On Saturday, May 30, around 2 p.m., Maurizio Cattelan's *Comedian*—a banana duct-taped to a wall—was stolen from the Centre Pompidou-Metz, where it was on view in the exhibition "Dimanche sans fin. Maurizio Cattelan et la collection du Centre Pompidou." A security guard noticed the fruit had been removed from its piece of tape, leaving an empty peel behind. The museum filed a police complaint, condemning the act as a violation of respect for artworks. The banana, a perishable item regularly replaced, was swapped out hours later at minimal cost; the institution noted that the work's value lies in its certificate of authenticity and presentation protocol, not the fruit itself.
The theft reignites the financial paradox of *Comedian*, which is worth millions on the market yet composed of a simple banana. The incident adds to the work's legend, following earlier episodes such as artist David Datuna eating the banana at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019 and collector Justin Sun consuming the fruit after purchasing the work for over $6 million. Each event fuels the artwork's commentary on value, desire, and celebrity, turning theft and replacement into part of the piece itself—a Duchampian gesture that blurs object, act, and narrative. The story underscores how Cattelan's work continues to generate meaning through controversy and repetition.