Iconic musician Barry Manilow, who you may know from some of his hits like "Could Be Magic," "I Write the Songs" and "Copacabana," made headlines when he was unable to debut his newest show, Manilow on Broadway, due to a bout with bronchitis. Although the shows have been rescheduled, the cancellation of his first few performances led to… a riot.
After Fanilows, who had been waiting on 44th Street to see the show, found out their beloved Barry would be a no-show, things got a little out of hand. "A riot has broken out," one eyewitness claimed. "Traffic is stopped on the entire street. There were middle-aged ladies losing their minds and mounted police."
There’s no doubt that those Fanilows were just really pumped to see their favorite singer, and anyone would be disappointed to have a show cancelled. They’re dedicated. Who are some of the other extremely dedicated fans? I’m glad you asked…
Beliebers: Never underestimate the power of a pop star. Justin Bieber has throngs of fans, and he even recently became the person to have the most Twitter followers at nearly 33.5 million. Beliebers have had their fair share of over-the-top antics, including purchasing a water bottle owned by the star for $624, and comparing Bieber-haters to Hitler. Their love translates, though; Bieber is always at the top of TicketNetwork sales.
Directioners/Boy Band fans: There’s probably nothing as frightening as your first time at a boy band’s concert if you don't know what you're getting into. Imagine high-pitched squealing, lots of jumping and screaming, pushing, sometimes crying. It's a lot. I dragged my boyfriend, Bill, to a New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys show with me last year and he’s since sworn off any boy band shows in the future. Directioners are today’s equivalent of BSB/*NSYNC/New Kids fans, and their love for One Direction is intense. One fan even flew 9,000 miles from Australia to the U.S. just to see the boys. 1D is part of a long line of British boy bands who have had U.S. girls in a frenzy, including The Beatles, so at least boy band enthusiasts are in good company.
Little Monsters: Lady Gaga calls herself "Mother Monster" and her fans adore it. Called "Little Monsters," they are dedicated to their momma, and have gone so far as to send Ozzy Osbourne’s daughter, Kelly Osbourne, death threats following Kelly’s claims that Gaga was fat. They’ve also made her a best-selling female artist, and the second most followed person on Twitter.
Juggalo/Juggalette: Insane Clown Posse fans, dubbed Juggalos and Juggalettes, have an annual gathering where they all get together and party. These fans are so intense the FBI has said its fans qualify as a gang. But Juggalos, who drink Faygo, don face paint (like a clown), and make "whoop, whoop" calls, say they’re just family, and have even been involved in several charity events.
What say you? Did we miss anyone?