Zara Larsson has sparked controversy after revealing that she would fire employees who refuse to make a 'goon face' at work. The singer made the comment during an appearance on the Las Culturistas podcast.
'The people I work with, we have this thing,' she said. 'I want everyone around me to be able to do a goon face. To me, it's like, "Are you free? Are you carefree? Are you yourself? Can you be silly?"' She added that if an employee refuses to make a goon face 'on the spot', they've 'gotta go'.
What is a goon face?
Originating in internet sexual subcultures, a 'goon face' is an exaggerated, silly, or slack-jawed facial expression which usually includes crossed eyes or an extended tongue. It is typically pulled after a long 'gooning' session – slang for a prolonged form of masturbation that focuses on edging, coming close to climaxing but pulling back to achieve a trance-like pleasure state.
Videos featuring gooning have exploded in popularity over the past two years. In December 2025, porn site Clips4Sale shared with Metro that interest has increased by 151% since November 2023. The NSFW term was also one of the top five most Googled slang words in 2025, with 28,000 searches in the UK – roughly 77 searches a day.
Fan reaction
On X, users shared their disappointment. @Marsspace posted: 'Zara Larsson casually admits she sexually harasses all her employees.' @Unicornyazzie added: 'Workplace sexual harassment isn't a joke I fear. She may be sarcastic but still.'
Others defended the singer. @sunny wrote: 'Grown ass people calling Zara Larsson's stupid innocent goon face joke "sexual assault" and an "unsafe work place"… We are in hell.' @LillyPCancan argued: 'It would be a completely different thing if Zara just said "make a silly/funny face", but using the term "goon face", directly drawing a line to sexual performance and porn, and then tying it to employment… Girl that is so stupid?'
Expert opinion
Sexologist Sarah Berry told Metro that enforcing someone to do anything in the name of fun is the opposite of installing a carefree environment. 'This becomes even more problematic with the idea that goon face can be associated with an orgasmic face during masturbation. While for some this is amusing, for others it is intrusive,' she said. 'It's not important for everyone to feel the same way about anything, what is important is to not force or peer pressure someone into doing something they don't want. Especially when it has absolutely no bearing on how they do their job or how they are socially.'
Berry added that in a post-MeToo society, even as a joke, it is shocking to hear of something so suggestive being mandatory in an office. 'Even if Zara's tongue is firmly in her cheek and she's enjoying the publicity of such a decisive announcement, it doesn't promote a healthy work ethic,' she said.
Is it sexual harassment?
Jim Moore, employee relations expert at HR consultants Hamilton Nash, told Metro that Zara's comments verge on inappropriate. 'It's common to think that sexual harassment in the workplace is easy to spot or that it has to be extreme, but the legal test includes a lot of things that employees might not consider,' he said. 'Asking a colleague to pull a sexually suggestive face at work could easily cross the line, no matter how funny the boss thinks it is.' He added: 'It doesn't matter what the intent of the person who asked, it's only the effect on the employee that counts.'
The controversy is notable given that Larsson has previously spoken out against sexual harassment and assault, and has been vocally critical of fellow singer Chris Brown, who has faced multiple sexual assault and abuse allegations over the years.
