Man who grabbed Ariana Grande kicked out of Lady Gaga concert
An Australian man who was jailed and deported in Singapore for attacking pop star Ariana Grande has been kicked out of a Lady Gaga concert in his own country.
Johnson Wen said on Instagram that he was “kicked out” of Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane before the Lady Gaga show started on Tuesday night.
The 26-year-old actor, who has a history of disrupting concerts and celebrity events, was sentenced to nine days in jail by a Singapore court for kidnapping Grande during the Asian premiere of Wicked: For Good last month.
Wen, who told the Singaporean judge in mitigation that he “won’t do this again”, kept up the performance in Brisbane but was dismissed due to his history of public nuisance.
Videos on social media show security guards grabbing Wen by the arm and carrying him out of the venue as the crowd both cheered and booed. The BBC has contacted Suncorp Stadium for comment.
In a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald, the venue said it had been informed that “a known serial offender may attempt to attend and disrupt” Lady Gaga’s concert, which is about halfway through her Mayhem World Tour.
The statement stated that “For the safety of the artist, this person is considered a person of interest and is not allowed to participate.”
Wen has risen to fame since catching Grande at the premiere of Wicked: For Good in the South East Asian city-state known for its strict laws, including on public conduct.
“You appear to be engaging in these acts, only thinking of yourself and not the safety of others,” Singaporean judge Christopher Goh was quoted as saying to Wen.
Following the incident, Wen was also banned from entering Singapore.
Other videos on Wen’s social media accounts show him jumping on stage and disrupting performances by global stars such as Katy Perry and The Weeknd.
The incident with Grande sparked outrage in Singapore. Fans accused Wen of “re-traumatizing” the pop star and actress.
Grande said that she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after the suicide bomb attack at her concert in Manchester in May 2017, which killed 22 people and injured hundreds of others.
