Friday 24 January 2014

Fuck you, Justin Bieber

I know in my last post I promised a stupid story about me, but this takes precedence.  The post about me is written, but it will have to wait.  I've done stories about stupid patients, stupid doctors, and stupid lawyers, but never about a stupid celebrity.  Yesterday the opportunity presented itself, and I would be an idiot not to pounce on it.  This time the idiot is not me, it is a 19-year old self-absorbed, egotistical, narcissistic little twit named Justin Bieber. 

Let me start by saying I am not jealous of Justin.  No really, I'm not.  Stop laughing and hear me out.  I'm not jealous of his enormous army of fans ("Beliebers"), I'm not jealous of his $160 million that he's earned before age 20, I'm not jealous that he's so damned cute (I'm at least as cute as he, I assure you), and I'm not jealous that he's approximately 431,758,962 times more famous than I (but who wants to be famous anyway?).  So why the acerbic title?  Why the venom then?  If it isn't jealousy, why am I so angry with the adorable little moppet?

It's for one simple reason: because Justin is an idiot who thought it was ok to drink alcohol (apparently his blood alcohol level was below the legal limit, even for a minor), smoke weed, pop some prescription pills, have a few buddies block off a street in Miami, rent a Lamborghini and a Ferrari, and drag race at 4AM going double the speed limit.  Fortunately no one was hurt.  Even more fortunate was that he got caught.

This stupid story is stupid on many levels, like Stupidception.  Sure he drove after drinking alcohol, but that's not the worst part.  And sure he acted like an entitled ass when he got pulled over ("What the fuck did I do?  Why did you stop me?" he moronically said), but that's not even the worst part.  No, the worst part is that Justin has millions of rabid fans thinking that what he did yesterday is forgivable and just a simple mistake.  A quick check of social media finds this minuscule sampling of how his fans see this (these are actual, unedited quotes):

  • Everybody makes mistakes, but it doesn't mean they're bad people.
  • Listening to all my favorite J-Biebs songs in honor of his arrest
  • it's now our time to save our lifesaver
  • he has been depressed just a kid who is depressed who needs help
  • I honestly love him 
  • Justin all your fans are here for you it's not your fault
  • no matter what we won't give up on him he saved us now it's our turn to save him
  • Bieber is a smart young man that just did something dumb
  • he has been under too much pressure, hope people can understand
Maybe Justin should stop listening to his delusional fans for one minute (seriously girls, he is NOT your boyfriend) and talk to Bob. 

I met Bob (not his real name) just after midnight some time ago after what he described as a typical night - getting home from work and getting shitfaced at the bar.  Most nights he had his buddy drive him home, but this night that buddy had stayed home sick.  It was a short drive, so Bob decided to drive himself.  He'd never had any problems getting home from the bar.  Until now. 

The driver of the other car came around a corner only to see Bob's headlights speeding towards her in her lane.  Her 8-year old daughter was asleep in the back seat, and she didn't even wake up as her mother tried to swerve but didn't have time.  Both cars were obliterated.

Wendy (not her real name) and Bob were both brought to me at the same time in separate ambulances.  Bob had been too drunk to put on his seatbelt, and his face went straight into the windscreen.  He was awake and talking, however.  Very intoxicated, but talking.

Wendy was not.  Her head took the brunt of the impact, and she was barely conscious when she arrived, her head injury obvious and massive.  I ran back and forth between the two trauma bays, barking orders, tending to both, trying to determine in the first few seconds who was injured worse.  I got my answer 5 minutes later when Wendy's heart stopped.  We started CPR, but despite exhaustive measures we could not get it restarted.  I pronounced her dead about 30 minutes after she arrived.  I found out later that night that her daughter, who had been taken to the local children's hospital, had died at almost the same time. 

Bob ended up having a LeFort III fracture of his face - the bones of his midface were basically all shattered and dissociated from the rest of his skull- but no other serious injuries.  I went to see him the next morning, and he had no recollection of the night before.  I explained that he would need extensive reconstructive surgery by a highly-specialised plastic surgeon to put his face back together.  When I asked if he had any questions, he had only one:

"Was anyone else hurt?"

I nodded.  His shoulders dropped and his badly-swollen eyes widened. 

"How bad?  Come on Doc, tell me.  Oh god, how bad is it?"

