Arts & Entertainment
Fans question if Ariana Grande is queerbaiting in new music video
‘Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored’ has surprise lesbian ending


Ariana Grande has fans questioning if she is hinting at her bisexuality in her new music video for the single “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored.”
In the lyrics of the song, which appears on her latest album “thank u, next,” Grande describes her lust for her love interest who has a girlfriend. The video seems to follow the same storyline with Grande spotting Charles Milton (“Riverdale”) at the club. She appears attracted to him but notices he came with his girlfriend. The couple invites Grande to hang out with them and Grande, annoyed with their relationship, tries to get in between them.
At the end of the video, the trio is in the pool when Grande leans in for a kiss, not with Milton, but with his girlfriend.
Fans wondered if Grande was actually revealing she is bisexual or if she was queerbaiting for views.
“twist ending” ariana rlly just be using the gays for shock value huh
— maya sánchez (@mayatereza) February 8, 2019
really hope ariana is actually bi bc if not then that mv ending was just queer bating n that’s just. really Not it pic.twitter.com/yor99YtXnd
— ☆ (@jung7ook) February 8, 2019
so like. Is Ariana bi or is she just a straight woman using the concept of bisexuality to sell music?? I need ANSWERS
— hae (@hailstormhay) February 8, 2019
Other fans pointed out a theory that the girlfriend is another version of Grande but some people still didn’t like Grande implying she’s bisexual in the video.
i love ariana so much and i’m so proud of her always but the buwygib mv wasn’t right of her.
— tahlia ♡ 48 (@bermanswife) February 8, 2019
i know some people are saying the other girl is supposed to be a version of her, but being lgbtq shouldn’t be used for aesthetic or trend, like the ending, no matter the intended meaning
ok tea but if ariana isnt bi and had that ending to break up with ur gf im bored idk im gonna be a lil :/ bc lgbt themes shouldn’t be used in music videos just to add shock value or be like wow look at me idk
— Val?⭐ (@galaxy_pal) February 8, 2019
i understand what the ending of Ariana’s video is supposed to mean but i really don’t like how she is riding this wave of rumors that she’s bi or whatever when she’s a straight woman. gay ppl aren’t a trend and kissing a girl is not something to bait wlw/the lgbt community w.
— i dont stan anyone except myself (@saintmctel) February 8, 2019
Watch below.

The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)






















The Washington Blade held its 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer spoke along with State Sen. Russ Huxtable, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey, Blade Editor Kevin Naff, and Clear Space Theatre Managing Director Joe Gfaller. The event raises funds for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which was awarded to AU student Abigail Hatting.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)



















In some fowl fiction foreshadowing, a gay-owned chicken joint has come home to roost on U Street, taking a page from the chicken window subplot on the HBO show “Looking.”
Last Friday, Lucky Pollo – much more than just a takeout window – stretched its wings atop the busy nightlife corner of 14th and U Streets NW.
Behind the poultry production place is Zach Renovátes, a D.C.-based nightlife operator and managing partner of LGBTQ venues Bunker and District Eagle, as well as the LGBTQ event production company KINETIC Presents.
Renovátes opened Bunker in February 2023 and District Eagle in January of this year. Lucky Pollo is the third in his growing gay empire, though this time there are noshes.
“Lucky Pollo was meant to be fun and a little provocative,” Renovátes said.
Based around its Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, Lucky Pollo is a quick-service restaurant boasting a small menu of poultry and sides. Renovátes says that the dishes are deeply rooted in Peruvian culinary tradition, “a playful experience alongside seriously good food.”
Lucky Pollo’s signature chicken is steeped in a dozen-plus-spice marinade for 24 hours. The meat is then slow-roasted, rotisserie-style, over oak-wood charcoal. Chicken options include quarter, half, and whole.
Helming the kitchen at Lucky Pollo is Chef Luis Herrera, who brings Peruvian recipes passed down through three generations, including his grandmother Laura’s original creations.

Beyond the full bird, the menu features Peruvian-inspired sides like yuca fries (“I personally love these,” says Renovátes) and fried plantains, as well as comfort classics such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, and bowls, wraps, and salads. Herrera oversees development of the multiple sauces (including staff favorite, the “secret green sauce”), crafted in-house using traditional Peruvian ingredients.
Lucky Pollo, in its streetside perch, is an independent concept from District Eagle, open to the public and staying open late (3 a.m. on weekends) to serve both nightlife guests and the wider U Street crowd hungry for late-night bites. However, just beyond the kitchen, tucked in the back lies a vintage 1950s candy machine—labeled “Out of Order,” which serves as the door leading to subterranean District Eagle.
Renovátes notes that when District Eagle is open, security staff will maintain a strict two-line policy, ensuring that those seeking meat to eat will not get entwined with those looking to gain access to District Eagle.
Lucky Pollo unites the need for sustenance with the idea of a bit of fortune, given its motto, “Get Lucky” and the whimsical brand mascot: a leather-booted chicken perched on a horseshoe. Renovátes and his District Eagle business partner had always been interested in opening a restaurant, and the Lucky Pollo space was indeed lucky: It already came with a functional kitchen. Plus, he says, the nearby fast-casual places around 14th and U streets “don’t offer a lot of quality options,” so opening the chicken spot “was a no-brainer.”
The space, designed by NYC creative Jasin Cadic, blends theatrical street-art-style vibes with Keith Haring-inspired wall prints, neon signs, and ceiling-hung chicken figurines —”some edgy, some sweet,” says Renovátes —creating an immersive, playful atmosphere. Lucky Pollo and District Eagle maintain separate amenities for their respective customers.
Lucky Pollo opened last week with a competition to devour a whole rotisserie chicken in the fastest time, with the winner earning $1,000 and a framed spot on the restaurant’s “Wall of Fame.” The opening also featured other games and prizes, and a full crowd spilling out the door.
“We want it to be a great place to eat, but also serve as a playful front for something completely unexpected.” Renovátes says.
On weekends especially, he jokes, the motto will be, ‘Come for the chicken, stay for the cock.’”