Australian influencer Johnson Wen has been sentenced to nine days in jail for storming the stage and hugging Ariana Grande during the Wicked: For Good premiere event in Singapore. Wen pleaded guilty to public nuisance charges, having previously targeted other celebrities in similar disruptive acts.

Judge Christopher Goh stated that Wen’s actions were premeditated and posed a recurring threat: “You seem to be seeking attention, thinking only of yourself and not the safety of others. Your actions will always have consequences.” The court made it clear that Singapore has zero tolerance for such behavior. Wen, in turn, promised not to repeat his misconduct.

Previously, Hollywood singer and actress Ariana Grande was suddenly grabbed by a fan during the premiere of her new movie, Wicked: For Good, held on November 13 in Singapore.

According to entertainment outlet People, Grande who plays Glinda in the film was walking down the Yellow Brick Road-themed red carpet at Universal Studios Singapore alongside co-stars Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Erivo, and Jeff Goldblum when the incident occurred.

A man dressed in a white shirt and shorts suddenly broke through the crowd. With long black hair dyed blue, he forcefully wrapped his arms around Grande, pulling her toward him. Shocked and visibly distressed, Grande struggled to free herself.

Immediately, Cynthia Erivo, who stars as Elphaba, leapt into action, placing herself between Grande and the man, yelling at him to back off. Security staff quickly intervened, pulling the man away from Grande.

Witnesses captured the aftermath, showing Grande visibly shaken and taking deep breaths as Erivo and Yeoh comforted her.

The perpetrator was later identified as Johnson Wen, known online as the “Pyjama Man.” He has a history of breaching celebrity events and posted a video of the incident on his social media, captioning it: “Dear Ariana Grande, thank you for letting me jump on the yellow carpet with you.”

After frightening Ariana, Wen boasted about his “achievement” on social media, adding the caption: “To Ariana Grande, thank you for letting me jump on the golden carpet with you.” On his Instagram Story, Wen shared his excitement about meeting Ariana and revealed that he was released immediately after being detained.

This attitude further enraged the online community. They demanded that Wen stop his harassing behavior. Many also questioned how Wen remained unharmed after carrying out a series of disruptive acts. They called on authorities to take strict action against him to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Wen has previously disrupted public events, including Katy Perry’s performance in June and The Weeknd’s performance in August, both times being removed by security.

Grande’s encounter has sparked concern among fans, particularly given her past trauma. The star has openly spoken about her struggles with PTSD following the tragic 2017 Manchester bombing, which killed 22 people during her concert.

Wicked: For Good, which explores the intertwined destinies and growing friendship of the misunderstood “wicked witch” Elphaba and the fame-driven “good witch” Glinda, is set to release on November 19.

Sources: Daum, K14