Justin Bieber may not have the press on his side right now, but he does have Will Smith in his corner. The Hancock actor recently criticized what he called the media’s “war” on the singer and said young artists should be supported.
Speaking to Extra , Smith indirectly referred to Bieber’s recent media headlines chronicling his Believe tour — and off — dramas.
These included a dispute between the singer’s security team with doormen at a London nightclub, a paparazzo row, a late stage show, battery allegations, and more recently, the seizing of his pet monkey by Munich customs officials.
Smith — whose 14-year-old son Jaden was one of the support acts on some of Bieber’s Believe tour shows — has called for a less hysterical perspective on the singer’s behavior , saying:
“When somebody is 19 years old, they’re gonna do what they’re gonna do, just like we did.”
He added: “For me, the most important thing was for him to know anytime he can just call and I’ll come, whatever happens. At that age, that’s what you need, to know you can do what you’re gonna do, but you have somewhere you can go, where you can find safety.”
“It’s hugely important to support artists, young artists specifically. There is a war against that kind of artistry, that kind of creation.”
Smith isn’t the only person in the household to defend the embattled Bieber.
His wife, Jada, actress, producer and mother of two, spoke out last month in a thought provoking Facebook post titled, “Are We Bullying Our Young Artists?”
In it, she noted not just Justin, but also Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Quvenzhané Wallis, asking:
“Are we bullying our young artists? … Is it okay to continually attack and criticize a famous 19 year old who is simply trying to build a life, exercise his talents while figuring out what manhood and fame is all about as he carries the weight of supporting his family as well as providing the paychecks to others who depend on him to work so they can feed their families as well?”
Given that Bieber’s headlines have quantumed from ‘Spoilt,’ ‘Diva,’ ‘Meltdown,’ to ‘Out of Control,’ ‘Monstrous,’ and more recently,’Sex Drugs Parties At Bieber’s Manse’ claims — it would seem the Smiths have a point.
Although Canada’s finest has made some questionable decisions recently, the hysteria in some media reports as well as frankly misleading content — ‘Bieber Gropes Girls In Vienna Club’ a clear case in point — can perhaps accurately be called a “war.”
What do you think? Is the coverage on Justin Bieber getting out of hand and do you read media reports with a pinch of salt, or is all fair in love and war if you choose to become a celebrity?
[ Image via Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com ]