One of Mariah Carey’s greatest achievements is still I Don’t Know Her, the amazing diss she dropped years ago when asked about Jennifer Lopez. J.Lo and Mariah were – and perhaps are – enemies with a convoluted history. That’s not the point of this story. The point is that Mariah’s “I don’t know her” is still classic, and still used as a perfect diss to this day. So Mariah appeared on Watch What Happens Live on Sunday to promote her E! show, and Andy Cohen made her play a special game called Does She Know Her. Mariah was asked whether she “knows” various pop princesses. Her answers are at times very funny. In the second clip, you have to get through Mariah telling Andy that she’s “so virginal” about dating before they get to the Demi Lovato diss.
Full video of "Does She Know Her" featuring Mariah Carey.
Mariah Carey to Taylor Swift: Very nice girl. #WWHL pic.twitter.com/CL3pGi6IVH— Taylor Swift Factsㅤ (@blessedswifty) December 19, 2016
Some assorted comments about whether Mariah knows various women.
On Lady Gaga: “She came to my show, she was very sweet…and we had a nice conversation. We’ve met, we’ve had a conversation in my dressing room, it was very sweet.”
On Ariana Grande: When asked “do you know her?” Mariah just said “no.” When pressed about how Ariana seemed like a baby-version of Mariah, Mariah said: “I don’t know when early in the career was…I don’t know…honestly I’m really not familiar, I listen to hip-hop more than I listen to pop music.”
On Taylor Swift: “Very nice girl. Met her once, she was really sweet. She came up to me…yeah.”
Madonna: “Uh, never had a conversation with her.”
Katy Perry: “Nice girl, she came to my show as well.”
Britney Spears: “I love Britney Spears.”
Miley Cyrus: “I think we met in a bathroom…I don’t know.” When Andy Cohen pointed out that they performed at some Divas concert once, Mariah responded, “I performed on that show a lot of times, with Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross. How am I supposed to remember everybody else?”
On Demi Lovato, who has dissed Mariah as a hateful Mean Girl: “I don’t know her either, and so I wouldn’t say anything to her. She should come up, introduce herself to me, say here’s my opinion, ‘What do you think about it?’ That’s how you handle sh-t, OK?”
The impression I get is that if you’re a diva and you go out of your way to pay homage to Mariah in person, especially by going to one of her shows, then she “knows” you. If you’re just doing your own thing and don’t pay respect to her, she doesn’t know you. I’m surprised that Mariah did not have any shade for Taylor Swift or Lady Gaga, just because those two seem like potentially juicy beefs. It’s funny that Mariah and Madonna have “never had a conversation.” And the Demi Lovato diss… it’s just funny.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Why would any of these women give a crap about this has been?
I think both Demi and Ariana could learn a thing or two from here, career-wise.
She still makes tons of money from royalties of songs she has written and her voice is still better than many out there.
I wouldn’t dismiss Mariah as a has been. She is still a diva. probably the last one.
I agree with you.Ariana has built a career being a junior Mariah.I don’t think of Mariah being a has been.She is a diva for sure though.I still love Vision of Love and heard her voice.
Hum the “Has been” is a legend in the music industry ! something that demi lovato and Ariana will never achieve, bye !!
Exactly!
She may not be what she once was, but she’s still a legend and neither Demi nor Ariana will ever have the career that she has, even though they’re more relevant than her now. She was one of my top 3 favorite singers growing up, and I still love a lot of her older work.
Well Demi specifically spends all this time throwing shade at her so clearly she cares.
Truth be told I wonder how Demi feels when things like this blow up in her face. Mariah telling her off. Taylor Swift not ever bothering to respond to her shade.
I wish more people would call Demi the snake out. She sits behind her social media accounts and talks crap about other people but everyone is just like whatever. Probably because she’s not even worth anyone’s time.
Demi is so EXTRA. Even when you see her sing and perform, she is just about popping her vocal cords to try to prove she’s got some range/talent and it always sounds like she’s screaming. Demi swipes at other celebs because she can’t understand why she’s not at their level.
Has been? Really? I am still awed by Mariah Carey’s voice. I well remember when her first album came out (I think she was all of 19). Her voice is a gift that thankfully she keeps sharing.
Truth
They should pay attention if they want to make money and not just social media fame. Concerts being in money, but mariah made millions writing. Grande is cute as a button, but besides 3 notes she plays on a piano what else can she capitalize on? Her voice only works for some songs.
I think if you would poll people, more would know who Mariah Carey is than Demi or Arianna. They just aren’t that big that they cross out of the fans of their own genres and make a major impact on pop culture. Mariah’s voice has set the standard for all divas after her, and she has had a multi-decade long career and tons of hits. She can be quite absurd sometimes, but her fame is actually based on talent.
Mariah will always be a legend. Her money is making money. Those other newbies can’t fade her so they throw shade. The level of talent is no not parallel. It’s like comparing Micheal Jackson to Feddy Wop. Not even a comparison.
“Has been”? Mariah is a legend. Always will be.