I struggled internally between anger over what he had done (imagining how I'd feel if it had been my wife and daughter he had killed instead of Wendy and hers) and feeling sorry for him for what he was about to hear.  Knowing he had to hear the truth, I gave it to him, honestly and fully.

He sank to the bed and cried openly.  I paused but had nothing else to say that would change anything, so I left without saying another word.  It was clear that Bob would punish himself worse than my words, or any judge and jury, ever could.

Bob left the hospital a few days later, his face still swollen but fully reconstructed.  For the rest of his life Bob will have to look in the mirror and see the scars on his face.  Those scars will be a daily reminder of how just one simple, little mistake can profoundly change your life, and the lives of everyone around you, forever. 

When Mr. Bieber was released from jail after posting bail an hour after he got there, he had a perfect opportunity to change many lives for the better by choosing to do the right thing.  All it would have taken to make a huge difference was to stop outside the jail, apologise for his stupidity, recklessness, and carelessness, speak out vehemently against impaired driving, and show his millions of young, impressionable fans around the world that what he did was wrong.  Instead, he decided to do what any reasonably responsible citizen would do - pause, preen, and pose for pictures while perched atop his handler's Cadillac Escalade (in leather pants, no less).  


He simply waved to his screaming horde of fans for a moment and left.  His window of opportunity is closing fast, but he still has a chance to try to make amends. 

But I strongly suspect he won't.  And that makes me very, very angry.  It is moments like these, moments that should be humbling, that show the world your true character, and he has done that.  Now you know why I have no respect for this kid - because he has no respect for himself, his community, or his fans.

23 comments:

  1. Thanks Doc. The story you shared is the reality of drinking, drugs and driving.

    Bieber may not live long enough to ever understand the consequences of his actions.

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    1. The way he is heading, I would be very surprised if he reaches the age of 30. I remember a few years ago watching Amy Winehouse self destruct and having this same conversation. I hope I am wrong and that kid gets a reality check before it is too late. Incidentally, Amy's parents did try and help their daughter, unlike Bieber's dad who was drag racing with him, plus the little brat also told the cops that his mum had given him the prescription drugs

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    2. If that's true about Mom giving him the prescription drugs, then IMHO - Mom and Dad don't want to shut off the $$$ from their cash cow.

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  2. I honestly feel that his bail was set too low and his punishment not near what it should have been. Had this been an average, everyday person, bail would be too high to attain and punishment would be stronger. I feel that celebrities get a bit of a break because the prosecution doesn't want to deal with million dollar lawyers. So they slap him on the wrist, make him pay what is about twenty bucks to a superstar like him, and send him on his merry way. Its a farce, our system. We let the influences over our children get away with just about anything, but if it had been our children they would be punished to the fullest extent permitted. I have no jealousy over the Biebs. Except maybe banging Selena Gomez... But seriously, its all in status and money that keeps you out of trouble.

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    1. I am NOT condoning Bieber's behavior, I am simply addressing the legal concerns. His bail was set at the rate for first time offenders in the Miami Dade County. His punishment has NOT been determined yet so you cannot say he hasn't received strong enough or different punishment. That said, in nearly every state first time offenders have the opportunity to simply pay fines, get a license suspension, attend some classes, and be on their way. ANY CITIZEN in these states, unless their first time offense includes vehicular manslaughter or homicide (depending how it's charged) OR property damages in excess of a certain amount bringing the crime up from misdemeanor to felony. Remember, he has NOT received punishment from the county of arrest yet, he was simply arraigned and released from jail after the set time and bail. Now if he pays nothing, has to attend no classes, and all charges are dropped without any reason, then complain about special treatment. There are reports the police embellished initial reports of his behavior and BAC which could lead to legal dropping of all charges based on misconduct of the police...but that's a whole other can of worms.

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    2. At least Miami Dade had the guts to actually arrest the little shit. The LASD serves warrants and walks past cookie jars filled with weed….."neat and orderly house" as the 5 toilets flush upstairs in unison. And IIRC he was cited for an expired license here in LA County, and state law says that if you reside here for more than 4 weeks, you must get a CA license. He's being treated with kid gloves. Wonder how much he or his lackies will donate to the guys running for Sheriff so he keeps getting treated with kid gloves?
      He needs to do the morgue tour and work in the coroners office like Lindsay did (not that it helped).

