YouTuber Jianhao Tan upset at backlash over IShowSpeed Singapore stream fiasco
When American YouTube sensation IShowSpeed touched down in Singapore, many fans eagerly anticipated his livestream from the Lion City.
However, just 13 minutes into the action at Universal Studios Singapore (USS), the vibe took a nosedive as employees had to break the news that streaming wasn’t allowed inside the attractions.
The livestream then froze and cut to black for over 30 minutes, before becoming unavailable entirely.
Since around 4.30pm yesterday, Speed has not uploaded another stream from Singapore, leaving local fans disappointed and zeroing in on one target: local YouTube star Jianhao Tan.
Spotted in a lift with Speed at Changi Airport, Jianhao was rumoured to be his tour guide for the trip.
So naturally, fans started pointing fingers, blaming him for the streaming debacle and accusing him of bringing a livestreamer to a place where livestreaming was a no-go.
Speed’s content director calls for an end to the hate
The online backlash got so intense that Speed’s content director, Slipz, took to X to tell fans to “stop hating on Jianhao”.
In his post, he pointed out that Jianhao couldn’t control the laws at USS and highlighted how much the Singaporean had helped with the team’s logistics.
“Stop. You’re being ridiculous. His phone is nothing but hate [right now],” he told the community.
Slipz also mentioned that they were filming at the Formula One races instead, but noted they couldn’t livestream there either due to the threat of a ban.
Later that evening, Speed went live on YouTube again, but not from Singapore.
He had crossed the Causeway to Johor, where he met Major General Tunku Ismail Idris, the Crown Prince of Johor.
Unfortunately, the stream was plagued by technical issues — missing audio, freezing images, and glitchy quality.
Not long after, they hopped back into a car, likely heading back to Singapore.
“This is such a bad start, bro,” Speed sighed to his cameraman.
Jianhao explains situation with IShowSpeed Singapore stream debacle
Jianhao, meanwhile, took to his Instagram stories to confront the wave of hate, expressing that he felt “defeated” by it.
In his post, he revealed that the IShowSpeed team only contacted him on the night of 21 Sept, informing him they would be arriving in Singapore the very next day.
As such, he had to “scramble” to arrange cars and security for the Americans in just a few hours.
Jianhao mentioned that he suggested various spots for them to visit, like the Woodlands pasar malam, a ride on the MRT, and a trip to Yishun.
However, he clarified that it was ultimately Speed’s stream, and his role was to assist with locations that Speed wanted to explore.
He also refuted accusations of seeking clout, pointing out that he hadn’t even taken a photo with Speed or created any content with him.
Despite the challenges, Jianhao noted that Speed and his team “tried their best” to deliver a Singapore stream for the fans.
In another Instagram story, he expressed gratitude towards the team at USS, mentioning he called them at 1am on 22 Sept to arrange permits, VIP access, and parking for Speed’s crew.
“There’s a lot they did for us at the back end in such short notice,” Jianhao said.
Speed Telegram admin speaks out against the hate
In the IShowSpeed Telegram chat group, an admin named Kevin urged fans to stop directing hate towards Jianhao and the USS staff who told Speed to halt the livestream.
“[Singapore] is strict. That’s the way it is. We don’t change for anyone,” the message read.
He emphasised the need to respect authorities and work with them on future streams, reminding fans that the staff are human too.
Kevin also addressed another issue, stating: “You are not entitled to see Speed just because you waited for very long. No one is. Unfortunately, not everyone will get to shake his hand or pass your gifts to him [or] get signatures. That’s life.”
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Featured image adapted from IShowSpeed on YouTube and @thejianhaotan on Instagram.
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