Bishop appears to grope Ariana Grande at Aretha Franklin funeral

The world bid farewell to Aretha Franklin this afternoon with a star-studded funeral ceremony at the city’s Greater Grace Temple. Bishop Charles H. Ellis III officiated the ceremony, which included speeches by Smokey Robinson, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and former President Bill Clinton, in addition to performances by musicians such as Ariana Grande, Chaka Khan, and Stevie Wonder. By all accounts, it was a day to remember.

However, controversy has bubbled on Twitter, where one user has shared footage of Ellis III getting a little too intimate with Grande. Take a look at the footage for yourself below, which has many fans outraged, particularly feminist author Mona Eltahaway, who tweeted, “I don’t care what you think about Ariana Grande, her music or her dress. This is wrong. That bishop’s hand should not be on her breast.”

To add insult to injury, the bishop also joked about Grande’s name, telling everyone, “I’ve got to apologize because I have to brush up. When I saw Ariana Grande on the program, I thought that was a new something at Taco Bell.” Eh, kind of tasteless pal.

In light of the controversy, #RespectAriana has begun trending across Twitter.