News of Justin Bieber getting punched or almost getting punched by Orlando Bloom over his alleged, and denied, hanky-panky with the actor’s separated supermodel wife Miranda Kerr, is devouring the news cycle, Internet, late night talk shows and even ignited calls for Bloom’s knighthood and is all getting rather silly now.
Before the 411 on all that, some context.
Early Wednesday, video footage surfaced of Bloom jabbing his finger at Bieber outside the Cipriani restaurant in Ibiza, Spain.
Then, a clearer video emerged that was filmed inside the eatery showing Legolas fronting up to the pop prince, while Leonardo DiCaprio, Lindsay Lohan, Diddy and reportedly everyone cheered and clapped wildly off-camera.
That clip shows Bloom’s hand was blocked by one of Justin’s bodyguards, but an eyewitness has since told The Mirror that the actor aimed more than one punch at the singer.
It’s likely wishful thinking on the part of – well – the world , but it’s been decided the 37-year-old’s other strike did connect with Bieber.
Since then, Justin has been spotted clubbing in Ibiza with producer DJ David Guetta, jet-skiing with Michelle Rodriguez and hanging out with Victoria’s Secret model Shanina Shaik on a luxury yacht, while Bloom has been crowned a hero for all that Bieber schadenfreude that’s been building for over 15 months.
A petition has now been launched at change.org and directed to President Obama calling for July 29 – or “Punch Day” – to be renamed as National Orlando Bloom Day, while the actor’s growing fans want him to receive a knighthood .
According to reports, Bieber allegedly said something derogatory to Bloom about Kerr, with whom the singer allegedly flirted with when they first met at a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in November 2012. She modeled, he performed.
A source has since claimed to E! News that Justin was “persistent” about keeping in touch with Kerr after the show.
Bloom and Kerr announced their split in October 2013 after three years of marriage and six years together in total. He filed for divorce last year but the former couple reportedly remain on good terms, not least of which for their three-year-old son Flynn.
Former Spanish journalist Anastasia Skolkova — who was dining at the table next to Bloom and Dicaprio — told The Mirror :
“Orlando was … sitting having his dinner quietly with all his friends some girls and DiCaprio. On the next table was Lindsay, who was also with friends. Bieber came, he said something and Orlando got very, very angry.”
“Justin said something when he came in which was aimed at Orlando, who then jumped onto a sofa to try and get at Justin,” she explains .
Skolkova went on: “Bieber said something to DiCaprio — I don’t know exactly what, because it was seven or eight metres away. Leo brushed his hands at him, like, I don’t care what you say. Yeah, he flicked him away.”
“Bieber got angry. Orlando got very, very angry,” Ana recalls. “When Bieber walked maybe 10 metres away, Orlando maybe had half a minute to think about what he was going to do. He got up and started running. Then he jumped over the sofa .”
Elaborating, Ana went on: “There were actually two moments when it turned violent, it wasn’t just the one punch thrown.”
“When Orlando punched Bieber, everyone started clapping. Lindsay was laughing. It was amazing. The whole table he and DiCaprio were on were clapping,” she added.
The model noted: “Afterwards, I don’t know if people were congratulating Orlando or trying to calm him down.”
Sources told The New York Post Bloom kicked off after Bieber allegedly taunted him saying “She was good” or “Tell Miranda what’s up/Say hi to Miranda for me.”
It’s now claimed Bieber went to Cipriani to provoke Bloom . But the singer looked surprised to see the actor on the brawl video , so the jury’s out on that one.
The Canadian and his party were reportedly escorted out by Cipriani’s security.
Other reports present less breathless scenarios with a witness claiming: “Luckily for both of them Justin ducked so Orlando’s punch missed.”
“Within seconds people intervened and there was some minor pushing and shoving between their entourages. They were eventually separated and Justin — who was being cordial — stayed for a while longer outside the restaurant without incident.”
Meanwhile, celebrities such as James Franco, Alyssa Milano and others, and Z-lister Drake Bell have declared themselves “Team Bloom” amid fight memes celebrating the Bieber-Bloom face-off.
On Wednesday night (July 30), The Colbert Report host Stephen Colbert delivered a mock serious report about “yet another international dispute that erupted in senseless violence.”
His admittedly brilliant, satirically-toned commentary was accompanied by flash of a photo of Bieber and Kerr backstage at the 2012 Victoria’s Secret Show (“she was either canoodling with or babysitting him”), then stated Pope Francis had appealed for peace “in the troubled foam pits of Ibiza.”
In addition, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel’s show monologues mocked the Bieber-Bloom scuffle, while Joel McHale and company on The Soup also spoofed the much-talked about fight.
Kimmel said, “Justin Bieber got in a fight last night. He was in Ibiza — probably doing some kind of humanitarian work — when he was attacked by none other than Orlando Bloom.”
Fallon quipped: “ Orlando Bloom apparently threw a punch at Justin Bieber last night during an argument at a nightclub.”
He added:”Orlando’s hand was pretty sore today…You know, from all the high fives he got!,” referring to alleged video evidence in a vandalism case Bieber recently pleaded no contest to.
Kerr and Selena Gomez are said to be “embarrassed” about the altercation. They have since been seen topless and with a** cheeks hanging out, respectively.
Bloom reportedly continues to party in Ibiza with the ex-wife of media mogul James Packer, who is rumored to have had a relationship with Kerr .
For his part, Justin posted a bikini-clad photo of Kerr to Instagram (then quickly deleted) and a “crying” shot of Bloom (not deleted) on Wednesday.
He followed that with a photo of himself with Shaik on a yacht, Guetta at the Pacha nightclub in Ibiza and a clip in a speedboat surrounded by fans the next day.
( Photo via Instagram: Justin Bieber and Australian Victoria’s Secret model Shanina Shaik hang on a luxury yacht on Thursday, July 31, a day after the heartthrob’s infamous brawl with Orlando Bloom .)
( Video: Bieber and Guetta take a picture together at Pacha nightclub in Ibiza .)
Bieber’s caption for the fan-love video? “I love all my beliebers in Ibiza you guys made my trip.”
Yup. This is definitely getting silly now.