I’m not surprised by this. It clear she doesn’t know mirrors either.
She needs to know a way to get rid of all that bloat, lord.
If she stopped drinking champagne like it’s water she wouldn’t look like a puffer fish.
I think she’s just fat lol
Land sakes, you guys are mean today. I like you. Pour me a glass.
Is this the only ting she has going for her? Diss other artists. And don’t say “but she’s asked about it”, she approves every question. She’s delusional, no wonder JLo is more relevant than her nowadays.
Not a fan of Mariah.. but if she doesn’t personally know these people why should she say something about them?
I am sure she follows other singer’s careers though. I am not a superstar but I too wouldn’t waste my time on following Ariana Grande or Demi Lovato’s career.
Was just going to say the same thing.
I think she was smart with her responses.
I am a fan of Mariah. She’s ridiculous and I love her for it. Those responses were classic Mariah. Shade is subtle and she could teach a master class in it.
And since I can’t stand Demi Lavato I’m esp., tickled.
Agree with all of it.
I cackled a bit because Demi annoys me to no end.
Same. Plus she has some of the best pop songs ever made.
I’ve never heard anyone say anything bad about Britney Spears. I love her too 😭
Yeah, I smiled when I read that Mariah loves Brit Brit! Everybody loves Britney, she’s sweet.
Why is Mariah being attacked for saying “I don’t know her”. I never understand how she dissed Jennifer Lopez either. Meeting somebody for a few minutes doesn’t mean you know them and easy to forget if done years ago. This isn’t much of a story.
In the early years, I think that it was either Tony Motolla himself or Benny Medina and Jlo helped push this harmless statement into proof of cattiness. Why? Because up until that point the growing narrative was that Jlo was a mega diva, was untalented, was hooking up with Mariahs ex and was going along with his vindictive sabotage of Mariahs album. This, “I dont know her” thing was not only misrepresented but it also allowed Mariah to be depicted as the aggressor because the ex fiddling with the music labels politics was completely forgotten in favour of the juicy alleged cattiness. Now its 20 years later, most people dont know the history and Mariah is still trying to explain that she just didnt want to answer a paps deliberately baity question about somebody she didnt really know. Mariah is no angel but she was so set up here.
This is exactly correct. I will add that in the past years, Mariah has seen the humor we see in it and has run with it. But, that’s how it started.
Tommy Mottola was also trying to use JLo to damage Mariah’s career (remember, they were all at Sony). The infamous JLo song with Ja Rule? They actually rushed out a JLo version because Mottola heard that Mariah was supposed to be doing one in that style and with Rule. People forget that JLo was CUTTHROAT when she started.
She should have taken singing lessons instead of trying to sabotage Mariah. I never get over the irony of J.Lo’s “I’m real” actually being sung by Ashanti. Queen Mariah on the other hand sings like a freaking bird.
@dotdotdot “She should have taken singing lessons instead of trying to sabotage Mariah.” Burn! lol! good one
I really like that no one ever seems to have anything bad to say about Britney.
Love this too.
I’m with Mariah.
Forever and always!
Im not a great fan but I find mariahs diva ways very funny – that miley diss is splendid. Oh yeah, she came up to me in a bathroom once LOL
Mariah is awesome. Love her comment about the Diva concert…how is SHE supposed to remember anyone else after Aretha Franklin or Diana Ross?
I don’t listen to her music and the way some blogs make her out to be some great thing really annoys me…BUT I think after watching these segments have changed my opinion of her. Thank you Andy!
I used to be in such awe of Mariah’s singing voice, I honestly believe her and Whitney were the best of the best in their day. However, they both abused their talents and now it’s really sad to hear what Mariah sounds like without auto tune. Seriously, check out her live mic feed from her performance at last years tree lighting at Rockefeller Center. It’s unbearably bad.
Auto-tune and backup singers. But, to be fair, she was a beast when she came out. That voice was glorious.
It’s unfortunate, but true. Mariah’s voice went away many years ago. But in the 90’s, Mariah was amazing. If her personality weren’t so unlikeable, I’d probably still be a fan. I will give her big props for her song writing skills though.
Andy Cohen is such a desperate housewife. I’m glad Mariah didn’t respond in the way he had hoped for. I wish someone else would ask her if she knew him and should would say ah I don’t think so. All I Want For Christmas Is You playing in the background…divalicious!
I’m just surprised that in so many years of both being THE pop stars, she has never talked to Madonna. I would think they’d run into each other several times.
I doubt two such egos can bear to be in the same room.
2 divas expecting the other to come over to kiss her ring!
Mariah shaded Madonna early in her career though – like curly haired, still married to Tommy Mariah. Neither has probably ever sought out a conversation.
I live for this !
For years now December=Mariah! Goodness, Heaven help you if you don’t like “All I Want” – one day out shopping/running errands heard it 12 times over 5 hrs. Lucky for me, I do love it. I really don’t buy Mariah as the master of shade- I think she is that self-centered and clueless. She has a show to promote- can’t imagine any of this wasn’t scripted.
