Remember the ‘American Idol’ singer Katy Perry kissed? He made headlines again for the wrong reasons
Katy Perry’s seven-year run on 'American Idol' was anything but predictable. Known for her bold looks and brutally honest critiques, the pop star often made headlines, but one of her most talked-about moments came in 2018, when she surprised a contestant with an on-stage kiss during his audition. While the moment was played for laughs at the time, the aspiring singer later revealed he felt uncomfortable with the kiss. However, years later, that same contestant would make headlines again — this time for a shocking reason: possession of child pornography.
During an 'American Idol' audition in 2018, judge Luke Bryan playfully asked the contestant, Benjamin Glaze, "Have you kissed a girl and liked it?" which was a nod to Perry's 2008 hit 'I Kissed a Girl'. Glaze replied honestly, "No, I've never been in a relationship. I can't kiss a girl without being in a relationship." Perry, intrigued, responded, "Really?" and then gestured, "Come here," as per Global News. As the other judges encouraged him, Glaze nervously approached and asked, "What, on the cheek?" before giving Perry a quick kiss on the cheek. Unimpressed, Perry teased, "You didn’t even make the 'smush' sound," and prompted him to try again.
When he leaned in for a second kiss on the cheek, Perry quickly turned and kissed him on the lips instead. Glaze, clearly stunned and smiling, dropped to the floor while the judges celebrated and high-fived. Bryan laughed and asked, "Did you get him?" to which Perry replied, "Yeah, I got him." Still smiling, Glaze exclaimed, "Katy! You didn't. Well, that's a first." Despite the moment, he was ultimately cut from the competition, and Perry jokingly said that her kiss might have thrown off his performance.
After his audition went viral, Glaze told The New York Times that he had hoped to save his first kiss for a meaningful moment. "I was raised in a conservative family, and I was uncomfortable immediately," he said. "I wanted my first kiss to be special." However, in a later Facebook post, Glaze clarified his feelings, writing, "I am not complaining about the kiss from Katy Perry at all." He continued, "I am very honored and thankful to have been a part of American Idol... I do wish I would have performed better in the moment." Talking about his audition, he admitted, "I should have picked another song to sing and calmed myself down regardless of the kiss. I should have been able to perform under pressure."
Talking about the controversy directly, Glaze stated, "I do not think I was sexually harassed by Katy Perry and I am thankful for the judges' comments and critiques. I was uncomfortable in the sense that I had never been kissed before and was not expecting it." He also added that his views were not fully represented in the coverage, saying, "I do not think my views have been appropriately communicated through the media."
However, in a shocking turn of events, Glaze was arrested on charges related to child sex abuse material in October 2024, as per People. According to Tulsa police, the aspiring singer was taken into custody on Friday, October 18, following a months-long investigation that began after a tip was received in April. In a statement, police revealed that a search warrant was executed at Glaze’s residence, where they found incriminating evidence. "During the search, a smartphone was recovered that was found to contain over 700 images and videos of child sexual abuse material," the department stated.