The bishop who officiated the funeral of Aretha Franklin apologized Friday night to Ariana Grande for how he touched her after she performed.
Bishop Charles H. Ellis III led Franklin’s funeral and hugged Grande after she performed a rendition of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”
He led her to the podium with his hand wrapped around her back and high up against her. Grande appeared uncomfortable in the moment. (RELATED: Pastor Gets Handsy With Ariana Grande At Aretha Franklin’s Funeral)
“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 to the Associated Press. “Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar but again, I apologize.”
“I hug all the female artists and the male artists,” Ellis added. “Everybody that was up, I shook their hands and hugged them. That’s what we are all about in the church. We are all about love.” (RELATED: Michael Eric Dyson Goes On Anti-Trump Rant During Aretha Franklin’s Funeral)
Ellis also apologized for joking that when he saw her name on the funeral program, he thought it was a new item on the menu at Taco Bell.
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