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The current over/under is, in about two years, Justin Bieber is going to be starring on Celebrity Rehab.
On the one hand, I feel sorry for the kid. His mother basically prostituted him to make him a millionaire, and his dad sure as hell isn't looking out for his son. On the other hand, we all have the choice to do right or wrong. And as Bieber's leaked deposition video showed, he's too frat to care.
Bieber's stupid behavior has only escalated in recent years. A reporter for the Chicago Sun Times wrote that he had been around Bieber when he first came to Chicago. Bieber asked for some water, and a gopher fetched one from the freezer. He swatted the bottle away and said, "I only drink room temperature water." Since then, it's been peeing in a mop bucket, writing that Anne Frank probably would have been a fan, throwing eggs, and other examples of pack behavior lessening his inhibitions.
Part of being a modern celebrity is the ability to cultivate a fan following, die hards who will buy anything you make and white knight you on those nasty Intertubes. Gene Roddenberry was probably the first to do it with Star Trek, going so far as to get the fans to pressure NASA into renaming the space shuttle prototype the Enterprise. But back then, those in charge followed the Prime Directive -- don't interfere with the culture. Sure, fans would do some nasty shit, such as one Trekkie sending J. Michael Straczynski a virus that wiped his computer during the heyday of Babylon 5. But that was the fans, their emperors did not condone such things, even if they secretly delighted in them. I personally believe the change started when Rob Liefeld rode his cult following to massive success. Others saw how his zerglings behaved and thought, "I want a personal army, too!" Being a success isn't the goal. Being a cult leader is.
So when the backlash hits and it can't be countered, it creates some interesting headlines. For example, at Tenino Elementrary School in the neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. Dave Ford is the principal there and they decided to try raising funds to help kids in Ghana. Word of the charitable endeavor spread, and soon other schools in the area were trying to raise funds for Ghana. All proceeds raised go to Crossover International Academy there to give the students food, clothes, schoolbooks, and so on. A worthy goal, I'm sure you'll all agree. At Tenino High School, Geraldine Maxfield is the leadership teacher, and encouraged the kids to do something. Student body president Connor Stakelin took it from there.
Here's the wind-up: Stakelin and the student council set a goal of raising $1,200 for CIA.
Here's the pitch: the plan was to play Justin Bieber's "Baby" on a continuous loop over the school's intercom between classes and during lunch. That is technically a violation of copyright, as it is considered a public performance. Where's the RIAA when you ACTUALLY need them for once?!?
An empty water jug was set out with a reference to the school mascot, saying, "Beavers, stop the Bieber." The goal was $1,200, but Stakelin said he would show mercy and stop playing the music if they reached $500. "For some of them, it's incentive to donate because they don't want to hear it anymore." I got $5, you take PayPal?
The endeavor started on Monday.
They hit $900 on Tuesday.
Apparently, some people don't think it's funny that people will pay money to NOT listen to Bieber's music. Maxfield defended the thing as all in good fun. "The whole idea is all in good fun and makes the kids think globally. It's about helping students in another country and another culture." Yeah, but what a price.
No word on if they are going to modify the Geneva Accords over this.
On the one hand, I feel sorry for the kid. His mother basically prostituted him to make him a millionaire, and his dad sure as hell isn't looking out for his son. On the other hand, we all have the choice to do right or wrong. And as Bieber's leaked deposition video showed, he's too frat to care.
Bieber's stupid behavior has only escalated in recent years. A reporter for the Chicago Sun Times wrote that he had been around Bieber when he first came to Chicago. Bieber asked for some water, and a gopher fetched one from the freezer. He swatted the bottle away and said, "I only drink room temperature water." Since then, it's been peeing in a mop bucket, writing that Anne Frank probably would have been a fan, throwing eggs, and other examples of pack behavior lessening his inhibitions.
Part of being a modern celebrity is the ability to cultivate a fan following, die hards who will buy anything you make and white knight you on those nasty Intertubes. Gene Roddenberry was probably the first to do it with Star Trek, going so far as to get the fans to pressure NASA into renaming the space shuttle prototype the Enterprise. But back then, those in charge followed the Prime Directive -- don't interfere with the culture. Sure, fans would do some nasty shit, such as one Trekkie sending J. Michael Straczynski a virus that wiped his computer during the heyday of Babylon 5. But that was the fans, their emperors did not condone such things, even if they secretly delighted in them. I personally believe the change started when Rob Liefeld rode his cult following to massive success. Others saw how his zerglings behaved and thought, "I want a personal army, too!" Being a success isn't the goal. Being a cult leader is.
So when the backlash hits and it can't be countered, it creates some interesting headlines. For example, at Tenino Elementrary School in the neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. Dave Ford is the principal there and they decided to try raising funds to help kids in Ghana. Word of the charitable endeavor spread, and soon other schools in the area were trying to raise funds for Ghana. All proceeds raised go to Crossover International Academy there to give the students food, clothes, schoolbooks, and so on. A worthy goal, I'm sure you'll all agree. At Tenino High School, Geraldine Maxfield is the leadership teacher, and encouraged the kids to do something. Student body president Connor Stakelin took it from there.
Here's the wind-up: Stakelin and the student council set a goal of raising $1,200 for CIA.
Here's the pitch: the plan was to play Justin Bieber's "Baby" on a continuous loop over the school's intercom between classes and during lunch. That is technically a violation of copyright, as it is considered a public performance. Where's the RIAA when you ACTUALLY need them for once?!?
An empty water jug was set out with a reference to the school mascot, saying, "Beavers, stop the Bieber." The goal was $1,200, but Stakelin said he would show mercy and stop playing the music if they reached $500. "For some of them, it's incentive to donate because they don't want to hear it anymore." I got $5, you take PayPal?
The endeavor started on Monday.
They hit $900 on Tuesday.
Apparently, some people don't think it's funny that people will pay money to NOT listen to Bieber's music. Maxfield defended the thing as all in good fun. "The whole idea is all in good fun and makes the kids think globally. It's about helping students in another country and another culture." Yeah, but what a price.
No word on if they are going to modify the Geneva Accords over this.