Fan from hell creates a stir at Cher concert
Woman adds unexpected mayhem to show
angelem@phillynews.com
"I've Got You, Babe" took on new meaning at Monday night's Cher concert when a 400-pound, intoxicated, foul-mouthed female fan refused to vacate a seat and had to be forcibly removed.
The unidentified woman, who witnesses said was dressed in a cowboy hat, tank top and jeans, caused another fan to be injured after female security guards from the First Union Center ejected the corpulent cowgirl.
The drama began soon after the end of the opening act, which featured singer Cyndi Lauper.
"She kept on yelling 'I love you Cyndi' and was drinking out of a flask," said one concertgoer who requested anonymity.
After Lauper left the stage, and as more patrons started packing the First Union Center in anticipation of Cher's entrance, it became apparent that the woman was in the wrong seat, witnesses said.
"The event staff was chasing people out of their seats, and most of them willingly went where they needed to go, but when they shined the flashlight on the cowgirl, she growled 'F--- you,'" said a concertgoer who was sitting two rows away.
The incident occurred in section 102, an area reserved for handicapped who are not wheelchair-bound. Witnesses said the woman was apparently handicapped and walked with a limp.
Event staff tried to talk the woman into leaving her seat for about 20 minutes, witnesses said, but finally despaired after several profanity-laced responses.
"In the meantime, Cher is singing 'I've Got You Babe,' the noise is incredible, it's dark, they're shining a flashlight at her and she looks to be cursing pretty good," said another concertgoer.
Witnesses said the woman was morbidly obese, so large that she could not fit into her seat but had to sit on several armrests.
Three female and one male First Union employees, all wearing golf shirts with "Event Staff" emblazoned on the back, appeared in Section 102 as Cher appeared onstage astride a fake, life-size elephant, witnesses said.
After asking the entire row of concertgoers, most of them handicapped, to stand in the aisle, the First Union employees dragged the woman out of her seat.
"When they got to the end of the row, the cowgirl plopped herself down on the steps, onto the leg of the lady from Wisconsin," said a fan.
The fan said the Wisconsin woman was in Philadelphia on vacation with her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend. Emergency medical technicians were called to the scene to treat the injured woman's leg. The extent of her injuries could not be determined.
The event staff continued to drag the woman down the concrete steps, witnesses said, eventually escorting her out of the building.
"She's yelling and screaming 'F--- you,' and her shirt's going up and there are mounds of flesh being exposed," said the concertgoer.
"Everybody was covering their mouth because they can't believe this kept going on."
The concertgoer said First Union employees handled the situation as best as they could, but another differed.
"I just think they probably should've found them different seats," said a 52-year-old handicapped person who was present at the concert.
"Why would you try to get a 400-pound woman out of her seat with handicapped people all around?"
First Union Center officials said the incident was not typical for concerts of this type.
"The situation you described is rare for us, especially considering the show involved," said First Union Center spokesman Ike Richmond.
Richmond declined to comment further.
For some Cher fans, the incident placed a damper on the evening.
"All I wanted to do was see Cher, but I ended up missing the first 20 minutes of the show," said one fan.