Justin Bieber accepted a Milestone Award at the Billboard Music Awards last night, and if you’re wondering what a Milestone Award is, it’s just a chance for a car company to buy ads against an online-voting module. In his speech, Bieber seemed less like a perky award recipient and more like a sad, sulky teenager who feels misunderstood. Also a lot of people booed as he stood there onstage. “I’m 19 years old,†Bieb said. “I think I’m doing a pretty good job. And basically, from my heart, I really just want to say, it should really be about the music, it should be about the craft, the craft that I’m making. This is not a gimmick,†he said, maybe a little defensively. “I’m an artist and I should be taken seriously, and all this other bull should not be spoken of.â€
Although in the video it looks like the speech went over okay, there was enough jeering in the theater that ceremony host Tracy Morgan scolded people. “Don’t be booin’ nobody, this ain’t Showtime at the Apollo,†he said. Ah, if only awards shows sent out Sandman to yank people offstage.