My theory is that he genuinely didn’t understand the guy at first, and when he realized what he was saying he tried to make a joke out of it. He has a very strange sense of humor.
The Sistine Chapel thing I think was a legitimate boner. The look on his face afterwards kinda said it all.
PS he just graduated High School like a couple weeks ago. Now you’re up to speed.
BTW, what ‘Bieber’ is German for? Beaver.
Remember that next time someone says his fans have Bieber Fever.
According to Google translate the German translation of “Bieber” is “Bieber” and the translation of “Basketball” is “Basketball” (which makes sense) for whatever that’s worth.
Pompadur/TinTin? See also Zayn Malik and Logan Henderson.
Bieber is a homophone of Biber = beaver in German, so Germans will think fleetingly of castor fiber when Justin Bieber’s name is mentioned, but OTOH the other meaning of beaver is not present in German.
But what we call “basketball” is called “soccer” in other countries.
I know it was a joking gesture, but did anybody think Letterman’s grabbing Bieber’s arm and saying “wash it off!” was a bit bizarre and overly familiar? There are lots of people out there who don’t like to be touched like that, and with zillions of tweengirl fans Bieber is probably one of the most grabbed at people in show biz so he’s probably slightly paranoid on those lines. I thought it was kind of a dick gesture by Dave.
And I have to say this for Bieber- to have his level of fame and fortune he actually seems like a nice guy in his interviews. I know that’s a part of his brand, but it seems legit.
Read the latest interview in GQ. It might be the most depressing thing I’ve ever read. Not only does he come across as boring and more than a little clueless, but his life sounds absolutely awful to boot.
Yeah, all that money and fame and fortune. Terrible situation for a small town Ontario kid to find himself in.
Yeah he essentially can’t go anywhere or do anything or be friends with anyone because he can’t trust anybody. He has three friends he went to school with and he hardly gets to see them. I think he comes off as clueless because he’s spent the last 3-4 years being so isolated. Add in his somewhat strange childhood and you end up with this odd Michael Jacksonish personality.
I think they’re pretty close but apparently some of Letterman’s staff members pointed that out to him and said he was “snappish to the boy” during the commercial and when Bieber came out to perform he apologized very sincerely and Justin said “It’s all good: I expect it.” LOL
I knew you would be all over this thread. 
He repeated “German” immediately after the guy said it and he pronounced it perfectly, so I can’t imagine he thought it was some other word. The only explanation that makes any kind of sense to me is that Justin simply doesn’t understand the meaning of the word, and that only makes sense if his level of ignorance is really astounding. I would lay the blame on his parents, who it seems are not taking care he gets a decent education.
He sounds like a not particularly bright brat in that, but so does the writer.
Watched some of the rest of the video: was he lipsynching?
You have no idea how much restraint it took to not start it. LOL.
Also. I love how it’s like the same 5-10 of us in the Bieber threads, lol.
He does in super-dancy songs for breath-saving but not here I don’t think. It differs from the CD version.
“Boyfriend” is not a personal favorite of mine because of the rapping but I have to say he really put 110% into this performance. He’s a fantastic dancer. If you’re into techno-ish music you should check out “All Around the World.” I linked a friend of mine to it and he said “Oh you bitch.” Me: SAY IT! He: “I like it.”
Bieber repeats “‘German’?” looking for confirmation that he finally understands what the host is saying. Then the host says “German” in his New Zealand accent again, and apparently confuses Bieber; it seems that Bieber after that thinks “Oh, he didn’t say ‘German’ after all, he said… some other inscrutable word.”
At least, that’s my take on it. The “16th Chapel” thing, though, I think was genuine ignorance.
Which is somewhat baffling because of him having the super religious background. You’d think it would’ve come up in religious talk, if not art?
Also I’m guessing how you people side on the “sometimes the bear eats you” thing but Justin ATE THE BEAR!!!
Per wiki he did go to Catholic school, so you’d think so, and Adam:God has to be one of the most famous images anywhere in the Christian world, but, apparently even for somebody who dropped out of school as an adolescent he’s just not that observant or well read. (I am absolutely positive I’d have known what the Sistine Chapel was when I was an adolescent; I remember reading The Agony and the Ecstacy for a book report when I was in ninth grade.)
Maybe being embarrassed will make him want to learn. I doubt it- ignorance just doesn’t seem to be something many celebrities are embarrassed about- but it’s possible.