Jeffrey Dahmer Victim’s Family Calls Ariana Grande ‘Sick’ for Naming Murderer Her Ideal Dinner Date

The mother and sister of one of Damher’s victims — Tony Hughes— condemned the “Problem” singer comments for glamorizing the serial killer

The family members of one of Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims are upset after Ariana Grande admitted on a podcast that she once told a young fan that the convicted serial killer was her ideal dinner companion.

Speaking with TMZ earlier this week, Anthony “Tony” Hughes’ mother Shirley Hughes called the actress and singer’s comments “sick.”

“To me, it seems like she’s sick in her mind. It’s not fancy or funny to say you would have wanted to do dinner with him. It’s also not something you should say to young people, which she says she did,” Shirley told TMZ.

Tony — one of Dahmer’s 17 known victims — was drugged and killed by Dahmer in the murder’s home after the two met at a Milwaukee gay bar on May 24, 1991, the Associated Press and books on Dahmer’s crimes reported about the last few hours of his life. Tony was a deaf man who couldn’t speak; he was 31 at the time of his death.

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Shirley and her daughter Barbara told TMZ that they hope others realize the pain it causes victims’ families when they bring up Dahmer’s name in public. They feel that Grande, 31, should publicly apologize and make it clear to her fans that serial killers shouldn’t be glamorized.

“Unfortunately, until it happens to her and her family, she just doesn’t know what we have been through,” Barbara told the outlet.

Representatives for Grande didn’t respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Related: Ariana Grande Once Told a Young Fan Her Dream Dinner Date Would Be with Jeffrey Dahmer: ‘I Have Questions’

Grande — who has experienced trauma herself with the May 2017 Manchester bombing at her show, where 22 people died —made the comments in question on the June 17 episode of the Podcrushed podcast with co-host Penn Badgley.

The “yes, and?” singer was recalling a Q&A session early in her career when she was answering questions from young fans. A little girl asked her who she’d want to have dinner with, living or dead.

Related: Why Ariana Grande Listens to ‘Some’ of Her Songs and Has Others She Prefers to ‘Not Hear Ever Again’

“I was infatuated with serial killers when I was younger,” Grande remembered. “I was like, ‘Oh, you’re so cute. Mom and Dad, is it OK if I give the real answer?’ And they were like ‘Sure, what’s the answer?’ and I was like, ‘I mean, Jeffrey Dahmer is pretty fascinating. I think I would have loved to have met him. Y’know, maybe with a third party or someone involved. But I have questions.’”

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Badgley, 37, and his podcast co-hosts Nava Kavelin and Sophie Ansari laughed at the pop star’s memory as she recalled the parents telling their daughter they’d explain who the serial killer was “later.”

“And I was like, ‘I’ll just sing ‘Problem’ and go home,'” Grande concluded the story.

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