At the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good on November 13, Ariana Grande found herself in a disturbing situation when a man – later identified as serial event-crashder Johnson Wayne, aka “Pajama Man” – ran across the yellow-brick-road carpet and physically assaulted her. The incident has sparked widespread outrage online, reigniting the debate about celebrity safety and accountability.
Who is Pajama Man?
Johnson Wayne is a 25-year-old Australian influencer who is notorious for crashing high-profile events. He first attracted attention for frequently appearing on stage during concerts wearing colorful pajamas or eccentric outfits – hence his nickname. In previous incidents, Wayne has interrupted performances by global stars including Katy Perry and The Weeknd, leading to criticism of his stunt.
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At the Wicked premiere, he was seen wearing a plain white shirt and shorts, his long black hair highlighted with dyed blue streaks. In video captured by attendees, he suddenly wraps his arm around Grande, and appears to attempt to pull her closer, despite her obvious discomfort.
Ruckus on social media over Ariana Grande incident
On social media, users have repeatedly called him out for “attacking/harassing people” and posting videos of it. “Get a job, stay away from him,” one person commented. Another wrote, “You literally assaulted her and you’re posting this? Brother, you deserve to be in jail, there’s something seriously wrong with you.” A third said, “Dude, that’s not fair. Look how badly you scared her! You hit her.”
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Following the incident, Grande’s co-star Cynthia Erivo took protective action, placing herself between Wayne and Grande and yelling at him while security removed her. Grande appeared visibly shaken, with Erivo and Michelle Yeoh supporting her in the moments afterward.
While Wayne later posted on Instagram thanking Grande for “letting me jump on the yellow carpet,” many are calling his actions disturbing rather than harmless.
To keep an eye:
He has repeatedly breached security perimeters at concerts, later posting the encounters on social media as if they were invited interactions. At an event involving pop star Katy Perry, Wayne uploaded a video of himself on stage and captioned it, “@katyperry Dear Katy Perry thank you for letting me dance on stage… I dreamed of meeting you!! And now it’s over.” The post was criticized for presenting the unauthorized intrusion as a mutual, celebratory moment. Similar episodes on other shows have raised concerns about how easily Wayne is able to contact cast members, leading to further scrutiny of event-security practices.
The public reaction has been swift, demanding more than just an apology. Many are urging authorities to take legal action, ban the event and enforce strict security measures. Given Wayne’s history of repeated intrusions, critics argue that his behavior should be considered a serious crime rather than dismissed as a social media prank.