Several email exchanges exposed in DNC hack show how the pop star’s gaffe in California factored into the White House’s decision to not book her for a gala 
 
 Licking donuts and saying “I hate America” cost Ariana Grande a prime gig performing for Barack Obama at the White House gala last September, according to several email exchanges exposed by WikiLeaks. 
 
 Amid the thousands of DNC emails posted by WikiLeaks on Friday was a 10 September 2015 response to a request from the DNC finance chair, Zachary Allen, to vet the former Nickelodeon star to perform at a gala for the US president. 
 
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 “Ariana Butera-video caught her licking other peoples’ donuts while saying she hates America,” the DNC’s deputy compliance director wrote in response, referring to Grande’s real name. “Republican Congressman used this video and said it was a double standard that liberals were not upset with her like they are with Trump who criticized Mexicans; cursed out a person on Twitter after that person used an offensive word towards her brother.” 
 
 A few months before the email exchange, on 4 July, Grande was caught on security cameras (obtained by TMZ) licking donuts sitting on the top shelf at a donut shop in southern California. When offered a fresh tray of donuts by an employee of the store, Grande is heard saying: “What the fuck is that? I hate Americans. I hate America.” The event caused the hashtag #DonutGate to quickly go viral. 
 
 Though never charged by police, the pop star issued a public apology on YouTube, in which she said: “I’ve actually never been prouder to be American.” 
 
 Grande is meanwhile one of Hillary Clinton’s biggest celebrity endorsers: in April 2015 she tweeted a short and succinct message to her millions of followers that expressed her sentiment. 
 
 

 Ariana Grande performs onstage at the 10th Annual Delete Blood Cancer DKMS Gala at Cipriani Wall Street on May 5, 2016 in New York City. 
 
 Ariana Grande was asked to perform at the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, but unfortunately had to turn down the opportunity due to a scheduling conflict. A representative for Grande tells Billboard the singer was given an offer to perform at the closing ceremony, where she would have duetted with a soul legend. 
 
 This year’s DNC takes place from Monday, July 25 to Thursday, July 28 at the Wells Fargo Center. 
 
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 Artists who are confirmed to perform during the Democratic National Convention include Lady Gaga, Lenny Kravitz and DJ Jazzy Jeff, who will appear at the Camden Rising concert at the BB&T Pavilion on July 28. Snoop Dogg and Los Lobos have a concert scheduled for July 28 as well. They are on the lineup for a “unity party” for Democratic donors at Philadelphia’s Electric Factory. 
 
 Calvin Harris, Ariana Grande, J. Cole, Martin Garrix & Fetty Wap to Headline Billboard Hot 100 Fest: See the Lineup 
 
 Grande, meanwhile, is set to headline Billboard’s second annual Hot 100 Fest alongside Calvin Harris, J. Cole, Martin Garrix and Fetty Wap. The festival runs August 20-21 at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Long Island, N.Y. 
 
 Grande also recently joined the cast of NBC’s Hairspray Live!, airing Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET, in the role of Penny Pingleton.
– One of the weirder revelations from the WikiLeaks release of hacked DNC emails: Ariana Grande lost out on a White House gig thanks to her doughnut-licking incident, the Guardian reports. Last July, the singer was caught on security video licking doughnuts at a doughnut shop and saying she hated America (an incident for which she later apologized). Among the leaked emails is a September 2015 exchange between the DNC finance chair and the DNC deputy compliance director with regard to vetting Grande for a White House performance. "Ariana Butera-video caught her licking other peoples’ donuts while saying she hates America,” the deputy compliance director wrote (Butera is Grande's actual last name). “Republican Congressman used this video and said it was a double standard that liberals were not upset with her like they are with Trump who criticized Mexicans; cursed out a person on Twitter after that person used an offensive word towards her brother." A White House staffer's subsequent response to the request for Grande to get the gig, per Fox News: "Nope, sorry." Apparently all was eventually forgiven, because Billboard reports Grande was asked to perform at the DNC this week but declined due to scheduling conflicts.