Imagine waiting for hours just to meet your idol only to find out that you were in line for little more than a passing glimpse of him.
That’s what happened to the hundreds of James Reid fans on Saturday when the Filipino-Australian actor-singer’s book signing event at the Manila International Book Fair was canceled due to security reasons.
Fans who had been waiting for Reid pushed and shoved each other to get closer to where he was, prompting the organizers to cancel the event altogether.
Book signing of @JayeHanash at the 38th Manila International Bookfair wasn't able to push through due to security purposes. pic.twitter.com/2tUejAXX8f
— Gerard Dave de Castro (@gerard_JD) September 16, 2017
The cancellation was announced on the spot but National Bookstore, the organizer of the event, and Reid also tweeted statements about the incident.
For security reasons, the James Reid signing at the MIBF has been cancelled. We apologize for the inconvenience.
— National Book Store (@nbsalert) September 16, 2017
Sorry for what happened at the MIBF it was totally unorganised. I hope no one got hurt.
— James Reid (@tellemjaye) September 16, 2017
Obviously, fans were not too pleased about this.
One hoped for “more organized events” in the future.
https://twitter.com/JaDineNATION/status/909374794323202052
Another criticized where the supposed signing was to take place and said that the stage shouldn’t have been near an entrance.
Yeah, the stage is placed near the entrance/exit pa naman. Sobrang hirap dumaan.
— inactive here (@iNORAight) September 17, 2017
While another compared it to the Zark’s Burger crowd last month.
https://twitter.com/RalphCatamora/status/909014736699777024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.abs-cbn.com%2Fentertainment%2F09%2F17%2F17%2Fwatch-massive-crowd-forces-cancellation-of-james-reids-signing-event
Others noted that the people in line could have been more organized as well.
I was there. Nobody was listening to the organizers and the security personnel. They could only do so much.
— Nauriel (@filiseaweed) September 16, 2017
“Aww, they canceled the James Reid book signing activity for security. This is isn’t a showbiz event. This is a book signing,” Twitter user @iLOVIEu said.
https://twitter.com/iLOVIEu/status/908996381209063424
But even with all the inconvenience, some say that fans will stay fans.
but one thing's for sure, no matter what struggle Jadines had to face just to see you and supoort you they'll come home with a happy heart
— Yannie Columna (@yannieyhanyhan) September 16, 2017
It was announced last week that Reid will play Filipino comic superhero Pedro Penduko in an upcoming movie produced by Viva Films. He was at the Manila International Book Fair to sign copies of Pedro Penduko and Team Real, a book he wrote with on-screen and real-life girlfriend Nadine Lustre.
