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Pete Davidson is standing up for his ex-fiancée Ariana Grande.
In an interview with Variety published Wednesday (September 30), the Saturday Night Live alum defended the Petal singer over the harsh comments and online conversation about her appearance, especially given his own personal experience of being met with the intense scrutiny that comes with being a public figure.
"I don't like it at all. It's not cool. She's a really strong person — I've witnessed it — and I don't understand it. She knows how to handle this stuff though. She's been around. So she'll be OK, but I think it's f---ed up."
Davidson, who had a whirlwind romance with Grande in summer 2018 before splitting that October, confirmed that while he and Grande are "not texting," everything is "cool" between them, adding that he thinks she is "an awesome girl" and "immensely talented."
In August, a representative for Grande said she would be "taking a step back from visibility" after her Eternal Sunshine tour, a report that followed increased "public scrutiny" and comments about her physical appearance fanned by the release of her "petal" music video.
"She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both heathily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny," the rep said at the time. "This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much."
Grande addressed the decision days later during a tour stop in Chicago, assuring fans that it "was not a reactive or impulsive thing" but was "a plan I had quietly made a long time ago and it's a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place."