Dear God. It's Bieber.

Ok.  I'll be the first to admit that I don't "get" Justin Bieber.  He's cute, yes.  Talented? Yes.  However, he's a marketing juggernaut.  I'm sure that there are a thousand other kids out there in America that are as equally talented.  They just didn't push it as hard.  And we all know that 95% of fame is marketing.  How else would half of the Billboard Top 100 have jobs?  As I'm sitting here with ruptured eardrums from the screams of 2 teenage girls, I'm shaking my head at the depth of their complete and utter fascination and obsession with J-Beebs.  I'm drinking copious amounts of a good Moscato, in order to just deal with the manic behavior that I'm seeing exhibited while they are watching "Never Say Never". 

I remember being 14.  Honestly I do!  I was 14 in 1985.  Michael Jackson was at the PEAK of his popularity.  Prince was on the charts.  Madonna was hot.  I remember looking at news footage of Michael Jackson around the country, and the world, and seeing people literally fainting while waiting for a glimpse of him.  I can't hate.  I played my LP of Thriller out.  Every time a video came on MTV, I had a blank VHS tape waiting to record it so I could watch it later and do the moves in my living room.

Bieber and his camp are masterminds for using YouTube and Twitter and other various forms of social networking to build his "army of followers".  I mean, his hair is a bit ridiculous.  He can sing, yes.  He can play instruments, yes.  He can dance somewhat.  But is he worthy of iconic status like Michael?  Like Madonna?  Like Prince?  That will remain to be seen.  Will he be an artist that can transcend his "teen following" and make the transition into adult music?  Honestly, I'm not sure.  Only a few artists on the charts have gone from teen sensation to adult sensation.  His mentor, Usher, started as a teen star and has been able to transcend the curse and still put out quality music and entertainment for "grown folks". 

I do have to give his mom props for being a fellow strong single mother, and it looks, thus far, that she's provided a strong and stable influence in his life.  Hopefully he'll let her, and she'll continue, to be the voice of reason in the back of his mind and keep him from becoming a tragic footnote in music history. 

So, in the meantime, I'll tip my glass up a little higher to dull the sensation of Bieber Fever, and watch with fondness as my daughter and her best friend echo memories of me and my friends playing "Thriller" over and over again......

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