Australian Man Deported From Singapore After Disrupting “Wicked: For Good” Premiere, Accosting Ariana Grande
Singapore has barred an Australian national from future entry after he disrupted the premiere of “Wicked: For Good” earlier this month and physically accosted singer Ariana Grande. The incident, which unfolded on the yellow carpet, led to his arrest, conviction, and subsequent deportation.
Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority deported 26-year-old Johnson Wen and revoked his right to re-enter the country, according to multiple reports. A representative for the authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Wen arrived in Singapore earlier this month on a 90-day social-visit pass, ostensibly to attend the premiere of the highly anticipated movie musical and enjoy a vacation.Though, his behavior quickly escalated from enthusiastic fandom to unlawful interference. Witnesses and video footage show Wen, who identifies himself online as the “Troll Most Hated,” jumping over a fan barricade and rushing toward Grande.
Did you know? – Johnson Wen,the Australian man,was in Singapore on a social-visit pass. He was there to attend the “Wicked: For Good” premiere. His actions quickly turned from fan enthusiasm to unlawful interference, leading to his deportation.
He ran toward the Grammy-winning singer with his arms and legs flailing, ultimately grabbing her roughly around the neck and shoulders. Before security intervened, Wen turned and posed for cameras, seemingly reveling in the chaos.Grande’s co-star, Cynthia Erivo, swiftly intervened, separating Wen from Grande and preventing further harm.
Following his arrest and release,Wen was charged with being a public nuisance days after the incident. He was afterward convicted and sentenced to nine days in jail. During his trial, wen reportedly told the court he was “going to stop,” according to the Straits Times.
though, his subsequent actions on social media cast doubt on the sincerity of his courtroom statement. Wen re-shared video of the incident on Sunday on Instagram, captioning it, “Dear Ariana Grande thanks for letting me join the Red Carpet 💛.”
Reader question: – What do you think about the role of social media in incidents like this? Does it amplify the behavior or provide a platform for accountability? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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This is not Wen’s first encounter with celebrity events. He has a documented history of crashing concerts and other public appearances featuring artists such as Katy Perry and The Weeknd in Australia.
“Wicked: For good,” which premiered Friday, is a cinematic adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, a year after the first “Wicked” film. The sequel also stars Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, and Jonathan Bailey, and is directed by Jon M. Chu
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