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  3. So right Sprocket..and then I realize..what kind of boob rents a Lamborghini, blocks off a street, and drag races..to 60mph. ooohh boy, that's layin' down some rubber..wouldn't a nice stretch of open road ne more satisfying? Though devoid of fans and cameras..and perhaps the desired police response. Bad boy and all..seems to me he has been trying to get someone to notice his 'badness' for a while now, as have others gone before him..

    Doc, your tale breaks my heart for the innocents who nearly always lose in these encounters.

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  4. I'm with you Doc, I really, really hope this child and/or someone in his circle somewhere recognizes they need to address this seriously. Even if he does not want to be a role model he knows (they know) he is because of his chosen path in life. The responsible thing now is to not ignore this. Downplaying any of it because yes his BAC was so damn low is not the answer. It's a relief I'll admit the kid wasn't hammered while also driving like a fool in a vehicle he likely would not know how to handle well under real pressure. Plus he added pot and (possibly illegally obtained) Xanax. Not good.

    So sorry for the loss of your patient, and the man hopefully will never drink again, and if he does, he'll do so responsibly.

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  5. There was a point in time that I didn't think Britney Spears would make it to 30 (when she had that massive breakdown back in 2007/2008). Thank god someone cared enough about her to get her the help she needed. She's back on top and seems to be doing really well in Las Vegas. Hopefully someone cares enough about this teen to get him the help HE needs...

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  6. Eight more years and he can join the exclusive "27 Club."

    If he makes it that long.

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  7. Bieber's not going to get any help from his father. He was there, helping out with the drag race. Clearly, he won't get help from entourage. They're going to hang around with him, soaking up the overflow of groupies and cash. Clearly, he's not the least bit ashamed of his behavior as there he is after his release, sitting on the roof of the car and basking in the glow of his admirers. Shades of Michael Jackson.

    Just a few years before Jackson basically committed assisted suicide, I made the observation that he wouldn't live to be an old man, enjoying his grandchildren. Bieber is too young for me to make that observation, as pointed out above in the case of Brittany Spears, there is still the possibility that he could get a knock upside the head and grow the fuck up, if he doesn't die first. Too soon to tell.

    The cult of celebrity only encourages this kind of self-destructive behavior (which, in this case, could also destroy innocent bystanders).

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  8. Apparently, his Mum gave him the tablets and his dad was drag racing with him *smh* No wonder the kid is totally screwed up. Watching him is like watching a car crash waiting to happen if you pardon the pun.

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  9. If only there would've been an accident akin to Paul Walker while he was racing, then the world would've noticed.

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  10. Maybe some time time in jail will sort Bieber out. Maybe other inmates will beat some sense into him.

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  11. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-posnanski/justin-bieber-calls-fan_b_4425249.html
    http://nationalreport.net/justin-biebers-beached-whale-comment-leads-teen-girls-suicide/

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    1. The first post is unsubstantiated, and the second is a false report on a satire website (akin to The Onion). I do my best to concentrate on facts here, not rumours and conjecture.

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  12. He's a kid who's had everything given to him in plentiful quantity....He's nowhere near grown up...and I can think of many kids his age who do/did stupid stuff just like that, and worse. Being a celebrity doesn't suddenly make everything come together. He's gotta pay for his mistakes just like everyone else. does.

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  13. The Bebe is now charged with assault in Canada. I hope someone can sit this young man down and talk some sense into him (and that he actually listens) before he hurts or kills someone and ends up dead himself. And I'm guessing that someone won't be either one of his so-called parents.

    http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/29/showbiz/justin-bieber-toronto-arrest/index.html

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  14. Food for thought.
    https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/deport-justin-bieber-and-revoke-his-green-card/ST1yqHJL

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  15. This is a little late, but I found this to be pretty funny:
    https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/deport-justin-bieber-and-revoke-his-green-card/ST1yqHJL

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  16. More Bieber outrageous behavior: http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/02/05/justin-bieber-flight-attendant-dad-harassing-drugs/

    "Remember when Justin’s private plane was detained at an airport on Jan. 31 for reeking of marijuana? Now a shocking report claims Justin, his dad and 10 friends were smoking so much pot on their flight, that the pilots were forced to wear oxygen masks. Plus, Justin and his did were allegedly harassing their female flight attendant!"

    I don't know anything about the source, but if true - what a couple of assholes. And young Bieber is clearly an entitled asshole.

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