Imagine this: you are a teenage celebrity, earning a sum greater than any 9-to-5er can imagine, enjoying constant attention from millions of adoring fans from all over the world, and literally everyone wants to be associated with you. Wouldn’t you be intoxicated by the attention? That’s what has happened to Justin Bieber.
Unfortunately, stardom also means that you have to live in the constant glare of the media and the public, every day, all the time. Little wonder, then, that the 19-year-old pop idol has been scrutinised for his haircuts, his time-keeping, and his teenage misdemeanours. More recently, Bieber was again in the spotlight for reportedly hitting a limousine driver in Toronto several times in the head. He was charged with assault, just a few hours after pleading not guilty in a separate drink-driving incident in the US. His actions raise many questions: is he just a teenage star gone wild? Does he need to spend time in rehab? Is anyone advising him? And where will all this wild living lead?
Bieber is hardly the only one to face these concerns. Haven’t we heard similar stories before about Britney Spears, Leonardo DiCaprio and so many other teenage celebrities? What Bieber needs is what his fans already have – time to grow up.
