After being slammed by the internet for invading the personal space of singer Ariana Grande – and accused of groping her – Bishop Charles Ellis has issued an apology for his interaction with the pop star during Aretha Franklin’s funeral on Friday.
“It would never be my intention to touch any woman’s breast. … I don’t know, I guess I put my arm around her,” Ellis said. “Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar but again, I apologize. The last thing I want to do is to be a distraction to this day. This is all about Aretha Franklin.”
Ellis also apologized for saying when he saw Grande’s name on the program he thought it was a new menu item from Taco Bell.
“I personally and sincerely apologize to Ariana and to her fans and to the whole Hispanic community. When you’re doing a program for nine hours you try to keep it lively, you try to insert some jokes here and there.”
In related news, Aretha Franklin’s family have slammed Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. for delivering an “offensive and distasteful” eulogy at her funeral. They blasted the pastor for neglecting to honor her memory and disparaging single mothers and the black lives matter movement during his remarks.
“We found the comments to be offensive and distasteful,” her nephew Vaughn Franklin, speaking on behalf of the family, said in a statement. “Rev. Jasper Williams spent more than 50 minutes speaking and at no time did he properly eulogize her. We feel that Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. used this platform to push his negative agenda, which as a family, we do not agree with.”
After the eulogy was delivered, Stevie Wonder appeared to address the comments when he took to the stage.
He was applauded as he said: “We need to make love great again because black lives do matter, because all lives do matter.”
The pastor “regrets” upsetting Aretha Franklin’s family and respects their opinion.
“I understand it. I regret it,” Williams said. “But I’m sorry they feel that way.”
Kingdom Impact Conference
The James Lee Ward, Sr. District of the Eastern Missouri First Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ will host “A Day With the King of Kings” Kingdom Impact Conference on Saturday, September 22 at 11 a.m. with guest speaker Pastor Keith Clinton of Promise Land Christian Church & The James Lee Ward, Sr. District Praise Team, workshops, and more at Nazareth Temple Church of God in Christ 3300 Marshall Ave., St. Louis, MO 63114. Auxiliary Bishop Melvin Smith is host pastor. Immediately following The Kingdom Impact Conference, The James Lee Ward, Sr. District Men’s Department will meet, hosted by Pastor Kevin Dunn, president of James Lee Ward, Sr. District Men’s Department.
