Snooki, Now an Author, Signs Books at Costco

Hundreds of  "Jersey Shore" fans lined up to greet Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi at Costco on Route 10 in East Hanover on Saturday afternoon. Actually, they started lining up at 9 a.m. for a scheduled 2 p.m. appearance. Some of them reportedly drove five hours to get there, too.

Why  you ask? If you are asking, you are probably not a fan of  MTV's reality show "Jersey Shore." Snooki, one of the most popular stars of that show, has published her first novel, "A Shore Thing" and her fans were there to get their copies signed. 

Admirers wearing "I (heart ) Snooki" shirts passed the time in line chatting about the friend of a friend who met her in a club and how nice she was. There was the occasional dissenter, such as the mom who said to her son, "I don't want to wait for her. She's not even a star !"  

But they stayed.  And if you have fans like these, you are a star. As  the diminutive 23-year-old celebrity entered the store, obscured by security men and publicists, the crowd went nuts. Photographers clicked away, people screamed her name and rushed in to greet her. As the book signing began, person after person got an autograph and a smile. Security men graciously agreed to take photos for customers while trying to push back the crowd. Kids sat on their dads' shoulders for a better view. Hundreds of books went to their new homes. Snooki went home with lots of pickles (you'll have to watch the show).

When the cries of "Oh my god, I can't believe I met her !" died down and the last book was signed, we were left wondering how to sum up the whole experience. Not quite finding the words, we realize that the devotee who ran past us clutching her newly signed hardcover had said it best.

"That was psychotic !" We have to agree.