Bill Maher's Ariana Grande weight joke draws groans from 'Real Time' audience

Maher said maybe the cracked joke will make Grande "eat something" to which the audience groaned

Bill Maher's joke about Ariana Grande's weight fell flat with the audience during Friday's episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, with viewers in the studio audibly groaning after the comedian followed an earlier jab about the singer with a comment about her eating.

While discussing newly released UFO files during his opening monologue, Maher first compared a reported "stick-like figure with large eyes" to an Ariana Grande music video. The joke received laughter and applause from the audience.

Maher then followed up with, "Maybe that joke will make her eat something." The remark was met with groans and "awws" from the crowd. Maher attempted to defend the punchline, adding, "I'm saying, maybe it will help," before moving on to another topic.

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The comments come as Grande faces renewed public scrutiny over her appearance. The singer recently announced that she will take a break from public-facing work after her Eternal Sunshine tour concludes on September 1. Grande has said the decision was made thoughtfully and that "boundaries" sometimes need to be set, while her representative cited the "endless, ongoing public scrutiny" surrounding her public appearances.

Grande has also addressed the negativity surrounding commentary about her appearance, telling fans during a recent concert that outside criticism would not be louder or more real to her than the support she experiences from her audience.

Maher's second joke therefore landed during an especially sensitive period for the singer, with the immediate reaction from the Real Time audience suggesting that at least some viewers felt the weight-related remark went too far.