An Australian man, Johnson Wen, aged 26, has been deported from Singapore and banned from re-entering the country following an incident involving Hollywood star Ariana Grande. The incident occurred on November 13 during the Asian premiere of Wicked: For Good, where Wen jumped over a barricade and approached Grande, prompting intervention from her co-star, Cynthia Erivo.
Wen was sentenced to nine days in prison for public nuisance and has a prior history of disrupting celebrity events, including jumping on stage during a Katy Perry concert in Sydney. Reports indicate that Wen made two attempts to intrude on the film’s premiere. During the second attempt, security personnel detained him.
The incident has drawn significant attention and raised concerns, particularly because Grande has publicly discussed her experience with post-traumatic stress disorder following a suicide bombing at her 2017 concert in Manchester that resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries. During his trial, the court heard details about Wen’s behavior, which the District Judge labeled as “attention seeking.”
After the incident, Wen posted videos on social media expressing gratitude to Grande for allowing him onto the red carpet and stated he felt “free.” The police arrested him the following day, at which point he pleaded guilty to the public nuisance charge.
While Grande has not publicly commented on the event, Erivo addressed the incident during an interview, emphasizing her instinct to ensure Grande’s safety. She acknowledged the unpredictability of such situations, even suggesting that Wen may not have intended harm. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority in Singapore confirmed Wen’s deportation and ban from the country, reflecting the seriousness with which the incident was regarded.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpd6qey9e4zo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss