Justin Bieber has been given a big old metaphorical slap on the wrists. A long overdue slap on the wrists, it would seem, after what feels like a lifetimes worth of reprimands as pop music’s mischievous and misguided little brother.
This time around it’s not the Miami Police Department forcing Beib to face the consequences of his particularly dickheadish actions, though. It’s the country of China.
It’s been announced that Justin won’t be allowed to perform his Purpose tour in China this year, reports The Guardian. In response to a query on its website, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture explained that Justin won’t be allowed to play because of ‘bad behaviour’ in his social life and dissatisfactory performances locally (remember there was a period earlier this year when after a number of shows there were loads of complaints about JB being late, turning up hungover, not singing properly, forgetting words and stuff? It wouldn’t be surprising if that had something to do with it).
They said: ‘Justin Bieber is a gifted singer but also a controversial young foreign singer. It is understood that as a public figure, he had a series of bad behaviour in the overseas social life and in the domestic performance activities caused public dissatisfaction
To be fair, this isn't the first time China has told celebrities that they're not welcome in their country. It happened to Brad Pitt after the release of his *Seven Years in Tibet *film (it had pro-Tibetan views that offended the Chinese government, you see). It also happened to Selena Gomez last year when the China-based leg of her Revival tour was cancelled because pictures of her were taken with the Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama a couple of years before. Maroon 5's visit to China reportedly might have been cancelled because the keyboard player tweeted Happy Birthday to the Dalai Lama. Even Bob Dylan was blocked from performing in the country back in 2010.
But the clear difference here, of course, is that the musicians banned before him were banned for standing up for, or speaking out about, their support of Tibet. Literally all the other high-profile people who have been banned from China in recent years (bar Miley Cyrus who was banned back in her Hannah Montana days for pulling her face into that outrageously offensive, definitely not okay to do, Asian stereotype), have done so because they have engaged in a grown-up politican debate. Instead, Justin Beiber is joining the pretty impressive list of high profile celebrities who have been barred from reaching their Chinese audience in person for being a little shit.
As Justin Beiber has earned a reputation for being a royal pain in the ass China doesn’t want him on its turf. It seems China is no longer interested in JBs school boy shenanigans. Apparently, China is not a Belieber, and would prefer if the Canadian pop star would stay the fuck away, thanks.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.