Amid bombshell claims made in former Nickelodeon child star Jennette McCurdy’s memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” a resurfaced video of her “Sam & Cat” co-star Ariana Grande has fans reeling about the way the young women were allegedly treated on the kids’ network.
The now-viral clip — posted by a user who goes by the name Khalia — shows a then teen-aged Grande, now 29, as kooky high-schooler Cat Valentine on her show “Victorious” and its adjoining web series, “The Slap,” with the Twitter using calling out Nickelodeon for the “sexualized” tone.
“Everyone keeps bringing Ariana Grande for stan drama against Jennette and idk why,” the tweet claimed. “Let’s not forget, Ariana is a victim herself … this is why she doesn’t talk about the role of Cat Valentine anymore. They sexualized and infantilized her.”
The video showed snippets of Grande-as-Cat sucking her toe, moaning while suggestively squeezing a potato, dumping water on her face and chest — while saying, “mmm, I’m thirsty” and leaning back in bed — and inserting her finger in her mouth. The chart-topping pop superstar and soon-to-be headliner of the long-awaited “Wicked” feature film appeared on “Victorious” from 2011 to 2013, when she was 16 to 19 years old.
The Post has reached out to Grande’s reps for comment about the fan campaign.
Meanwhile, the segments on “The Slap” were written and directed by Dan Schneider, a major producer and creator on Nickelodeon throughout the 2000s, who is mentioned in the tweet’s claims. Schneider left the network in 2018 after multiple complaints of abusive behavior against him, according to Deadline.
In the past when called out online, Schneider told the New York Times in 2018 that allegations of over-sexualization were “ridiculous,” calling the comedy “totally innocent.” He also declined to discuss allegations of abuse in depth with the newspaper and ViacomCBS reportedly found no evidence of misconduct after internal investigations.
“I couldn’t, and I wouldn’t have the long-term friendships and continued loyalty from so many reputable people if I’d mistreated my actors of any age, especially minors,” he said at the time.
In a follow-up tweet, the Twitter user who resurfaced the Grande video discussed their theories as to why Grande and fellow co-stars don’t discuss their time on Nickelodeon more often.
“Ariana and the other ‘Victorious’ cast members have every right not to talk about what went on the ‘Victorious’ set,” they wrote. “It was mad uncomfortable and disgusting things going on. She doesn’t want to relive that trauma or discuss cat valentine if she doesn’t want to!”
When users pointed out that Grande has spoken about her time on Nickelodeon in the past, the Twitter user doubled down in a reply: “Correction: So Ariana talked about the role of Cat Valentine last year in a video but does that make these videos any less creepier or the fact that they sexualized her character? No.”
Fans were also uncomfortable with the video, expressing their shock.
“This is absolutely disgusting. As an adult watching this right now you can tell EXACTLY what they were doing. I hope she speaks on it, people will definitely support her. But understand exactly why she doesn’t given how they treat people who do,” one wrote.
Another interjected: “How shameful of these adults who allowed this.”
McCurdy, 30, detailed the alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother as well as during her time on Nickelodeon in her book.
The “iCarly” star claimed in her memoir that when she was prepared to leave Nickelodeon for good, they offered her $300,00 to never talk about her struggles at the network again.
McCurdy also claimed she was barred from doing other acting jobs while on the show, but noted this order didn’t seem to apply to Grande, 29.
“What finally undid me was when Ariana came whistle-toning in with excitement because she had spent the previous evening playing charades at Tom Hanks’s house,” McCurdy alleged in her book. “That was the moment I broke.”