American online personality Darren Watkins Jr, better known as IShowSpeed, caused an uproar in Malaysia today as throngs of fans flocked to catch a glimpse of him during his visit to Kuala Lumpur.
The 18-year-old YouTuber, who boasts 30.1 million subscribers, was mobbed by excited fans as he toured various locations in the capital city, leading to chaotic scenes that required bodyguards and local authorities to step in.
South East Asia Tour
IShowSpeed, known for his energetic gaming streams and viral antics, is currently on a Southeast Asia tour that has already taken him to the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia. His arrival in Malaysia was no exception to the chaos that has marked his tour so far.
One of the most intense moments unfolded when Watkins visited the Jalan Alor food market, where he sampled the famous durian fruit.
However, what started as a relatively calm live stream quickly spiraled into near-pandemonium as the crowd surrounding him grew increasingly unruly.
Fans pushed and shoved, desperate to get closer to the YouTuber, forcing Watkins to cut his visit short and make a swift exit.
His next stop was Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, where he dined at the ‘Fuiyoh! It’s Uncle Roger’ restaurant.
He even had a short call with Uncle Roger, giving high praise to his egg fried rice.
The shopping mall was swarmed by fans, and restaurant management had to close the shutters to prevent further crowding.
“Malaysia is the craziest”
At its peak, Watkins’ live stream garnered nearly 328,000 viewers as he chatted with popular online personality Uncle Roger via video call while trapped inside the restaurant.
He even gained over 82,000 new subscribers during the nearly five-hour broadcast.
“In terms of craziness, out of the whole tour, this might be number one,” Watkins remarked, clearly astonished by the intensity of the Malaysian fanbase.
While Watkins expressed his love for Malaysia, the frenzy didn’t stop there.
At one point, the YouTuber found himself cornered inside a hotel as fans continued to follow him despite his attempts to take shelter.
“Bro, Sabar!”
His bodyguards, along with local staff, worked tirelessly to fend off the crowd, but Watkins grew increasingly frustrated.
Pleading with fans to calm down, he could be heard using the Arabic term “sabar” (patience), which is commonly used in Malaysia: “Bro, sabar! Chill out!”
Despite the overwhelming fan response, Watkins acknowledged Malaysia as a highlight of his Southeast Asia tour so far, even though fans reportedly damaged an escalator and knocked on the windows of his car as he tried to make his escape.
Watkins’ Southeast Asia tour is set to continue, with Singapore as his next destination. However, given the chaos that unfolded in Malaysia, it remains to be seen if the YouTuber will experience a similar reception in his upcoming stops.
Watch the video here:
