Where do we even begin with this story? So much has happened with Justin Bieber in the last few days that the only thing that really does the story justice is a full on timeline. Let’s call it the timeline of scandal…that turned out to just be a video premiere. Yeah, Justin got all of us pretty good with this one.
October 10: Justin tweets after a show and send the world into a frenzy. He tells fans that his laptop has been stolen and a lot of “personal footage” was on it. Everyone wonders what on earth that could mean – and if the mysterious hacker will post Justin’s private footage online.
sucks when u take personal footage and people dont respect your privacy.
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) October 10, 2012
yesterday during the show me and my tour manager josh had some stuff stolen. really sucks. people should respect other’s property
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) October 10, 2012
i had a lot of personal footage on that computer and camera and that is what bothers me the most. #lame #norespect
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) October 10, 2012
A mysterious Twitter user going by the name @gexwy tweets Justin saying his password was “weak” and threatening to release the footage.
@justinbieber notice us and answer your dms or we are going to put the other videosfrom the camera out!
— gexwy (@gexwy) October 11, 2012
Still October 10: Beliebers rally behind Justin (as always) and offer him support in his apparent time of need. Behind-the-scenes, Justin probably just chuckles because he knows he’s playing the most epic prank he’s ever pulled.
October 11: Justin plays it cool, but keeps dropping hints that he’s upset about the stolen laptop.
focusing on the good stuff. congrats @hoogs on the baby boy…but why is he bigger than you on his first day of life? lol. 9lbs!!??! #BIGBOY
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) October 11, 2012
The mysterious @gexwy gets angry that Justin hasn’t responded to DMs and announces plans to release the video “tomorrow” in retaliation.
@justinbieber i got your stupid dms. i dont think so. gonna show the world. TOMORROW!
— gexwy (@gexwy) October 11, 2012
Justin replies to @gexwy, saying that he’ll be able to make it through anything with the support of his fans.
@gexwy no matter what you have and what you post tomorrow i know my fans wont leave me. screw it. #toostrong
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) October 11, 2012
Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj gives us a clue that the “leaked footage” might actually be the “Beauty and a Beat” video when she tweets:
uh oh…the barbz have a BIG surprise cmng tmrw
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) October 12, 2012
October 12: Everything starts to come to a head when @gexwy starts taunting Justin about all of the media scruitiny he’s faced and asking if he’s “ready for more.” Justin replies by tweeting links to some of the most outlandish stories the media has ever run about him, all with the hashtag #noon. Nicki tweets again, telling fans that something big is happening in “20 minutes” and then, after a string of dramatic tweets (like the ones below), the truth is revealed.
since i was 14 i have had a lot of things said about me, from dying, to taking hormones, to dying again, to stuff about my family…
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) October 12, 2012
to saying i had a baby with a woman i never even met. nude pics, drugs, my family, my character…but today…today i get to be in on it…
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) October 12, 2012
Justin and @gexwy both tweet links to a video – which turns out to be Justin’s “Beauty and a Beat” video with Nicki. The footage is personal – Justin wrote, directed and shot the vid. You can check it out below.
What do you think of Justin’s prank/publicity stunt? It definitely got a lot of attention for the music video, we have to at least give Justin that. Do you think fans are upset about the prank or laughing right along with Justin? Tell us in the comments and on Twitter!