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Justin Bieber Opens Up About Fans’ Hysteria In Revealing ‘Bodyguards’ Documentary

By Page Mackinley
Published on: 09:40 PST, Nov 8, 2016

Justin Bieber has been internationally famous since 2009. But unlike most jobs which get easier the longer one does them, coping with fans can become more and more difficult as a superstar’s fame increases.

Bodyguards are needed as crowds get larger and more boisterous. The threat of a security risk or a mobbing scenario that gets out of hand are just some of the potentials that the Biebs and those who guard him have to think about.

In a forthcoming documentary, Bodyguards: Secret Lives from the Watchtower, Bieber, his longtime manager Scooter Braun, and Mikey Arana, Bieber’s chief bodyguard and director of security, give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the impact obsessive fans have on the singer and the protection he needs.

On Monday, two teasers were released from the documentary with Rolling Stone magazine. They reveal a window into the fans’ chaos that the Canadian superstar has to deal with.

The first teaser dropped earlier this year. But the latest rollout is particularly timely for the Biebs, as it gives some context to the struggles he faced while trying to speak to audiences at three concerts during the U.K. leg of his “Purpose World Tour.”

It should be noted that Bieber reportedly has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This affects how a person communicates as well as other social, mental, and emotional challenges.

Check out the trailer for Bodyguards below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZySgLLRLd08

At the start of the video, Arana talks about working hard to stay “out of sight out of mind” when he is on the road with the Biebs. He also gave his opinion on how fans have changed, although it’s doubtful this applies to all.

“As fans have grown,” Mikey begins, “they’re more likely to engage [Bieber] in a conversation than to grab him and literally rip him apart.”

The security head, who has been with Justin for three and a half years, adds, “I remember when I first started with him, it may sound crazy, but three, four little girls, emotional, they have so much strength that they would literally rip his shirt, take off his hoodie. And, if it’s a big crowd, you could lose him in the crowd.”

Arana went on to say he thinks “the fans have grown with him, so has their approach to be able to just come up to him and go, ‘Hey Justin, how are you?’ and engage in conversation.”

For his part, Bieber said the crucial thing that having bodyguards creates is “space,” “create boundaries,” and a “safe space.”

The pop prince mused that as some of his fans get older and know themselves more they “start understanding how to act” and “they actually want to act a little bit more sane so that maybe they get my attention.”

The 22-year-old notes, “Because at this point, if you’re screaming and super overwhelming, it’s hard for me to connect with you.”

Recalling his “fetus” days, Justin shared, “The first time I needed security I used this guy named Kenny, who was actually not really a real security guard.”

The singer explains, “He [Kenny] was actually just a boy of mine who was, like, large. We figured he could scare people off by just the way he looked.”

Elaborating on the decision to hire a security team, Bieber says, “Being at this place where the crowds are starting to get bigger, getting to the place where I felt like my safety was at risk. So, you know, it was about time that we started looking for people that were on that next level of protection.”

Adding his voice to the mix, Braun recalled the first occasion his team realized they needed to increase the Biebs’ security.

“I think we started realizing we needed security when thousands of people started showing up at radio stations,” he says.

“Then we went to Australia, and we told the Australians at this Sunrise TV show that we were going to need more security, and they didn’t believe us, and then the kids rioted the streets,” he adds.

The Bodyguards documentary doesn’t only offer a rare up-close glimpse of Bieber’s team, the movie also follows the security detail of the late Nelson Mandela, 50 Cent, and others.

The film is directed by Jaren Hayman and lands in theaters and on-demand on December 2.

Check out the clips below for examples of the harassment, danger, and invasiveness Bieber has to deal with from some members of the public, fans, and paparazzi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK6OwESDAuk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7E-LMC-SE8

[Featured Image by Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images]

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