Perry meets Pesto: The current biggest names in Melbourne share adorable moment

Katy Perry has made a special visit to Melbourne Sea Life to meet gigantic baby penguin Pesto, the fluffy big boy making headlines around the world.

Viral superstars Perry and Pesto has a nice ring to it.

But our penguin chick, Pesto, who weighs a whooping 22.5kg, is far outstripping Katy Perry in the clicks right now, reaching an audience of billions.

The nine-month-old Melbourne Sea Life Aquarium king penguin dubbed “fatty”, “absolute unit” and “linebacker” is the most viral animal on the internet.

Perry was lucky enough to score a fist bump — or flipper bump — from the international star, Pesto. Picture: Supplied

Pesto the penguin has made global headlines. Picture: David Caird

On Thursday night the viral superstar met up with visiting pop superstar Katy Perry, with the Firework singer giving Pesto a little “fist bump”.

Clearly smitten, Perry was crooning “he’s just a little baby” and blowing bubbles for Pesto, his favourite game, as he waddled and flapped his chubby little penguin wings to wish her luck before Saturday’s Grand Final at the ’G.

“Visited Pesto last night. He told me who will win in the AFL Grand Final tomorrow but my lips are sealed,” Perry later wrote to social media.

Perry suited up brave the cold of the enclosure and shake Perry’s flipper. Picture: Instagram

Pesto is even more popular than Thailand’s baby hippo, Moo Deng. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Pesto has overtaken Thailand baby hippo Moo Deng, a name which roughly translates to “bouncy big” as the latest viral sensation, dominating social media algorithms, securing wall-to-wall breakfast TV coverage in the US and UK, and drawing travellers from around the globe to Melbourne’s Sea Life Aquarium.

But Perry’s 11th hour Pesto visit meant Melbourne’s Poof Doof missed out.

In the immortal words of Sex and the City’s Samantha Jones “first come the gays, then the girls then the industry.”

They are wise words for the AFL Grand Final pre-entertainment headliner, who broke the sequined hearts of many at gay Mecca, Poof Doof on Thursday night after being a no-show at the nightspot for her album release party.

Page 13 hears the night still was still an absolute banger, unlike sales for Perry’s latest album, 143.

Katy Perry joked that Pesto told her who would win the AFL Grand Final. Picture: Nadir Kinani

Her critically mauled album limped out this week and has been one of two no-go subjects on the Roar singer’s promotional round of interviews.

The other being her working relationship with controversial producer Dr Luke.

The massively successful industry veteran produced the pop star’s first No. 1 single, “I Kissed a Girl,” and Perry enlisted him again for her sixth album release.

In 2014, fellow pop star Kesha filed an explosive lawsuit against Dr. Luke, accusing him of drugging and sexually abusing her. Kesha also claims she suffered emotional and psychological abuse at his hands.

To be fair Perry was front and centre this week whipping up a frenzy for the Big Dance like the pro that she is doing everything from handballing the Sherrin with AFL CEO Andrew Dillon in heels on the hallowed turf of the MCG to taking a roasting from a 100-year-plus granny on The Project.

Perry has been rumoured to be making an appearance at gay club Poof Doof. Picture: Getty Images

With a huge LGBTQ following, Poof Doof revellers were still thinking Perry would make an appearance at the Chapel St hotspot at 2am Friday morning, with Page 13 hearing owners were in deep discussion with Perry’s management about the “surprise” appearance all week.

But after the media appearances and rehearsing at the ‘G on a stage that frighteningly resembles Melbourne’s new speed camera operators with another surprise guest in the form of Chains singer Tina Arena on Thursday Perry supposedly pulled the “too tired” card.

Let’s hope Perry’s beauty sleep means her performance hits all the right notes on Saturday, with several local musicians like the well regarded Melbourne muso Zevon Lee, taking to social media bemoaning her $5m for 5 songs pay cheque saying the AFL should be instead propping up our homegrown talent for the Melbourne major event. “You’re goanna hear me roarrrrr…”