The world's most popular blogger, MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, visited Central Asia for the first time, and his trip to Uzbekistan sparked mass hysteria: in Samarkand, National Guard and Interior Ministry officers had to be deployed to escort the celebrity, according to infohub.kz.
The trip began in Tashkent, after which the blogger headed to Samarkand, where he was surrounded by fans. Videos appeared on social media showing people trying to approach MrBeast, asking for autographs and chanting his name.
The largest crowd gathered in Registan Square. In some footage, MrBeast can be seen gesturing for fans to step back so he could pass. He did not give autographs, showing fans that he physically could not do so.
The blogger brought a red Lamborghini and a van with mysterious cargo to Samarkand.
Despite the tight security cordon, some fans still managed to meet MrBeast at Samarkand airport and take photos with him.
The blogger himself posted a video on Instagram with the caption: "Feeling the love while filming in Uzbekistan." Meanwhile, social media users noted that several security officers struggled to hold back the large crowd.
Others suggested that some in the crowd might not even have known who MrBeast was but had heard of his habit of giving away money. For this, commentators mocked the crowd's behavior.
There were also those who took the situation with self-irony. One commentator defended the Uzbeks, noting that similar behavior happens in Kazakhstan too.
Information appeared on social media that in addition to Tashkent and Samarkand, the blogger was also supposed to visit Bukhara and Khiva. However, this was not confirmed. The blogger's film crew arrived in Bukhara and plans to visit historical monuments and other attractions.