Justin Bieber: New Kids On The Block Weigh In, ‘Just Be You, Have Fun’

Justin Bieber could probably fill a concert venue with critics alone, but he does have the support of New Kids on The Block (NKOTB) who think he should stop worrying about the media and “have fun.”

The 19-year-old singer has come under considerable fire in recent months after a string of actual and alleged incidents that occurred both on and off his Believe world tour.

Bieber is facing a possible battery charge after a neighbor claimed he was spat at and threatened by the singer during an argument in March. He is also being sued by a paparazzo who claims the pop star assaulted him in an alleged incident last year.

Bieber recently voiced his frustrations on Twitter at the bad press he receives and has previously claimed some reports are either false or exaggerated.

Similarly, NKOTB made the point that firm details behind the headlines and allegations against the Canadian are not yet known.

“We don’t know how many stories are exaggerated,” singer Jordan Knight told E! News. “Don’t listen to the hype of the media … Just be you, have fun. Have fun would be the main thing [I’d tell him]!”

Bandmate Joey McIntyre agrees:

“When I think of what I did when I was 19 or 20 … I made some mistakes and I think we all have,” he said. “Unfortunately for some people, they have to live it all over the world or all over the internet.”

“You kind of feel for the kid,” he went on. “He’s probably making some mistakes but hopefully he will get through it and realize there is more to life than playing arenas.”

Donnie Wahlberg, echoing views voiced by actor Channing Tatum who remarked that stardom can freeze-frame child stars and arrest them at the age they first experience fame, told Parade magazine:

“He [Justin] has been in a fishbowl for four years.” He continued. “He’s behind. We were behind. When I was 24 and stopped touring with the New Kids, I thought I could meet with businessmen — that I could walk into any office in the world and feel totally at ease and talk my way into some kind of deal and walk out with a check.”

“I had total confidence. But I couldn’t book a trip for a weekend getaway. In some ways I was the exact same 18-year-old boy I was before I left for the tour five years earlier. I was looking in the mirror like, ‘Who am I?'”

NKOTB, who secretly reunited in 2007, are currently touring North America.  In January, the group announced they were releasing a new single “Remix” and a new album, 10.

Bieber is scheduled to play the Century Link Center in Omaha, Nebraska on July 6 before moving on to Iowa and Chicago.