Ethan Slater Broke Up With His Wife, Yeah-Yeah, Ari's Bo-o-red

By Jason P. Frank, a Vulture writer covering comedy, theater, and music

It’s a tale as old as time: Sponge meets girl, Sponge has baby with girl, Sponge meets Ponytail? Sponge files for divorce from girl. The Sponge, of course, is Ethan Slater. Slater filed for divorce from his wife on Wednesday, July 26, according to TMZ. On July 17, Ariana Grande was reported to be divorcing her husband, Dalton Gomez. Then, just three days later on July 20, it was revealed that she is dating her Wicked co-star, the former star of The SpongeBob Musical, Ethan Slater himself. Sources have told TMZ that the two were already single by the time they started dating on the Wicked set, though when they separated from their respective spouses is currently unclear.

In the aftermath of the schism, Slater’s soon-to-be-ex-wife, singer Lilly Jay, is the only one brave enough to speak on it. “[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl,” Jay told “Page Six” on July 27. “My family is just collateral damage.” She added that “the story is her and Dalton.” On the other end of the drama, an “insider” told “Page Six,” “she’s rightfully upset because her marriage fell apart, but Ariana and Ethan didn’t do anything wrong,” because they had been broken up for two months before Grande and Slater got together. Those who obsessed over Glee know — this is exactly how theater kids operate.