A man who rushed towards Ariana Grande during the premiere of “Wicked: For Good” in Singapore has been deported and banned from the city-state. Johnson Wen, 26, was returned to Australia on November 12, 2023, following the incident that occurred at Universal Studios. A spokesperson for Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) confirmed that Wen is barred from re-entering the country.
Wen was sentenced to nine days in jail for public nuisance, according to local media reports. The incident unfolded as video footage captured Wen jumping over a barricade and approaching Grande, briefly putting his arm around her before co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh, among others, intervened. The quick response from Erivo and Yeoh aimed to protect Grande, who has previously spoken about her experiences with trauma, particularly following the 2017 bombing at her concert in Manchester, England.
Erivo later expressed her concern, stating, “I just wanted to make sure my friend was safe. I’m sure he didn’t mean us harm, but you never know with those things and I wanted to make sure that she was OK,” in an interview with NBC News. Wen, who is known on social media as “Pyjama Man,” has a history of rushing stages and ambushing celebrities, including a similar incident at a Katy Perry concert in Sydney earlier this year.
In a video posted on Instagram after the premiere, Wen thanked Grande for “letting” him jump on the carpet. He described himself as a “mega fan” who had long dreamed of meeting her. Grande has not publicly commented on the incident.
During the court proceedings, a judge labeled Wen as “attention-seeking” and noted that he failed to recognize the potential consequences of his actions in Singapore. The incident sparked criticism among fans of Grande, who have voiced concerns over her safety in light of her past traumatic experiences.
The premiere of Universal Pictures’ “Wicked: For Good” coincided with its opening in the United States, where it achieved remarkable success. The film generated an estimated $150 million at the domestic box office and $226 million worldwide, marking the largest opening weekend for a Broadway adaptation. This record surpasses the previous achievement set by the first “Wicked” film released last year. Universal Pictures is part of NBCUniversal, which also owns NBC News.
As the dust settles from the incident, it raises questions about the safety of celebrities during public appearances and the behavior of fans in such settings.
