What is like being the world’s biggest YouTuber? Many people would assume that YouTubers with a large following is similar to a “celebrity”. But many of these YouTubers kept stressing that they’re only humans, just like the rest of us.
PewDiePie (or Felix) is a Swedish YouTuber who garnered a whopping 102 MILLION subscribers globally, which crowned him as the YouTuber with the most followers. Seeing how big he’s made it on the internet, it’s quite difficult to imagine to see him in real life. Some fans, however, managed to spot him (and stalk him) while he was here in Malaysia, as well as Singapore.
Source: PewDiePie’s YouTube Channel
Many did not know that Felix and his then-girlfriend (now-wife) visited Malaysia for a vacation three years ago, and apparently, fans who met him couldn’t hold back from sneaking photos of the rare sight. Apart from enjoying his trip with his girlfriend, he also had some concerns regarding his peace being interrupted.
“I just got recognised. We’re trying to keep us being here (in Malaysia) a secret because I know I have a lot of ‘bros’ here. And I’m actually really scared of being mobbed, especially last time when I was in Singapore, it went way out of hand.”
Why does a vacation that happened three years ago only matter now? In his latest Q&A video that was posted on his channel on 28 December 2019, someone asked him if he’s noticed people sneaking photos of him.
Source: PewDiePie’s Youtube Channel
“I hate the fact that people look at me like I’m some sort of attraction. I’m a person like everyone else, and I want to be treated like a person. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”
Other than not having his privacy respected in public, he also expressed utter dislike when people go “crazy”, exclaiming “Ahh, it’s you! Blah-blah-blah…”.
“If you go to countries like Malaysia and Singapore, people are very hectic and ‘screamish’, and crazy, and lose their minds if they see you. And they do all these crazy stuff.”
Source: PewDiePie’s YouTube Channel
It traces back to his Kuala Lumpur vlog, where he spoke up about fans wanting multiple pictures with him from various angles. He had also come across tweets asking (and stalking) about his whereabouts and locations, which to us, is an invasion of his privacy, given that he’s trying so hard to keep his visit a secret.
Despite sounding like he’s venting about not having his privacy respected, he also expressed that he loves meeting fans, and he’d much prefer to be treated like a normal person.
While we believe that bumping into fans is inevitable for a well-known person like him, it’s also basic respect to not scream into their faces when you can just say “Hi” like a normal person.
What do you think about his comments on Malaysian fans’ behaviour? Tell us in the comments!
Also read: Watch: 19-Year-Old Malaysian Youtuber Surprises Her Mom With RM10,000 Cash Gift
