Ess Lounge paid the big bucks to get Ronnie here, so if you missed it, at least there’s pictures (all of them deserving of open caption status):

If you don’t think this is news, go fuck yourself, bro. If you want to read about Raleigh’s reaction to the arrival of an Italian-American celebrity, then you’re in luck, because I dredged up some first-hand accounts. But you might want to set your face to cringe first, because they all make Oak City residents sound like a) drooling star-fuckers, b) Facebook-crazed opportunists, and c) LITERALLY, Raleigh gawkers.

From tumblr:

dude. i felt like i was at a zoo!! he looked so uncomfortable and awkward when he got there. people (girls & guys, not just girls- a lot of bromance going on fo sho) charged over to the VIP section when he arrived, stood there & just stared at him-of course the picture-taking started instantaneously. I was pretty much ashamed to be apart of it. i brought my camera in hopes to get one good picture of ronnie with my friends, just for the fun of it, but i couldnt do it, not with everyone else hounding him for a picture- thats how bad i felt for him. no personal space whatsoever- THAT alone would drive me crazy. and the GIRLs there! Oh my freaking god! i have never seen anything like it! they were WILD. they followed him everywhere. to the bathroom, to the dance floor, back to the VIP. it was insane. i would also like to mention that i have never seen girls simulate having sex in a bar like that ever in my life. girls were grinding on top of one another – and i’m talking some serious grinding here-likeserious grinding- hell, if i would have stayed any longer i probably could have learned a few new tricks! it was sick! there was one girl who was dancing on top of the DJ both that hiked her leg up (and i’m talking knee to the head kinda thing) and started doing some crazy (and hardcore) hip thrusting. NOT TO MENTION, the bitch jumped down, landed in a split and starting humping the ground!! I couldnt believe i was even there to witness this shit. I finally left after i turned around and saw some girl’s bare ass jiggling in mid-air. i draw the line at jiggling bare assess. Anyhow, i guess it was cool to see him, but it was definitely not what i was expecting…i will say that his face was super tan. GTL baby.

Another tumblr:

It was pandemonium!  There were like 2 million 17 year olds, and they were all FREAKING OUT!  We made sure to get a spot at the bar near the roped off section, so we could have a good view.  Then Ronnie got there and all hell broke loose.  He was behind the ropes and everybody was taking pictures like he was an animal at the zoo!  It was so bizarre.  Then they made a “line” for people to go up and meet him, and everybody was cutting and getting real intense.  We did not attempt to go up and meet him, because it was just that crazy.  BUT my sister did get a good photo of him (I’ll put it up later).  I apologize if this isn’t making any sense.  I’m still a little out of it this morning.  I just can’t believe how many people were genuinely in awe of him.  AND he is shorter than he looks.

Television Without Pity forum:

Ronnie was at a club in my city of Raleigh, NC last night. OMG, that place was crazy. Their was so many people you couldn’t get around. He got there probably around 10:30-10:45. He was escorted by security into this lounge area. Many people were just crowding around to see him. Security randomly picked 2-3 people at a time to come up and get a pic with him. It mainly women.. no surprise. Then, they moved him to the DJ Booth by the dance floor in the back. He came back to the lounge for more pics and then back to the DJ Booth. 3rd time he came back to the lounge, he wouldn’t take pics. He was on the couch with like 3 women and some of the staff drinking and smoking.
I was trying like hell to get a pic with him but security wouldn’t let me. One of the security guys wanted me to pay him to get up on stage. All I had was my debit card and that was with the bartender. I couldn’t get that back because it was so busy. I only had my camera phone and didn’t do any good because it had no flash. God, I should of brought my camera.
I will say this. He is short. He’s about 5′6 to 5′7 I would say. I thought he would be a little taller.
The club was Ess Lounge. I’m sure they will have pics up on their website. I’ll be checking around and I’ll post on here if they do.

Hilariously, the owner of Slim’s recently cracked that if Glenwood South were a TV show it would be Jersey Shore. My sober mind is still trying to wrap itself around the vicarious dichotomy of youth culture he exposed with that one (I liked the quip about only North Raleigh dressing up to drink there better).

Oh, and apparently Ronnie did blow in his hotel room afterward.