Ariana Grande Attacker Barred From Lady Gaga Show Hours Before Performance

Ariana Grande's attacker, Johnson Wen, was removed from a Lady Gaga concert in Australia just hours before the pop star took the stage.

The incident happened on Tuesday at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium during Gaga's Mayhem Ball tour, and videos shared online showed Wen being escorted out while fans booed.

Wen, 26, is known online as "Pyjama Man," and he confirmed the removal himself on Instagram. "Got kicked out of Lady Gaga concert!" he wrote.

"The show doesn't start till 8 p.m.! The early fans were booing me." His comments matched the footage circulating on social media, where stadium staff guided him toward the exit while crowd members reacted loudly, PageSix reported.

Representatives for Lady Gaga and the venue did not immediately reply to requests for comment, but the scene clearly showed that security acted quickly.

The incident was especially notable because Wen had already gained attention last month after rushing Ariana Grande at the Singapore premiere of "Wicked: For Good."

In that moment, he jumped a barricade and grabbed the singer before her costar Cynthia Erivo stepped in to protect her.

Videos from the premiere captured Erivo placing herself between Wen and Grande, pushing him away to keep her friend safe. After the confrontation, Wen was arrested and charged with being a public nuisance.

Wen's Attack on Ariana Grande Was Premeditated

A Singapore district judge later said Wen's actions were "premeditated" and showed a pattern of behavior. Wen pleaded guilty and spent nine days in jail before being deported and banned from Singapore.

During a television interview after the incident, Erivo explained that her first instinct was simply to protect Grande.

"I just wanted to make sure my friend was safe," she said. According to People, she added that while she did not believe Wen meant harm, "you never know with those things," and she wanted to ensure Grande's safety.

Wen has a history of interrupting celebrity events. Earlier in his social media career, he jumped on stage with artists such as Katy Perry, The Weeknd and The Chainsmokers.

His repeated behavior has made many event organizers cautious when he appears at concerts or premieres.

Ariana Grande has not spoken publicly about Wen since the Singapore incident, but she has spoken in the past about the trauma she carries from the 2017 bombing at her Manchester concert.

She has described how difficult it is to revisit those memories and how deeply the tragedy affected her and her fans.

Tags

Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga