Ariana Grande has been criticized for misinterpreting the meaning of “queer” in the original Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank Baum.
The 31-year-old pop star made the remarks while promoting her new film Wicked, a two-part film adaptation of the 2003 Broadway musical of the same name.
Based on a novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked tells the backstory of The Wizard of Oz’s main antagonist, the Wicked Witch of the West.
Cynthia Erivo plays the main character in the film, with Ariana as her best friend Galinda, who later becomes Glinda The Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz.
While doing publicity for her new movie, Ariana controversially claimed that Glinda “might be a little in the closet” and cited “L. Frank Baum’s books, where literally the most commonly used word in the books is ‘queer.’ ‘
It was harshly criticized on social media, where observers noted that in the first two decades of the 20th century, when the books were published, the word “queer” meant “strange” and was not a reference to a person’s sexual orientation.
Ariana Grande has been criticized for misinterpreting the meaning of “queer” in the original Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank Baum.
‘Ignorance is very sad. It’s even sadder when you wear it like a badge of honor,” sighed one X user, and another wrote, “There was a time when actors were classically trained. Today’s actors only need to know a few slogans of cultural Marxism.’
One fan complained: ‘I wish they would stop interviewing celebrities; They only disappoint because of the limited knowledge they have.’
‘Ariana Grande is one of those people who you know isn’t being dishonest. “She’s that stupid,” said one X user.
‘I have been reading Baum all my life and I am fully aware of what it is about. No teenage human chicken wing is going to change that,” raged another.
“Shits were cigarettes,” noted one viewer on
“Wait until people find out about the ‘gay nineties’ in the 19th century,” joked another, while a third joked: “Every home needs a Webster’s Dictionary of 1828.”
“Don’t let them read The Lord of the Rings,” one observer commented dryly, referring to the close friendship between that book’s male characters, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, which some fans joke has gay overtones.
L. Frank Baum published his original children’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, introducing readers to such iconic characters as Glinda the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy Gale the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.
The 31-year-old pop star made the comments while promoting her new film Wicked, which stars her alongside Cynthia Erivo.
Wicked: Part One was released in theaters last week on November 22, and Wicked: Part Two will be released on November 21, 2025.
It was harshly criticized on social media, where observers noted that in the first two decades of the 20th century, when the books were published, the word “queer” meant “strange.”
Upon publication, the first novel was such a resounding success that the author wrote 13 complete sequels before his death in 1919.
In 1995, Gregory Maguire published his revisionist novel Wicked in which he reinvented the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West: a green girl named Elphaba who studies at university with Galinda.
Despite their initial differences. Elphaba and Galinda become best friends, only to be torn apart by the deteriorating political situation in Oz.
However, while promoting her new movie recently, Ariana suggested that Galinda’s emotional bond with Elphaba could be more than just platonic.
Glinda may be a little reserved. You never know! Give it a little more time,” he joked in an interview with gay times.
She described Oz as a “celebration of uniqueness,” gushing that “everyone is so beautifully queer and that goes back to the L. Frank Baum books, where literally the most commonly used word in the books is ” queer.”‘
Ariana added that “every day in the Emerald City (the capital of the fictional Land of Oz) there is a Pride parade… even like the chickens, those chickens are gay.”
Furious fans criticized her online, accusing her of engaging in ‘queerbaiting’, but she found herself well defended elsewhere.
L. Frank Baum published his original children’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, introducing readers to such iconic characters as Glinda.
Upon publication, the first novel was such a resounding success that the author wrote 13 complete sequels before his death in 1919; appears in the photo around 1910
The original novel by L. Frank Baum was adapted into the iconic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz with Judy Garland playing the role of Dorothy Gale.
Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the role of Galinda in the 2003 Broadway musical Wicked, took Ariana’s side amid the furor.
When E! News ran a headline about Ariana’s comments to your instagram pageKristin jumped into the comments to write: ‘I thought so too back then…’
L. Frank Baum’s original novel was adapted into the iconic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz with Judy Garland, and then the 1975 all-black Broadway musical The Wiz, which was later made into a film starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross.
One of the reasons the first Pride flag was a rainbow is because Judy, a prominent gay icon, sang the song Over The Rainbow in her film The Wizard of Oz.
Wicked: Part One opened in theaters last week on November 22, and Wicked: Part Two is scheduled to release on November 21, 2025.