Vancouver Sun

Bieber’s career on verge of crumbling: image experts

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Leading crisis- management experts fear Justin Bieber’s arrogant antics are torpedoing his once- promising career.

Bieber, 20, has seen his reputation plummet over the past year, but his snooty performanc­e during a recorded deposition in Miami last week has accelerate­d his fall.

Highlights included the Canadian pop star dropping the F- bomb on an innocent court reporter; forgetting who his mentor Usher was; and revealing that he may be a tad thick by claiming he was “detrimenta­l” ( rather than instrument­al) to his own success. Insiders are now wondering: Who are the Baby singer’s fans these days?

“Someone who likes to watch train wrecks or planes crashing,” Eric Schiffer of Reputation­Management­Consultant­s.com told Fox News. “The worst is absolutely yet to come.”

The past year has seen the one- time parents’ favourite and squeaky- clean, God- fearing role model engage in a serious of ridiculous hijinks, often aided and abetted by his two live- in groupies, Lil Twist and Lil Za.

Schiffer said Bieber and his people need to clean up the spreading mess — now. Or his fan base may never forgive him.

“Until he grows up and awakens to his lack of respectful, dignified behaviour, then protecting his reputation cannot be done,” Schiffer told Fox.

But if fans are looking for some kind of mea culpa, they’re likely to be disappoint­ed. Bieber keeps insisting he’s a victim and police are targeting him.

Besides his outrageous antics, there are signs the superstar’s 15 minutes of fame are drawing to a close.

Last March, Bieber allegedly cancelled concerts in Portugal because of poor sales. The same thing happened late last year during an eight- date swing through Australia.

In December, his third film — Believe — was a box office turkey, bringing in just a fifth of the opening week receipts that 2011’ s Never Say Never, the most successful concert movie of all time, generated.

And don’t bother comparing Bieber’s bad behaviour to another young star. Miley Cyrus knows what she’s doing, experts say.

“Miley has not spun out of control. She is in control and pushing the envelope for attention. It is the opposite of out of control and what is happening with Bieber,” crisis expert Glenn Selig said.

But at least one PR expert said critics were jumping the gun.

Quantum Networks CEO Ari Zoldan told Fox: “A majority of his Beliebers defend him through thick and thin. They’re not going anywhere. I’m willing to bet the farm much more is coming down the pipeline.

“He is still in court and continuous­ly getting in trouble with the law. He is continuing a downward spiral with at least one ‘ episode’ a month. If he is smart he will correct his ways and get back on track.”

 ?? MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPT./ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES ?? A recent performanc­e by Justin Bieber in Miami has done little to aid the Canadian singer’s sinking reputation.
MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPT./ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES A recent performanc­e by Justin Bieber in Miami has done little to aid the Canadian singer’s sinking reputation.

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