Actor apologizes for joke about pastor’s embrace of Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande, left, laughs with Bishop Charles H. Ellis during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, in Detroit. Franklin died Aug. 16, 2018 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Ariana Grande, left, laughs with Bishop Charles H. Ellis during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, in Detroit. Franklin died Aug. 16, 2018 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Mike Colter, who plays Luke Cage on the popular Netflix series is in hot water with fans after making light of a pastor getting handsy with Ariana Grande during Aretha Franklin’s funeral on friday.

After appearing to grip her side boob tightly when she finished singing “Natural Woman” at Aretha Franklin’s funeral, Bishop Charles H. Ellis III was called out on social media.

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As the world watched, Grande looked rather uncomfortable as Ellis, hugged her tightly. Colter applauded this moment and tweeted:

“Now THIS is how you shoot your shot! Zero F***!’ Colter wrote on Twitter in response to a video of the incident.

The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, posted the uncomfortable hug in a pic and noted the pastor’s hand smack dab on the side of Grande’s breast.

What was up with that pastors hand?” Noah questioned.

With his insensitive tweet, Colter contributed to rape culture, where men think it’s OK to accost a woman without her consent.

On Sunday, after much criticism, Colter walked back his comments, deleted the tweet and apologized.

“Hello all. I apologize about my tweet earlier,” he wrote. “In no way do I condone any such behavior. It was intended to point out the absurdity of the act itself. Complete and biting sarcasm. I realized quickly that it was not taken as such.”

The Bishop Charles H. Ellis III has since apologized for inappropriately touching the 25-year-old singer and for making a joke out of her name.

“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 during an interview with the Associated Press on Friday.

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“Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar but again, I apologize.”

During the service, Ellis also said he thought Ariana Grande was a Taco Bell menu item.

“When I saw Ariana Grande on the program, I thought that was a new something at Taco Bell. My 28-year-old daughter tells me, ‘Dad! You are old at 60.’ ”

He has now apologized for his insensitive comment.

 “I personally and sincerely apologize to Ariana and to her fans and to the whole Hispanic community,” Ellis added. “When you’re doing a program for nine hours you try to keep it lively, you try to insert some jokes here and there.”

It was a rough day for Grande all around from receiving backlash for her mini funeral outfit to the groping incident. She has yet to respond.

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