I take it to mean that she doesn’t know them personally. She probably knows of them but hasn’t spoken to them and doesn’t follow their careers so as far as she is concerned, she doesn’t know them.
Well, she’s not wrong. What she said was the truth.
Honestly usually I would side eye something like this but Demitra and Arianna have been sneaky with their shade towards her and no one ever calls them out for it. They’re like snakes.
Plus I’m here for someone putting Demitra in her place. She’s always on Twitter talking crap about other people but I bet you she would never say it to their face.
Now I have to look up what Ariana has said about Mariah. I don’t remember her ever being anything but fangirly and worshippy of her until Mariah made some type of comment that was shade, and then suddenly Ariana never had a thing to say about her again.
She seemed to worship her, UNTIL Mariah said “I don’t know her.” 🙂 Then Ariana said something like “I used to love her when she was famous, back when I was little kid” or something to the effect, insinuating that Mariah is both old and a has-been.
@Nastywoman ACTUALLY that’s what Mariah said about Madonna when she came out! There’s video of it.
Arg! Why does she keep touching herself in these videos? It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen!
Also why are you surprised that she has no beef with Taylor Swift? The impression I have gotten from Taylor is that she is a nice person who is also petty and mean with folks that she feels has wronged her. If Mariah didn’t do anything and they just talked why would Taylor beef with her?
Because everyone must have beef with Taylor. You didn’t know that?
Come on, don’t f*ck with the Mean Girl Narrative!
I think there are certain people in the music industry that Taylor just wouldn’t go there with. Mariah, along with Beyoncé, Britney, Madonna, and Rihanna, are probably some of them.
If you praise me – i know you. If you don’t – you don’ t exist. Classic. She is stuck in the 90 style, the only new purchase is her constantly updated face. It was painful watch her sing on James Corden carpool karaoke episode. The same as I-don’t-really-know-her Madonna
ariana grande is a complete hack. you can’t understand a single word she says when she sings – her style is terrible and she looks ridiculous with that plastic pony tail. mariah carey doesn’t need to know her b/c she’s unknowable and will be gone in two years. i kind of wish she was honest and said “i’ve heard her and she sucks”
comparing her to a young mariah is like comparing one direction to the beatles – which is to say there is no comparison.
Except that Ariana consistently puts out great albums, released one of the best records of the year (with improved enunciation), has one of the best voices in modern pop music, and she’s a woke feminist. Whereas Mariah hasn’t been relevant since 2004 and has completely tarnished her legacy in recent years with over-the-top diva theatrics and abysmal vocal performances.
Lol, Dangerous Woman wasn’t one of the best records of the year and I say this as a fan. It was a big improvement, and certainly more mature, but it’s not up there.
Improved enunciation doesn’t mean anything when the words are still mangled more often than not. (Which is a shame, because her range is really great I’ll give you that.)
Ariana is gonna have to do more than strategically tweet out a few feminist one liners to be considered woke lmao.
Mariah has faded yes, but I don’t see tarnished anything. If anything people that don’t follow gossip just regard her with fuzzy nostalgia.
Both have their flaws, and both are great in other areas. You don’t need to trash one to uplift the other.
Ariana is talented (just not like Mariah was back in the day, even though they have a similar sound) but really does need to work on her enunciation. I still don’t get why she has that problem anyway. She should also use more of her range. I think her first two albums were better than Dangerous Woman.
Woke or otherwise no feminist would ask guys to carry her around like a baby because her feet are tired, or she doesn’t feel like walking.
Grant i’m sure you’re nice but you’re crazy. Woke feminist? Best albums of the year? HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHa
hahahaha
I think everyone compares Ariana to Mariah because both are famous for their whistle registers.
Part what made Mariah amazing in her early career was her songwriting – the voice was incredible, but her songs are also flat out great. Ariana Grande always seems like she gets whatever song has been kicking around the writer’s room for 6 months that they don’t know what to do with. I can understand why Mariah doesn’t know her.
I think Ariana has great music! And let’s be real, it’s not like Mariah’s early music was exactly Bob Dylan-quality songwriting. Love me some vintage Mariah, but Honey, Dreamlover, Fantasy… Not exactly highbrow masterpieces.
Frankie is that you?
Except that’s a false equivalence. No one is saying Mariah is Bob Dylan. We’re saying she wrote her own songs and Miss ponytail doesn’t. It doesn’t need to go farther than that.
I don’t understand why Mariah is so salty at Ariana. Girl, those comparisons are the only thing keeping you semi-relevant these days!
Among her many other accomplishments, the fact that she is responsible for the number one most played Christmas song EVER keeps her relevant every single year. But keep trying.
Ariana Grande’s music sounds dated to me. Even Mariah Carey’s songs from the 90’s sound fresher.
She’s more caricature than diva. A couple of opera divas I have in mind – they would act eccentrically and extra pampered, but then their voice would floor you. Whereas Mariah’s voice is gone, and now it’s only about batting fake eyelashes and weird cleavage.