abnervaught: Justin Bieber, Scooter Braun Address 'Unfortunate' Paternity Suit

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Justin Bieber, Scooter Braun Address 'Unfortunate' Paternity Suit

Pop star jokes that a better false allegation would have been: 'Justin Bieber went off to South America with this 27-year-old supermodel.'
By Jocelyn Vena

Justin Bieber at New York radio station Z100 on Thursday
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Justin Bieber stopped by New York radio station Z100 on Thursday morning (November 17) and addressed a number of subjects, from his favorite candy (Swedish Fish) to his early crush on Selena Gomez to his Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe. But there was one topic he couldn't avoid: the paternity suit.

"Right now, I'm focusing on my album and the music and the [Pencils of Promise] charity we're doing, and just being positive because Christmastime is a time for joy and happiness, so that's what I'm thinking," Bieber told Elvis Duran and crew. "And as far as the whole baby situation, it's unfortunate that it had to happen like that. People make false accusations, but things happen in this industry and you have to keep your head high and be positive."

When asked if he wondered why he was the target of Mariah Yeater's allegations, he joked, "If it was up to me, it would have been a better story like, 'Justin Bieber went off to South America with this 27-year-old supermodel.' That would have been awesome.

"They say that any press is good press — I do not believe that's true," the pop star added. "If you're in the spotlight, then people are looking at you to be a role model, and if you're doing bad things to be getting press, I think that's really, really sad."

While Bieber was diplomatic about his response, his manager, Scooter Braun, had stronger words for Yeater and her legal team. "Look, I don't usually talk in front of mics but the bottom line is they said they're in settlement talks with us, and the only thing I'm gonna say is they will never be in settlement talks with us," he said. "We will never settle with them. That's my little guy right there — I protect him — and they messed with the wrong crew.

"It's false and people should be held accountable when they run out and say this stuff," Braun continued. "And they have this lawyer running around saying, 'Well, we want everything to be held confidentially now.' But you don't get to go out there and badmouth a 17-year-old kid to the entire world then suddenly think it's going to stay confidential. We're not gonna go away quietly. I'm from around [the NYC area], and you know that people from around here don't like to be messed with."

Bieber also revealed what he wants his legacy to be: "[I want people to say], 'He was a good entertainer; a great entertainer,' more or less. I don't want to be second- or third-best, but I want to be the best."

Justin's visit to New York City won't end with Z100. He's also slated to make various radio and media appearances, including a gala held for the Pencils of Promise charity and a Make-A-Wish Foundation event on Friday, where he'll be honored for granting the most wishes in 2011.

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