Scooter Braun, manager of Justin Bieber, was much in the conversation last night at Billboard magazine’s Power 100 issue party in Hollywood. The topic: the fact that Braun, who’s made a fortune with Bieber, is rarely with his client. He didn’t fly to Miami when Bieber was arrested yesterday. Instead he issued this terse Tweet that seemed to indicate he hadn’t talked to the 19 year old Bieber at all since his arrest, booking and incarceration:
@justinbieber love you and i will act in the manner of someone who truly cares. that is all I have to say. thanks for all those concerned
— Scooter Braun (@scooterbraun) January 24, 2014
Most famous managers are with their clients 24/7. Last night among the power players at the Billboard event, many spoke about how Irving Azoff has been with the Eagles every night of their Forum stand. Kathy Schenker is always with Sting. Johnny Barbis is a permanent fixture with Elton John. Arnold Stiefel knows all of Rod Stewart’s moves. And so on. Where JLO goes, Benny Medina is there. Mariah Carey– Jermaine Dupri was on the red carpet with her at the SAG Awards. When you see Justin Timberlake, Johnny Wright is in lock step.
But Bieber? While he’s partying, carousing, racing, doing drugs, drinking, Scooter Braun is invariably on a vacation, in Europe. skiing, at a beach resort. He Tweets the whole mishegos, full of pictures. Said one music insider last night: “He isn’t a manager. He’s an entrepreneur. Justin Bieber has no manager.”
A few people last night speculated that Braun is getting out of the picture, taking his money, and calling it quits. His many Tweets lately seem to focus on singers Tori Kelly and Arianna Grande. Braun’s group The Wanted broke up yesterday in an announcement.
On Twitter at least, Braun has never met an aphorism he didn’t like. He is the king of mindless cliches. He also posted this yesterday
Been a long day. Bottom line is we are defined by how we handle adversity. Be there when it counts. Love fully in good times and bad.
— Scooter Braun (@scooterbraun) January 24, 2014
Braun found Bieber on YouTube seven years ago. He created him as a teen popstar from hick Canadian, brought him to America and the world, introduced him to the world in which he now lives. Bieber’s parents are divorced and just 38 years old– meaning they had him when they were just 19. None of them have any higher education. Whatever they’ve learned in the last seven years they will now have to employ if they’re going to navigate their way out of this mess..