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Is there anything more strange (or more exciting) at an awards show than a powerful heckle?

Statuette ceremonies are habitually such self-congratulatory group hugs that there’s rarely any room for dissent, so when the boos come out, it tends to stop the Internet in its tracks.

Last night’s Billboard Music Awards incident surely wasn’t the first time Justin Bieber has been booed, but even though he was wearing dark shades, it was clear he was shaken by the reaction. He pointed out to the crowd that he was still only 19 years old (even if it feels like we’ve had him in our lives for no less than four decades now), and that his level of success justified his victory.

But then he took a stand, letting loose with this instantly-infamous statement: “I really just want to say, it really should be about the music. It should be about the craft that I’m making. This is not a gimmick, I’m not — I’m an artist, and I should be taken seriously. And all this other bull should not be spoken of.”

Let’s make one thing clear: Justin Bieber would like you to talk about him because you like songs from Believe and not because he has monkey problems,  a blog-catnip on-again/off-again relationship with another pop star, and sometimes attacks photographers on the street. He wants to be known as an “artist,” whatever that means. He is not tabloid fodder nor a meme victim. He should be taken seriously.

And he’s right: Justin Bieber should be taken seriously. READ FULL STORY »