Serial TikTok prankster storms stage and puts arm around Katy Perry during Sydney concert
By Thomas Mitchell
Katy Perry’s Monday night concert in Sydney took a serious turn when the touring US superstar was rushed on stage by a serial prankster Johnson Wen, who managed to put an arm around the singer before eventually being grabbed by security.
A fan puts an arm around Katy Perry during Monday’s concert in Sydney.Credit: Screenshot
Perry, who is in Australia performing as part of her Lifetimes tour, was onstage at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena when the security breach happened midway through the show.
Wen is a serial prankster who goes by the username Pyjama Man on TikTok, where he regularly shares videos of himself being a public nuisance, invading stages during concerts or running onto sporting pitches.
While standing on one of the circular catwalks in front of the show’s stage, Perry was visibly shaken as Wen climbed onto the stage and threw an arm around her. Perry quickly moved away from the fan, and told the audience, “There’s never going to be another show like this, so just enjoy it!”
Security staff then appeared on stage and escorted Wen away from the Grammy Award winner.
In a statement to this masthead, NSW Police confirmed the man was arrested and taken to Auburn police station where he was charged with two offences: entering enclosed land and obstructing a person in performance of work or duties.
The Perry incident is the latest in a long line of pranks designed to gain traction on social media.
Last year, Wen jumped on stage and hugged Canadian performer, The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) during his Melbourne show at Marvel Stadium. In 2023, he stormed the pitch during the 2023 Cricket World Cup Final, where he approached cricketer Virat Kohli, and delayed the men’s 100m final at the Paris Olympics when he invaded the track.
The man was granted conditional bail and is due to appear at Burwood Local Court on June 23. He was also issued a six-month banning notice for the Sydney Olympic Park precinct.
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