of this podcast on Youtube 

Chapters

• 0:00 Setting Up The Sisterhood Debate
• 0:39 Spotlight On Ariana And Cynthia
• 1:59 The Red Carpet Scare
• 2:44 Memes, Ridicule, And Hypocrisy
• 3:43 Jealousy And The Bonds We Lack
• 4:17 A Call To Celebrate Real Support

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Hello everyone, Corey Andrew Powell here with another commentary about a pop culture topic. This time it's the friendship of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Arrivo. But before I dive into that, I want to just talk first about a certain criticism we've heard many times over the years from women themselves about how women don't support each other, right? They often talk about why they can't or don't get along in certain situations like the workplace or other personal or professional settings. We hear how they don't uh get along, why don't they get along, they're so catty to each other, blah, blah, blah. We've heard these criticisms. With that in mind, I wanted to discuss the friendship of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Ribo and something that I've noticed. Now, they are two fierce women and colleagues whose relationship is truly supportive. It's a sisterly bond that is playing out in real time in front of the world, but it's being met with divisive ridicule in some cases. And from what I'm reading in the comment sections, many of those comments are being made mostly by other women. I mean, listen, we've all seen them in the interviews, okay? I get it. Like they're fawning over each other, they're holding hands, they're stroking each other for comfort, finishing each other's sentences. You know, I understand it may seem bizarre to some, but to others, it's actually the kind of camaraderie many of us had with a special other person as kids, right? That one friend who you could just look at and you knew what the other one was thinking, and you'd bust out laughing. It's a special bond. And many of us had that as kids, but you know what? Adulthood and life has hardened many of us to become closed off, less emotive, less physical with our friends, with fewer moments of those locked arm bonding opportunities and hand holding in difficult times and frightening moments. So it's the kind of friendship I think many of us may be longing for. We may miss it. We may be jealous of it. I mean, picture this. Just recently, Ariana had a scare when a grazed influencer and a big Wicked fan jumped on the red carpet, right? Out of nowhere and intensely stormed her. It was very, very scary because no one knew what this guy was going to do. It was pretty terrifying for Ariana. But it was Cynthia's reaction that made all the international headlines. She leapt into action like a superhero to defend her friend in this moment. And it was celebrated by many, but some women, many women online, they mocked the moment, ridiculing them for being so close, for standing up for each other in this way, and for Cynthia actually acting faster than Ariana's own security team to protect her friend. There was a multitude of rude memes as well making its way around the internet. I mean, admittedly, one did make me laugh. It was one that said, you know what? It was a scene of Cynthia actually uh jumping like this. It was a screenshot of her like going after the influencer, and it said, the caption read, the bodyguard sequel we didn't know we needed. So, okay, I chuckled at that. But all kidding aside, let's call it what it is. It's hypocrisy. Many women are quick to criticize other women for being unsupportive while simultaneously bemoaning how women are, in this case, actually being supportive of each other. So, ladies, you can't have it both ways, right? You can't preach sisterhood while side-eyeing those who practice it. So if you're throwing shade at Ariana and Cynthia for their bond, maybe you should reflect on your own cattiness or maybe the lack of such sisterly bonds in your own life that may be making you envious. And this is not just an attack on women. There are lots of men making these comments as well. And I think the sentiment goes both ways. There's something I think that makes a lot of us jealous of the friendship, because maybe we don't have a friend like that who would actually jump out in front of a bullet, so to speak, to save our lives. Now, luckily, we have partners, many of us, relationships, husbands, spouses who you share that similar bond with. But a platonic friendship with someone like that is different. And maybe it's driving the jealousy that many people don't have it. So, ladies and gentlemen, all I want to say is, you know, if y'all have something to say about Cynthia and Ariana's relationship, instead of tearing down each other, let's celebrate these two women. And they're giving us a blueprint on how to actually be a strong, solid friend. So let's lift them up and not tear them apart. So here's to Ariana, here's to Cynthia, and may their friendship remind us all that true empowerment comes from unity, not division. True friendships have the power to overcome and defy adversity. And in Cynthia and Ariana's case, it seems to even be able to defy gravity.