Ariana Grande recently revisited a controversial comment she made years ago, where she mentioned wanting to have dinner with infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Speaking candidly on the "Popcrushed" podcast with hosts Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, and Sophie Ansari, the 30-year-old pop star delved into her past fascination with serial killers and the context of her startling revelation.

Grande, known for her roles in Nickelodeon's "Sam & Cat" and her successful music career, recounted an incident from her younger years during a Q&A session with fans. "It was in between me being Cat and my pop stuff, so it was like a younger group, and they were with parents," she began. "Someone asked, 'If you could have dinner with anyone living or dead, who would it be?'"

The singer, then still transitioning from her Nickelodeon fame to her music career, hesitated before giving her honest answer. "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.'"

Grande explained her reasoning behind the choice, attributing it to a deep-seated infatuation with serial killers during her youth. "I was infatuated with serial killers when I was younger," she admitted. Her interest, she clarified, was not rooted in admiration but rather a profound curiosity about their psychology and motivations. She wanted to meet Dahmer with someone involved in his capture or case because she had numerous questions about his life and crimes.

Jeffrey Dahmer, whose gruesome story was recently dramatized in the Netflix series "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," committed his first murder in 1978 shortly after graduating from high school. Over the following years, he murdered 17 young men, with his killing spree ending in 1991. Dahmer's arrest came after Tracy Edwards managed to escape from him, leading Milwaukee police to Dahmer's apartment, where they discovered Polaroid pictures of dismembered bodies.

Dahmer's detailed confession outlined how he committed the murders, leading to his trial where he faced multiple charges of first-degree intentional homicide. Initially pleading "innocent and innocent by reason of mental disease," Dahmer later changed his plea to "guilty but insane." Despite his plea, he was found sane and not suffering from a mental disorder. Dahmer's life ended violently in prison when a fellow inmate bludgeoned him to death with a metal bar on November 28, 1994.

Grande's comment about Dahmer resurfaced interest due to its controversial nature, but it also highlighted the broader cultural fascination with serial killers. This interest is evident in popular media, including the success of the Netflix series in which Evan Peters portrayed Dahmer. Grande herself has worked with Peters in her music video for "we can't be friends."

Reflecting on her younger self's comment, Grande acknowledged the inappropriateness of her answer but also pointed to a societal intrigue with understanding the darkest aspects of human behavior. "It was a different time, and I was in a different place," she noted, emphasizing that her fascination was more about understanding rather than glorifying such figures.

Grande's candidness on the podcast offered a glimpse into her thought processes and the evolution of her interests. It also shed light on how public figures navigate their past statements and the complexities of their public personas. As Grande continues to mature in her career and personal life, she remains a figure of fascination herself, not just for her music but for her openness about her journey and growth.