Earlier this month, Adam Levine, bombarded by an overzealous fan who accosted him at a Maroon 5 concert in Anaheim, California, received a wound to his ear. This type of incident, which happens too frequently to many celebrities, sparked new research into fans who get too close, and the repercussions behind it.
Yahoo! Celebrity recently touched upon the fact that while humorous stories of frenzied female fans recently made headlines, the problem of fans getting too close for comfort to their favorite celebrities is not a laughing matter.
It’s also nothing new. Fans creating uproar over celebrities has been around since the heyday of singers such as Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, but in some instances, the consequences of fan obsession are devastating.
The issue of over-hyper fans clamoring to get to celebrities, including the Adam Levine incident, is often touted as a problem among pre-teen and teenage girls. Yet, it’s an issue that isn’t always age-specific, nor gender specific.
For instance, while Michael Jackson performed “The Earth Song” during his 1996 History tour in Seoul, a male fan, who somehow made it through security, successfully jumped onto a crane that was in the process of lifting Jackson into the air. Jackson, fortunately, wrapped his arm around the enthusiastice fan, but the outcome could have been much different if not for quick thinking by the King of Pop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1RkqyddoHI
Other times, the consequences are much worse. In a 1992 New Kids On The Block concert in South Korea, 17-year-old Park Jung-yun was trampled to death after a crowd of fans rushed to climb onto the stage with the band.
In more recent times, One Direction’s Harry Styles was hit in the groin area at 2013 concert in Glasgow, Scotland. This year, a gung-ho fan hit the singer in the eye with a glow stick at Jakarta, Indonesia, concert.
The problem may be indicative, in some cases, of a more serious issue. Psychology Today states that there is an actual disease for people who obsess over celebrities. Known as “celebrity worship syndrome,” the disorder is marked by a compulsion to be as close as possible to someone’s chosen celebrity.
The disorder is also marked by becoming so consumed in a celebrity’s daily life that the fan ultimately loses time for work, school, and social activities. For adults, celebrity worship syndrome is associated with depression, anxiety, and stress, whereas teenage females are more prone to the disorder if they have a poor body image. Research suggests that all age groups may suffer from dissociation and a high inclination towards fantasy.
In many cases, however, such as the Adam Levine fan who hopped onto the stage with him, it’s simply a matter of letting the moment take over, coupled with the energy of a concert atmosphere. Yet, if this sort of behavior continues, there may be a chance that future concerts will not be as intimate. Yahoo! Celebrity suggests that future concerts may result in fans looking at their favorite celebrities through a glass wall, much like a zoo visit.
[Photo Courtesy of Andrew Burton/Getty Images]