Justin Bieber and Ellen DeGeneres on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
TRUE CONFESSIONS
Justin Bieber has apologized for all his bad-boy behaviour in recent memory and wants his fans to know, "I'm not who I was pretending to be."
Rolling Stone reports that the Canadian singer issued a public apology in a video posted to his Facebook page yesterday, shortly after his surprise appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
In the self-filmed video, which can be seen here, a serious Bieber says, "I didn't want to come off arrogant or conceited, or basically how I've been acting the past year, year and a half."
Adds the 20-year-old pop star: "Often we pretend to be something we're not as a cover up of what we're truly feeling inside. And there was a lot of feelings going on in there. Just being young and growing up in this business is hard. Just growing up in general is hard."
Among other transgressions, Bieber was arrested for DUI in Miami almost exactly one year ago and soon after was charged with vandalism in Los Angeles for egging a neighbour's house.
More recently, Bieber was charged with dangerous driving and assault in his hometown of Stratford, Ont., last September after he allegedly collided with a vehicle while driving an all-terrain vehicle. The collision allegedly led to a physical confrontation with a paparazzi.
But no hint of any such Bieber belligerence on Ellen yesterday, where he surprised the host for her 57th birthday.
An unannounced guest, Bieber, who turns 21 on March 1, surprised DeGeneres by walking out onto the Ellen soundstage carrying a bouquet of flowers and a fresh package of Calvin Klein underwear (he was recently named the new celebrity spokesmodel for the international fashion brand).
During his appearance on Ellen, Bieber admitted to having some anxiety about being the subject of scorn on his upcoming celebrity roast, slated to air on Comedy Central on March 7.
"I think it's cool to laugh at yourself – I've done some things that might not have been the greatest," said Bieber.
When DeGeneres jokingly responded by saying, "I don't know what you're talking about." Bieber replied, "I just want to be able to laugh about it, and just kind of own up to some of these things."
You can watch Bieber's complete interview on the Ellen show here.
As for the sincerity of Bieber's unexpected mea culpa, it's probably worth noting he recently confirmed that he will release a new album and go on tour later this year.
But at the same time, Bieber's contrition about dastardly deeds past seems authentic in the Facebook video, particularly when he says, "I just want to make the best impression on people and be kind and loving and gentle and soft. And although people can call me a 'softie,' that's how my mom raised me."
Aw, The Biebs really is a Canadian at heart.
NOT GONE TOO SOON
Despite what you may have heard on Twitter, rumours of Gene Hackman's demise have turned out to be premature. The Oscar-winning actor, who turns 85 on Friday, became the inadvertent victim of a death hoax this week courtesy of a misleading headline on the website Grantland.com. On Tuesday, Grantland published a profile of Hackman under the headline, "The Greatest Living American Actor at 85: Gene Hackman is Gone But Still in Charge." The headline prompted thousands of Twitter users to mourn Hackman's passing, including fellow actor Dylan McDermott, who tweeted, "Rest in Peace." On Wednesday, Hackman's representative confirmed to ABC News that Hackman, who officially retired from acting 11 years ago, was alive and well. Grantland, meanwhile, changed the wording in its headline from "gone" to "retired."
Source: Hollywood Reporter
GOSLING CARES
Hey, gents: If you're looking to increase your feminist sensibilities, you might want to check out some Ryan Gosling memes. According to a new study from the University of Saskatchewan, the rakish Canadian actor has unknowingly become the Internet's most effective proponent for feminist ideology. The study showed a series of the popular memes – in which the actor is pictured beside a feminist statement – to a group of nearly 100 college students. Afterward, the test group showed a significantly higher endorsement of feminist beliefs and that attitude was more pronounced in male participants.
Source: Washington Post