Justin Bieber Lightens Mood With Aussie Media With ‘Summer Heights High’ Homage

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Justin Bieber has a fun sense of humor. Which is a good thing, as it has been a tough week for the hounded photo-phobic superstar in Australia, with the media battering him over a less-than-stellar interaction with a rude fan.

In reality, there was a lack of grace on both sides — but for understandable reasons on Justin’s part — despite the press’ predictably anti-Bieber coverage of the snafu.

Back to the humor part. Bieber posted a hilarious video impersonating the “Jonah from Tonga” character in Australia’s cult TV mockumentary series, Summer Heights High.

The 23-year-old star’s video caption reads, “SORRY BEN – If you don’t get the context its from an Australian TV show called ‘Summer Heights High.'”

This came in response to the seemingly offended sensibilities of a Channel 7 news crew, who invaded Justin’s privacy at a luxurious resort in Noosa on Queensland’s Summer Coast, where the Biebs spent a brief break in between shows on his Purpose World Tour.

First, here is some context. On Tuesday, photos and video arrived online of Bieber flipping the bird and telling the news crew of photojournalists to “f**k off mate” after they rolled up at the exclusively private Makepeace Island resort, which is co-owned by Virgin founder Richard Branson.

Based on the tsunami of high-quality pictures of Bieber at the $5,500 a night getaway, it is likely paparazzi were also in attendance. Just what an over-scrutinized pop star wants.

Watch Justin Bieber and the Channel 7’s news crew exchange on the video below.

.@JustinBieber visits Makepeace Island on the Sunshine Coast before his Sydney concert. #PurposeTourStadiums #7News pic.twitter.com/v6QXOAD3Vf

— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) March 14, 2017

An immediate reading of Justin’s encounter with the Channel 7 crew suggested that he was angry at photojournalists after to a lot of trouble to get away from it all.

However, it turns out the Grammy winner’s expletive and one-finger salutes were meant in jest. This was made clear in a video Bieber posted hours later, which spoofed Summer Heights High, the hit comedy series written by and starring Chris Lilley.

Rocking a great Australian accent, which smudged into a South African at points, the Biebs delivered a ton of memorable lines from Lilley’s character, “Jonah,” in the mockumentary.

From “puck you, Miss,” to “watch MTV for once sir,” to “you on your period or what miss” and “I was punking him, sir,” the singer “Jonah’s” iconic dialogue in a video he posted on his Instagram account, noting “I was doing it for fun. You just didn’t get that it was fun.”

Take a look at Justin’s “Jonah” in the clip below.

Based on the (at press time) over four million “likes” of the video and majority positive comments posted by a mix of Justin Bieber fans, Summer Heights High fans, and reports in the Australian press, the pop icon’s video was a success.

It also goes some way to lightening the mood between some parts of the Australian press, which has been particularly vicious in their reporting on Bieber after the fan encounter.

Meanwhile, Justin wrapped the Australian leg of his Purpose World Tour on a high note on Wednesday night with a reportedly terrific concert at Sydney’s ANZ stadium.

The show garnered rave reviews, after mixed reviews at his Melbourne stop. During his show in Sydney, the singer told the over 70,000-strong audience that he was having “the night of my life” three times.

Justin Bieber gets the world’s biggest hug from 70,000 Sydney fans https://t.co/ejK7kIWTFS via @newscomauHQ

— Kathy McCabe (@McCabeRadar) March 15, 2017

While media outlets have chosen to focus on one tense fan encounter between Bieber and a woman, in fact, the superstar interacted happily with fans at every stop on his tour down under.

Justin hugged and chatted to fans in Perth, and also Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney.

The singer also met terminally ill youngsters after each of his concerts through the Make-A-Wish foundation, which he has supported since 2009.

The superstar now has a few days before his stadium show in New Zealand on March 18. From there, after a short break, Justin will head to South America before a slew of other dates.

Bieber’s Purpose World Tour wraps in Toronto in his native Canada on September 6.

[Featured Image By Kevin Muraz/Getty Images]