Were Justin Bieber’s Turkey concert pauses culturally sensitive, or selfish?
Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber (C) arrives at Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul on May 1, 2013. Teen star Justin Bieber caused somewhat of a scene at the Sabiha Gokcen Airport when he attempted to skip passport control as he entered the country, forcing security officials to refuse to allow him to leave the airport. Bieber’s concert took place at Istanbul Technical University’s sports arena on May 2, 2013.
Well, we just don't know what to "beliebe" anymore.
Justin Bieber was hailed as a culturally sensitive pop icon for reportedly pausing his Thursday night concert in Turkey twice for azhan, the Islamic call to prayer.
"Concertgoers flooded Twitter with their heartfelt comments about the singer's decision to observe the prayer call," E! Online reported. "Color us impressed, Biebs!"
While the performer's fans and foes alike were gung-ho about his gesture of respect in Istanbul, a Turkish daily paper is painting a slightly more selfish picture of the pauses.
Hurriyet reported that Bieber was annoyed at the shower of toys and scarves being thrown at him while on stage:
Fans were throwing toys and scarves at the beloved singer as a show of appreciation, but the teen magnet decided he wanted no more of it, and abandoned the stage. He stayed backstage and refused to come out until an announcement was made in Turkish, informing fans that the show would not go on until the toys stopped coming in.
Bieber tweeted his appreciation for the audience after the show:
…but didn't offer any clues to the real reason for the pauses. It just may have to be one of those great mysteries of the universe.
Without federal support, local stations, especially in rural and underserved areas, face deep cuts or even closure. Vital public service alerts, news, storytelling, and programming like The World will be impacted. The World has weathered many storms, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to being your trusted source for human-centered international news, shared with integrity and care. We believe public media is about truth and access for all. As an independent, nonprofit newsroom, we aren’t controlled by billionaire owners or corporations. We are sustained by listeners like you.
Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World.