During a week filled with marquee concerts in the Philadelphia-area — Bob Dylan, Guns N' Roses, Modest Mouse, Azealia Banks — Justin Bieber's Friday night show at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall Arena flew a little bit under the radar.
The people of New Jersey haven't always been the best crowd for the 22-year-old heartthrob. During the "Believe" tour in 2013, New Jersey resident Sandy Ricketts claims she tripped over an electrical cable and suffered severe, permanently damaging injuries. She eventually filed a lawsuit and the last we've heard is that Bieber and his attorneys were pushing to have it thrown out.
Fast forward to Friday, when Bieber hit the stage for a stop on his "Purpose" tour. The eponymous album, an apologia of sorts for Bieber's rambunctious years, has been generally well-received and points to some possible signs of maturity as both a person and an artist. People are even discussing the idea of showing him respect.
Someone who didn't receive that memo was unfortunately present at Friday night's show. Bieber got miffed by a fan who attempted to throw a hat at him right in the middle of his sincere speech about not giving up on yourself when you're having a bad day. He calls the guy out, finishes the speech, and then calls the guy out a second time before getting on with the music.
Was this fan really being rude? As generalizing as this sounds, do hockey players ever complain when hats rain down on the ice for a hat trick? No, and Bieber is Canadian! How else do you even begin to honor him?
In truth, ever since Kevin Hart gave Bieber a chance to redeem himself at last year's scathing Comedy Central roast, he's been a lot more endearing (Warning: Video contains explicit language and themes).
We take interest in Bieber because we basically have no choice. This guy is with us now for the long haul and we all know it.
When you superhumanly look past the show business charades and frequent disregard for the rule of law, Bieber actually does seem highly committed to helping and inspiring people. He's supported more than 20 charities across a range of causes and frequently posts photos with his adoring fans. This is, for the record, the kind of moment he much prefers.