From the very beginning, many of us predicted that the Ariana Grande-Pete Davidson romance wouldn’t last very long.
But even the most skeptical among us never thought it would flame out this quickly and in such spectacular fashion.
Not only have Pete and Ariana broken up just months after announcing their engagement, it seems they’re now venting their frustrations with one another publicly — Davidson through his comedy, and Grande via indignant tweets.
It’s a messy situation that gets more confusing with each new piece of information that comes to light.
But fear not, reformed Grandson ‘shippers, your friends at The Hollywood Gossip are here to help you make sense of this increasingly bitter breakup:
Downhill Fast
Pete and Ariana’s relationship went from storybook romance to petty feud faster than you can say “Piggy Smallz.”
Surprise After Non-Surprise
The breakup itself didn’t come as much of a shock. After all, couples who move as quickly as Pete and Ari tend to favor intensity over longevity.
A Bitter Split
Fans were caught off-guard, however, when it became clear that Pete and Ariana did not part ways on amicable terms.
A Reversal of Opinion
Ariana stans who were previously head-over-heels for both Pete Davidson and “pete davidson” (Grande’s song paying tribute to her then-boyfriend) now found themselves seething with rage toward the SNL comic.
Keeping Mum
At first, Pete and Ariana kept the details of their split on the down-low. Now, however, the truth is out — and it’s unpleasant.
Getting Ugly
On a promo for this week’s episode of SNL, Davidson made a joke about his short-lived relationship with Grande.
Okay, That’s Funny …
Pete asks musical guest Maggie Rogers if she’d like to get married. When Rogers predictably shoots him down, Davidson sighs, “0 for 3.”
And Completey Expected
Pete’s a comic who’s known for mining the more painful aspects of his personal life for material. So no one should’ve been surprised when he cracked a harmless joke about his tendency to rush headlong into romantic relationships.
Except Ari Was
For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, Ariana took offense to the joke. So much so, in fact, that she took to Twitter in order to air her grievances.
Pete Tweets
“for somebody who claims to hate relevancy u sure love clinging to it huh,” Ariana tweeted in response to the spot, adding, “thank u, next.”
Really?
Obviously, it’s a little odd that after remaining silent about the split for several weeks, Ariana chose to lash out over an SNL promo.
Tweeted and Deleted
Ariana may have realized that she came off a trifle petty, as she deleted the tweet not long after it gained traction on social media.
Team Pete?
Now, we fully defend Pete’s right to use his craft to help him make sense of a difficult time. Artists in other mediums do it all the time, and many find humor to be an effective palliative.
Not So Fast …
But that doesn’t mean we’re unquestioningly on Pete’s side in all of this.
Motive
For one thing, Pete’s reason for joking about his situation needs to be considered.
Davidson Shade
One source close to Davidson says he’s cracking jokes not as a way of coming to terms with the situation, but as a method of burying his own insecurities.
Licking His Wounds?
“His friends think he is embarrassed by the breakup and that he has to overcompensate by making jokes about their relationship, because, days before they split, he was saying they would never break up,” the source tells E! News.
Sad Clown or Petty Jerk?
Obviously, if Pete is cracking jokes as a means of ensuring that he “wins” the breakup then he just comes off as a bully.
What Don’t We Know?
And of course, the causes of Pete and Ariana’s breakup remain mysterious, and it’s important to bear in mind that we really don’t know what happened.
Ariana In Pain
If Davidson mistreated Grande in any way during their short time together, then she has every right to call him out for treating their breakup as a source of humor.
An Ugly Rumor
There have been reports of Pete behaving abominably in the final days of his relationship with Ari, including one rumor involving her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller that’s almost too awful to conemplate …
Say It Ain’t So
Sources have claimed that Pete sent Mac intimate photos of Ariana as a means of demonstrating to the rapper that he had no hope of reconciling with Grande.
A Tragic End
Miller, of course, died of a drug overdose just months after his breakup with Grande.
A Preference For Privacy
While she’s typically very forthcoming with her adoring public, Ariana seems intent on keeping the details of her breakup with Davidson private.
Working So Far
Until last night, she’s been successful in doing so, and her relative silence has only bolstered rumors that the breakup was a truly tumultuous one.
In Any Event …
Going forward, Pete may want to tread lightly. Ariana’s fans are a loyal bunch, and they don’t take kindly to jokes about their queen.