Names and faces
China’s capital says it won’t be inviting Justin Bieber to perform in the country because of his past “bad behavior ,” although it did concede that the Canadian singer has talent. In response to a question from a purported fan on its Web page, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture said it was acting in the interest of imposing standards and order and “cleaning up” the domestic performance market. It said Bieber’s “bad behavior,” including in his private life abroad and while in China to perform, had caused “public dissatisfaction.” It did not provide details. Bieber performed in Beijing, Shanghai and the eastern city of Dalian in 2013. During his 2013 visit, the 23-yearold singer drew criticism when pictures showed him being carried up the Great Wall of China by a pair of bodyguards. “Justin Bieber is a young foreign singer who is talented at singing but also controversial,” the bureau said. “Therefore, it’s not appropriate to bring in artists who show bad behavior,” it said. “However, in the process of growing up and improving his words and deeds, he can truly develop into a singer who is beloved of the masses,” it added. Bieber has had numerous run-ins with police around the world. Bieber’s Purpose World Tour wraps up in Asia in September with performances in Tokyo, the semiautonomous Chinese territory of Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia.
Goosebumps creator R.L. Stine got a surprise during his first trip to the San Diego Comic-Con: The 73-year-old author received the organization’s Inkpot Award, which recognizes contributions to the worlds of comics, fantasy and sci-fi. Past recipients include Steven Spielberg, Neil Gaiman and George Lucas. “Everyone’s being too nice to me,” Stine said. “I’m not used to it. I don’t get that at home.” Stine, who grew up in Ohio and now lives in New York City, received the honor before appearing at a panel Thursday in which he told stories from throughout his career. He said he was initially reluctant to write scary stories for young readers, but once he came up with the name Goosebumps, he decided to give it a try. He has now written 130 Goosebumps books. Stine also announced Thursday that a new line of Goosebumps comic books is in the works and that he’s making his first foray into comics with a Marvel series called Man Thing.