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 

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Hello everyone, Corey Andrew Powell here with
another commentary about a popculture topic.
This time it's the friendship ofAriana Grande and Cynthia
Arrivo.
But before I dive into that, Iwant to just talk first about a
certain criticism we've heardmany times over the years from
women themselves about how womendon't support each other, right?

(00:22):
They often talk about why theycan't or don't get along in
certain situations like theworkplace or other personal or
professional settings.
We hear how they don't uh getalong, 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 todiscuss the friendship of Ariana

(00:43):
Grande and Cynthia Ribo andsomething that I've noticed.
Now, they are two fierce womenand colleagues whose
relationship is trulysupportive.
It's a sisterly bond that isplaying out in real time in
front of the world, but it'sbeing met with divisive ridicule
in some cases.
And from what I'm reading in thecomment sections, many of those
comments are being made mostlyby other women.

(01:06):
I mean, listen, we've all seenthem in the interviews, okay?
I get it.
Like they're fawning over eachother, they're holding hands,
they're stroking each other forcomfort, finishing each other's
sentences.
You know, I understand it mayseem bizarre to some, but to
others, it's actually the kindof camaraderie many of us had
with a special other person askids, right?

(01:27):
That one friend who you couldjust look at and you knew what
the other one was thinking, andyou'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 hardenedmany of us to become closed off,
less emotive, less physical withour friends, with fewer moments
of those locked arm bondingopportunities and hand holding

(01:49):
in difficult times andfrightening moments.
So it's the kind of friendship Ithink 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 ascare when a grazed influencer
and a big Wicked fan jumped onthe red carpet, right?
Out of nowhere and intenselystormed her.

(02:09):
It was very, very scary becauseno one knew what this guy was
going to do.
It was pretty terrifying forAriana.
But it was Cynthia's reactionthat made all the international
headlines.
She leapt into action like asuperhero 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

(02:31):
close, for standing up for eachother in this way, and for
Cynthia actually acting fasterthan Ariana's own security team
to protect her friend.
There was a multitude of rudememes as well making its way
around the internet.
I mean, admittedly, one did makeme laugh.
It was one that said, you knowwhat?
It was a scene of Cynthiaactually uh jumping like this.

(02:52):
It was a screenshot of her likegoing after the influencer, and
it said, the caption read, thebodyguard sequel we didn't know
we needed.
So, okay, I chuckled at that.
But all kidding aside, let'scall it what it is.
It's hypocrisy.
Many women are quick tocriticize other women for being
unsupportive whilesimultaneously bemoaning how

(03:16):
women are, in this case,actually being supportive of
each other.
So, ladies, you can't have itboth ways, right?
You can't preach sisterhoodwhile side-eyeing those who
practice it.
So if you're throwing shade atAriana and Cynthia for their
bond, maybe you should reflecton your own cattiness or maybe
the lack of such sisterly bondsin your own life that may be

(03:40):
making you envious.
And this is not just an attackon women.
There are lots of men makingthese comments as well.
And I think the sentiment goesboth ways.
There's something I think thatmakes a lot of us jealous of the
friendship, because maybe wedon't have a friend like that
who would actually jump out infront of a bullet, so to speak,

(04:01):
to save our lives.
Now, luckily, we have partners,many of us, relationships,
husbands, spouses who you sharethat similar bond with.
But a platonic friendship withsomeone like that is different.
And maybe it's driving thejealousy that many people don't
have it.
So, ladies and gentlemen, all Iwant to say is, you know, if
y'all have something to sayabout Cynthia and Ariana's

(04:25):
relationship, instead of tearingdown each other, let's celebrate
these two women.
And they're giving us ablueprint on how to actually be
a strong, solid friend.
So let's lift them up and nottear them apart.
So here's to Ariana, here's toCynthia, and may their
friendship remind us all thattrue empowerment comes from

(04:46):
unity, not division.
True friendships have the powerto overcome and defy adversity.
And in Cynthia and Ariana'scase, it seems to even be able
to defy gravity.