"Did Ari just start a pop star feud??": Perez Hilton reacts after Ariana Grande seemingly mocks Katy Perry's space flight on SNL

Perez Hilton weighed in after Ariana Grande appeared to poke fun at Katy Perry’s recent space flight during a sketch on Saturday Night Live. In a December 21 article published on his website, the celebrity blogger questioned whether Grande’s performance was lighthearted humor or the beginning of a possible pop star feud.

“Hopefully, there’s no hard feelings! Or did Ari just start a pop star feud??” Perez Hilton remarked

He went on to praise Ariana Grande’s long-standing reputation for impersonations, emphasizing her ability to convincingly embody other celebrities.

“Ariana Grande just reminded everybody she’s the queen of impressions,” he added.

The podcaster further highlighted the setting and tone of the performance. He explained that the moment in question occurred during the December 21 SNL sketch titled Random Duet Christmas Spectacular, which was the “weekend’s Christmas episode of Saturday Night Live.”

During the segment, Grande “offered up another round of hilarious and spot-on celebrity impressions.” She appeared dressed as Katy Perry, wearing a black wig and a space suit, and performed a parody version of Perry’s hit song Firework.

According to Hilton, the humor went a step further when Grande altered the song’s lyrics to reference Katy Perry’s widely discussed and “controversial Blue Origin space flight.”

“Baby, you’re a Christmas tree / I went to outer space / Went to outer space” Hilton added (citing what Ariana Grande had sung)

---

Ariana Grande spoofs Mariah Carey's classic during her festive SNL monologue

96th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals - Source: Getty

During her December 21 appearance on Saturday Night Live, Ariana Grande delivered a playful musical monologue that blended holiday cheer with sharp comedy, performing her own rendition of Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You.

The segment humorously explored the awkward challenge of buying Christmas presents for acquaintances and distant connections, under the tongue-in-cheek title “What Do I Get for Christmas for This Dude?”

The episode marked the annual Christmas installment of SNL’s 51st season, with Grande serving as host and Cher appearing as the musical guest.

The night was also notable as cast member Bowen Yang’s final episode, following reports that he would be departing the show. Yang, who previously appeared alongside Grande in Wicked and this year’s Wicked: For Good, joined her onstage during the musical spoof.

Grande began her monologue by warmly setting the scene, expressing her love for New York City during the holiday season before admitting that gift shopping wasn’t always joyful.

“December is my favorite time of year in New York…I love the decorations, the snow on the ground. I love shopping for all my loved ones. But I have to admit, I get a little stressed shopping for certain other people in my life,” Ariana Grande sang.

As the audience quickly caught on to the familiar melody, cheers erupted when Grande launched into her parody of Carey’s iconic holiday hit, reworking the lyrics to describe the confusion of shopping for someone she barely knew.

“I don’t know what to get for Christmas for my cousin’s boyfriend Steve…I don’t know a thing about him, only see him on Christmas Eve,” Ariana Grande sang to Carey’s tune.

Ariana Grande also used the monologue to poke fun at her relentless promotional schedule for Wicked: For Good, joking that the demands of the press left her with no personal time, not even bathroom breaks.

“Haven’t shopped a lot for Christmas, ‘cuz my schedule’s never free. Had so much press for ‘Wicked,’ Jon Chu will not let me pee,” Ariana Grande sang.

Then Bowen Yang joined her onstage, and the tone shifted to playful banter. This aforementioned episode marked Ariana Grande's third time hosting Saturday Night Live. On a previous occasion, she also served as the musical guest, and she has appeared twice more, performing exclusively in that role.

---

More about Katy Perry’s Blue Origin space flight

35th Annual Colleagues Spring Luncheon & Oscar de la Renta Fashion Show - Source: Getty

Katy Perry was among an all-female crew that completed a brief space flight aboard Blue Origin on the morning of Monday, April 14.

The suborbital mission lasted approximately 11 minutes and traveled more than 60 miles above Earth, crossing the Kármán line, widely recognized as the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space, according to Blue Origin.

The historic flight included Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos’ fiancée, journalist and helicopter pilot Lauren Sánchez. The rest of the crew comprised journalist Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn.

Upon the capsule’s return and landing, Perry was seen raising her hand toward the sky before kneeling to kiss the ground, a moment that quickly circulated online.

Speaking after touchdown, Katy Perry explained that she carried a daisy with her on the flight as a symbolic tribute to her 4-year-old daughter, Daisy, whom she shared with fiancé Orlando Bloom. She described the emotional impact of the experience as deeply personal and transformative.

“I feel super-connected to love…I think this experience has shown me how much love is inside of me,” Katy Perry said (as per ABC News)

Gayle King later revealed another memorable moment from the flight, explaining that Perry sang “What a Wonderful World” during their time in space.

Ahead of the launch, Perry had also publicly expressed her long-standing desire to travel beyond Earth. In a social media post on Sunday, April 13, she reflected on how long she had waited for the opportunity.

“I’ve dreamt of going to space for 15 years, and tomorrow that dream becomes a reality,” Katy Perry wrote, as reported by ABC News.

The day after returning, on April 15, Katy Perry posted a short message on X, writing:

“there is no place like home.”

Despite the celebratory nature of the flight, Perry’s participation sparked backlash online. Critics flooded her social media accounts with negative comments because of her tone deaf display of wealth.

In response to the criticism, Katy Perry later reflected on the backlash in an Instagram comment on April 29.

Katy Perry described how online negativity often turned her into a “human Piñata.”

“When the 'online' world tries to make me a human Piñata, I take it with grace and send them love, cause I know so many people are hurting in so many ways and the internet is very much so a dumping ground for unhinged and unhealed,” she wrote (as per USA Today)

---

Ariana Grande’s latest venture, her movie Wicked: For Good released on November 21, 2025

Katy Perry recently completed The Lifetimes Tour, supporting her album 143. It started on April 23, 2025, in Mexico City and ended on December 7, 2025, in Abu Dhabi.

Edited by Shayari Roy