Grande sorry for saying 'I hate America'

It might as well be one of the Pop Star 10 Commandments: Thou shalt never say 'I hate America.'

But say it, Ariana Grande did, in a video caught by a donut shop's security camera in Lake Elsinore, Calif.

Perhaps the shop might not have handed the video over to TMZ, should the One Last Time chanteuse restrained herself from daring her new boyfriend, backup dancer Ricky Alvarez, to lick a tray of the shop's donuts – and taking the dare herself. (The two are also seen kissing.)

Then an employee brings out a tray of fresh donuts, causing Grande to spew: "What the (expletive) is that? I hate Americans. I hate America."

Perhaps baseball fans were not her next best arena. Following the incident, Grande backed out of a planned performance at the Major League Baseball All-Star Concert this weekend, citing her wisdom teeth removal. Demi Lovato stepped in as a replacement.

Now Grande wants you to know: She does not hate America. "I am EXTREMELY proud to be an American and I've always made it clear that I love my country," said Grande in a statement sent to USA TODAY. "What I said in a private moment with my friend, who was buying the donuts, was taken out of context and I am sorry for not using more discretion with my choice of words."

She clarifies she just got upset about how fattening fried dough is.

"As an advocate for healthy eating, food is very important to me and I sometimes get upset by how freely we as Americans eat and consume things without giving any thought to the consequences that it has on our health and society as a whole."

So to recap: Eating donuts is bad. But licking them before you pay for them – that's just carb-free fun.

Here's her full statement:

"I am EXTREMELY proud to be an American and I've always made it clear that I love my country. What I said in a private moment with my friend, who was buying the donuts, was taken out of context and I am sorry for not using more discretion with my choice of words. As an advocate for healthy eating, food is very important to me and I sometimes get upset by how freely we as Americans eat and consume things without giving any thought to the consequences that it has on our health and society as a whole. The fact that the United States has the highest child obesity rate in the world frustrates me. We need to do more to educate ourselves and our children about the dangers of overeating and the poison that we put into our bodies. We need to demand more from our food industry. However I should have known better in how I expressed myself; and with my new responsibility to others as a public figure I will strive to be better. As for why I cannot be at the MLB show, I have had emergency oral surgery and due to recovery I cannot attend the show. I hope to make it up to all those fans soon. That being said let me once again apologize if I have offended anyone with my poor choice of words.

- Ariana Grande"

Amanda Peterson 'Can't Buy Me Love' Star Dies at 43

Amanda Peterson -- star of the flick "Can't Buy Me Love" -- has died at her home in Greeley, Colorado ... TMZ has learned. 

We spoke with Peterson's father who tells us ... the family hadn't heard from 43-year-old Amanda since July 3rd and became concerned. Her body was finally discovered in her home on July 5. 

As for cause of death, Peterson's father tells us they don't know the official cause of death -- but notes, "She had some illness and a sleep apnea problem that may have contributed." 

We're also told Peterson had been dealing with several medical issues over the past 2 years -- including pneumonia, sinusitis and sleep apnea. Peterson's father also says she had been living in a home with mold issues ... but moved out about a year ago. 

Peterson became a superstar playing Cindy Mancini opposite Patrick Dempsey in the 1987 romantic comedy ... but she left the entertainment industry altogether in 1994 and had been living in Colorado for years. 

We're told she went back to school several years ago -- but dropped out around 2010. Recently, we're told she had been trying to make it as a writer. 

Paulina Vega of Colombia was crowned Miss Universe on Jan. 25. She says she is keeping her crown.

Miss Universe would like you to stop calling her a hypocrite.

Reigning Colombian beauty queen Paulina Vega has refused to give up her Miss Universe crown, despiteDonald Trump's recent derogatory remarks about Mexican immigrants. (The Trump Organization owns the Miss Universe franchise.)

Like others, Vega has called Trump's remarks "unjust and hurtful." Trump bit back on Sunday, tweeting: "Miss Universe, Paulina Vega, criticized me for telling the truth about illegal immigration, but then said she would keep the crown — Hypocrite."

Now faced with criticism and pressure to give the glittering tiara (and title) back, Vega on Monday dismissed Trump's comments and said she would continue doing the organization's social work.

"The fact that I am not giving up my crown doesn't mean that I am changing my stance about everything I said," Vega said during a radio interview in Columbia. "It doesn't make any sense that Donald Trump calls me a hypocrite because I'm not giving up my crown."

Colombia recently retracted its bid to host Miss Universe next year, and Mexico announced it won't be sending any candidate to the competition.

Vega, 22, won the 2014 Miss Universe pageant this January in Miami.

ONPOLITICS

Republicans hit Trump over Mexico comments

"The Miss Universe Organization works independently from its owners, Vega said on her Instagram account on July 2. "If the Miss Universe Organization shared any anti-Latin sentiments or any type of racial biases, I wouldn't be in this position today. I strongly believe that dividing and categorizing humankind only holds it back."

Corporate America spent last week distancing itself from Trump. Following Univision's decision to cut ties to the real estate magnate (and refusing to air the Miss USA pageant), NBC canceled plans to air Miss USA – and fired Trump from The Apprentice. NASCAR, Macy's and Serta soon dumped their partnerships with Trump as well.

USA TODAY

More Trump dump: Celebs speak out

Meanwhile, Republicans can't get away from Trump fast enough. "I've said very clearly that Donald Trump does not represent the Republican Party," said Rick Perry Sunday on ABC's This Week, as celebrities like Ricky Martin, Shakira and America Ferrerapiled on the criticism.

The hot water continued on July 4 when The Wrap reported Trump retweeted a comment that Jeb Bush "has to like the Mexican illegals because of his wife." Bush's wife, Columba, is Mexican. "The tweet appeared to be live for 24 hours before Trump deleted it," said The Wrap, which captured a screen grab of the tweet.

But the Miss Universe tiara, so far, is staying on Vega's head. In her radio interview, the beauty queen stressed that the pageant existed long before Trump acquired it and that "it will continue to exist if he stops being its owner someday."

"I have kept doing my job as Miss Universe all these days. The work continues as always despite all this craziness going on," she said.

Contributing: The Associated Press