Justin Bieber with regards to Anne Frank

[Judah]

I don't understand what the flap is about.  Apparently, Anne Frank was a fan of the pop culture of her time. She even had posters of movie stars on her walls. If Bieber had been around then, she may very well have been a fan. All he did was express the thought that she might have been a fan. Why is that so awful?

I agree it was self-centred, but then, a kid in Bieber's place is unlikely to be anything but. And yes, Anne Frank was a typical teenager, and she probably *would* have been a fan. I think Bieber was, in his own klutzy way, trying to say he thought she was cool.

This is what I was trying to say, but Twik worded it much better.

[artk2002]

Yes, it's true that this is typical teenage self-centeredness. The issue is that 99.9999% of teenagers don't have a worldwide audience for that behavior. He's put himself into the public spotlight, so the obligation is on him to behave better. "He's just a kid" is a lousy excuse, Simon Pegg notwithstanding. I wouldn't accept that kind of behavior from my teenage sons, nor should we accept it from Bieber. A 19yo is quite capable of learning to be respectful and circumspect when out in public. A 19yo is certainly capable of understanding the historic significance of Anne Frank and where she lived, and respecting that.

Honestly, I'm surprised at the number of people here who are bringing up the "he's just a kid" excuse. We don't accept that in "Families And Children," so why do we accept it here?

[Hillia]

Yes, it's true that this is typical teenage self-centeredness. The issue is that 99.9999% of teenagers don't have a worldwide audience for that behavior. He's put himself into the public spotlight, so the obligation is on him to behave better. "He's just a kid" is a lousy excuse, Simon Pegg notwithstanding. I wouldn't accept that kind of behavior from my teenage sons, nor should we accept it from Bieber. A 19yo is quite capable of learning to be respectful and circumspect when out in public. A 19yo is certainly capable of understanding the historic significance of Anne Frank and where she lived, and respecting that.

Honestly, I'm surprised at the number of people here who are bringing up the "he's just a kid" excuse. We don't accept that in "Families And Children," so why do we accept it here?

Bingo.  And even though I know I was a major jerk at times at 19, and I know that DS is a major jerk sometimes at 19 right now, neither he nor I would take the opportunity of visiting the Anne Frank house to mention how cool we are, and how Anne would have loved us. 

And while Anne Frank was a very typical teenager in many ways, and treasured her clippings about movie stars and other pop culture icons, her musical taste ran more to classical, so it's doubtful she would have been a fan of Justin Bieber or any commercially-created pop star.

[Winterlight]

Yes, it's true that this is typical teenage self-centeredness. The issue is that 99.9999% of teenagers don't have a worldwide audience for that behavior. He's put himself into the public spotlight, so the obligation is on him to behave better. "He's just a kid" is a lousy excuse, Simon Pegg notwithstanding. I wouldn't accept that kind of behavior from my teenage sons, nor should we accept it from Bieber. A 19yo is quite capable of learning to be respectful and circumspect when out in public. A 19yo is certainly capable of understanding the historic significance of Anne Frank and where she lived, and respecting that.

Honestly, I'm surprised at the number of people here who are bringing up the "he's just a kid" excuse. We don't accept that in "Families And Children," so why do we accept it here?

At 19, I'd say we're past the "he's just a kid" stage.

I think he's self-absorbed and stupid.

[Diane AKA Traska]

The wording at the beginning is fine.  But the last sentence really just makes it all about him.  Especially using the catch-phrase "belieber".  I'd be more likely to give him a pass if he'd said "I'd like to think that she'd be a fan."  But overall, if "I bet she'd love my music" is what you take away from the Anne Frank House, then phrasing is the least of your concerns.

[Piratelvr1121]

Yes, it's true that this is typical teenage self-centeredness. The issue is that 99.9999% of teenagers don't have a worldwide audience for that behavior. He's put himself into the public spotlight, so the obligation is on him to behave better. "He's just a kid" is a lousy excuse, Simon Pegg notwithstanding. I wouldn't accept that kind of behavior from my teenage sons, nor should we accept it from Bieber. A 19yo is quite capable of learning to be respectful and circumspect when out in public. A 19yo is certainly capable of understanding the historic significance of Anne Frank and where she lived, and respecting that.

Honestly, I'm surprised at the number of people here who are bringing up the "he's just a kid" excuse. We don't accept that in "Families And Children," so why do we accept it here?

At 19, I'd say we're past the "he's just a kid" stage.

I think he's self-absorbed and stupid.

POD

[mechtilde]

One of my Dutch friends summed it up well- it would have been fine if had been anyone except him saying that.

[Diane AKA Traska]

One of my Dutch friends summed it up well- it would have been fine if had been anyone except him saying that.

If Lady Gaga had said "Hopefully she would have been a Monster", I would think her as self-centered.

[Piratelvr1121]

One of my Dutch friends summed it up well- it would have been fine if had been anyone except him saying that.

If Lady Gaga had said "Hopefully she would have been a Monster", I would think her as self-centered.

I agree.  I think he would have been fine if he'd left off the part about her being a Belieber.

[Diane AKA Traska]

One of my Dutch friends summed it up well- it would have been fine if had been anyone except him saying that.

If Lady Gaga had said "Hopefully she would have been a Monster", I would think her as self-centered.

I agree.  I think he would have been fine if he'd left off the part about her being a Belieber.

While I wouldn't say "fine", I will say that using fan instead of belieber would be less about him and more about her, so I'd be more likely to give it a general "meh".

[blue2000]

One of my Dutch friends summed it up well- it would have been fine if had been anyone except him saying that.

I'd interpret this as more like  - if someone else had joked about her being a Bieber fan it wouldn't be news. It would just be amusing. And a little sad that she never got the chance to do normal teen stuff.

Because Bieber said it himself, it sounds off.

[Minmom3]

IMO, it sounds 'off' because everything Bieber DOES comes off as massively self centered.  Either nobody in his entourage and family are doing anything to help him show even a smidge of humility about his place in the world, or he refuses to listen.  Possibly both! 

Kid needs one of those t-shirts that says,"Good News.  They've discovered the center of the Universe"  "Bad news!  Is isn't YOU!!"

[BeagleMommy]

While I agree that most 19-year-olds are not the epitome of maturity, most know how to behave in a museum.  Especially one as reverential as Anne Frank House.

Had he written some similar drivel in The Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame you might say "Okay, he's a bit much" but to write something so self-egrandizing in such a sacred place is beyond immature.

I think young Mr. Bieber has had far too many people telling him how wonderful he is and it's time he got a reality check.

[Piratelvr1121]

While I agree that most 19-year-olds are not the epitome of maturity, most know how to behave in a museum.  Especially one as reverential as Anne Frank House.

Had he written some similar drivel in The Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame you might say "Okay, he's a bit much" but to write something so self-egrandizing in such a sacred place is beyond immature.

I think young Mr. Bieber has had far too many people telling him how wonderful he is and it's time he got a reality check.

My thoughts as well.  I went to the Holocaust museum in high school on a field trip and even now I can remember how much that place affected me.   

[Kiara]

While I agree that most 19-year-olds are not the epitome of maturity, most know how to behave in a museum.  Especially one as reverential as Anne Frank House.

Had he written some similar drivel in The Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame you might say "Okay, he's a bit much" but to write something so self-egrandizing in such a sacred place is beyond immature.

I think young Mr. Bieber has had far too many people telling him how wonderful he is and it's time he got a reality check.

Plus the shadowboxing with his friends while in the museum makes me doubt how seriously he was taking the whole thing.