A Singapore court has sentenced Australian social media personality Johnson Wen to nine days in jail for rushing Ariana Grande on the yellow carpet at the “Wicked: For Good” premiere last week, a case that has renewed discussion of red carpet security and online stunt culture.
Video from the event at Universal Studios Singapore shows Wen jumping a barricade and running toward Grande as she greeted fans, wrapping an arm around her before security officers pulled him away. Co-star Cynthia Erivo moved between them while staff and security restrained Wen, and witnesses reported that Grande looked visibly shaken before continuing the appearance alongside fellow cast members.
According to reporting from Variety, Wen, 26, pleaded guilty to a single count of being a public nuisance. Prosecutors told the court he planned the breach, with District Judge Christopher Goh describing the act as “premeditated” and calling Wen’s behaviour “attention seeking,” citing a pattern of similar disruptions at concerts and international sporting events. The nine day term sits well below the maximum three month sentence and fine available under Singapore law.
Previous reports have linked Wen to interruptions at shows by major touring artists and high profile matches, with footage of his antics posted on Instagram under monikers that present him as a notorious prank figure. In the wake of the Singapore premiere, he again shared clips from the carpet, even as online criticism mounted over the distress caused to Grande and calls grew for stronger penalties and potential deportation.
Fans and commentators have drawn attention to Grande’s history of trauma following the 2017 bombing at her Manchester Arena concert, which left her with post-traumatic stress and anxiety, and questioned how an intruder was able to reach her in a controlled, high security setting. Grande has not directly addressed the incident, instead posting a message thanking Singapore alongside photos from the premiere, while her co-stars have been widely praised for their swift intervention.
During sentencing, Judge Goh said the court needed to “send a signal to like-minded individuals” and warned Wen that there are consequences for actions that endanger others, language that aligns with Singapore’s effort to keep high profile premieres tightly controlled and safe for both guests and spectators.
