Justin Bieber has been all over social media lately, smoking, partying with friends at Coachella and even confronting paparazzi, as rumors persist that he and wife Hailey are having issues. In fact, some of his recent behavior has people starting to worry about his finances, given the fact that he lost a lot of money when he pulled out of his tour back in 2022 and hasn’t been working. Let’s break down what happened and why insiders are concerned.
Justin Bieber Made Money By Selling The Rights To His Music, But Source Suggests He’s Blowing Through His Fortune
Looking at Hailey and Justin Bieber, you wouldn’t think money was something they’d have to be concerned about. After skyrocketing to pop stardom in the 2010s, the Biebs has an estimated worth of $300 million, with about $200 million of that coming from the deal he struck in 2023 to sell the publishing rights to his music, Page Six reports.
Hailey Bieber gave birth to son Jack Blues in August, Justin has been partying and allegedly doing drugs, and many are concerned about his behavior, as he’s reportedly cut ties with longtime friends and has been getting closer to more questionable characters as he continues to live a lavish lifestyle.
Why Justin Bieber Canceled His Justice World Tour And Lost $90 Million
When the Justice World Tour kicked off in February 2022, it was a long time coming for fans, who had originally planned to attend the tour closer to the release of his Changes and Justice albums. However, the pandemic forced the dates to be pushed, and then Bieber chose to end the tour six months early after being diagnosed with Type 2 Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
Ramsay Hunt is a rare disease that causes facial paralysis. It occurs when a shingles outbreak impacts the facial nerve close to the ear and can also cause hearing loss. After initially canceling a few concert dates, he decided to end the tour altogether, losing out on an estimated $90 million in income. He also was indebted to the tour’s promoter AEG for $20 million. Justin Bieber’s then-manager Scooter Braun paid the debt, but Bieber reportedly only reimbursed some of that.
Whether or not the diagnosis is what has kept Justin Bieber from working is unknown, but THR reports he is “very close” to finishing a new album.
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Lavish Spending Continues As Hailey Bieber Becomes The ‘Breadwinner’
Despite having no new music or giving performances — tours are where musicians make their money these days — Justin and Hailey Bieber continue to spend in what many consider an alarming way. The source said:
These two are traveling on vacations every two days on Instagram, they’re running around with full-time security and there’s no money coming in for a long time.
Justin Bieber owns six homes and flies his friends around on private jets. While one source alleged that he spent $300,000 at Nobu at Coachella, another source denied that he visited the sushi eatery.
Either way, it’s thought that Hailey Bieber has “become kind of the breadwinner” of the family, bringing in money with her beauty brand Rhode. However, despite spending big bucks on jewelry to honor her son, Hailey’s company is only being a few years old, and an insider says there’s no way it’s bankrolling their high-spending lifestyle at this point:
Rhode hasn’t made any money yet. If they sell she’ll make a lot of money. There’s no money that comes out of it. It’s all going back into marketing … If they sell Rhode they’ll be exponentially wealthy and I really hope they do.
Between the constant news reports, social media posts that show JB partying and his own musings on faith, it does seem like something is going on behind the scenes. We’ll have to see if the Biebs does come through with new music to help support his spending habits.
There were always going to be eyes focused on a movie like Another Simple Favor. The first movie was a surprise hit, leading to the sequel happening in the first place. However, the film is also the first major project for Blake Lively since It Ends With Us. That movie set has resulted in multiple lawsuits, both by and against Lively. There have also been rumors of conflict between Lively and her Simple Favor co-star Anna Kendrick, but director Paul Feig is denying there’s any feud.
There are lots of stories about actors on movie sets being a problem to work with and while there have been some cases of real problems, Feig insists that, at least in the case of Blake Lively, reports regarding Lively being difficult to work with mostly stem from people who don’t understand how movie sets actually work. He tells Esquire…
Blake is an amazing collaborator, so when I read people’s misconceptions about how movies are made, it’s just frustrating for me. Every star I’ve worked with works this way.
Blake Lively trying to have some control of productions, that’s only because that’s how it always works on set. Feig continued…
The idea that a star just shows up and you go ‘Here’s the script’ – please point me to one movie star who works that way. So when the gang on the internet get [up in arms] about something, it’s just like, guys, you don’t know what you’re talking about. I love working with Blake – she’s just the best.
Certainly, with lawsuits having been filed by Blake Lively against her It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni, and with more lawsuits filed by him, including suits that include Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds and the New York Times, whatever may have happened on that set went beyond the norm. Of course, that movie was also different because, in addition to being an actress, Lively was also a producer.
Feig seems to indicate that anything that may (or may not) have happened on the set of A Simple Favor was nothing more than the normal interactions between people on a movie set. Lively and Kendrick have no issues working together to promote the film, something that wasn’t the case following It Ends with Us.
For the filmmaker, anybody who has an extreme reaction to the stories about Blake Lively needs to relax, because there’s simply no reason to be outraged here. Feig explained…
Outrage is the most boring emotion humans have these days – when it’s towards something meaningful, that’s great. But people get outraged at everything. It’s like, this is what you’re angry about? There’s other things to be outraged about – please, go and help make the world a better place.
While Paul Feig may be looking to reduce the outrage, with lawsuits set to go to trial next year, the controversy surrounding Blake Lively likely won’t be going away anytime soon, whether or not this is all actually normal for a movie star.
Though Dwayne Johnson is pretty much persona non grata in WWE right now, I can’t help but feel excited for The Smashing Machine, the upcoming A24 movie about trailblazing and controversial MMA fighter Mark Kerr. The movie, which is being directed by Uncut Gems filmmaker Benny Safdie, is one of The Rock’s upcoming movies I’ve been following for a very long time, and one I’m so excited to see later in the 2025 movie schedule. And that excitement just got a whole lot more intense thanks to one minor detail.
I recently learned just how far Safdie was going in order to make The Smashing Machine as realistic, faithful, and authentic as humanly possible, and fans of old school MMA will really like to know what I found out. That said, let’s break it all down…
(Image credit: A24)
The Smashing Machine Has Been One Of My Most Anticipated Movies For A Long Time
The Smashing Machines’ development for a couple of years now, and with every release of a new picture of Dwayne Johnson as MMA fighter Mark Kerr, though somewhat unrecognizable in his depiction, I’m getting more and more excited. Basically, this has been one of my most anticipated movies for a very long time, and I cannot wait to see where it takes The Rock’s career.
And just when I couldn’t get any more hyped up for this long-awaited sports biopic, The Smashing Machine’s first trailer came out and made things even more electric. But that isn’t the only reason my excitement for this movie has reached new heights. In fact, it’s just the beginning…
Matt Serra’s YouTube channel, where the MMA legend talked about just how committed Benny Safdie was to getting it right. In the chat, Rutten, who worked extensively with the director and Dwayne Johnson in The Smashing Machine, said the filmmaker went as far as to get the same cameras used by PRIDE FC back in Mark Kerr’s era:
They used the same cameras that PRIDE had. … Then the special parts that they film when the fighter walks up, that’s a different camera. He got those cameras, so it looked exactly the same. Yeah, he’s something, man. That guy is very involved in what he’s doing.
I’m not going to lie, when I first saw the fight footage in The Smashing Machine’s trailer, I thought it was some clever editing and visual effects to give them that grainy and washed-out look. To find out that Safdie went the extra mile to make this look like the real thing instead of fixing it in post is astounding, to say the least.
(Image credit: A24)
The Attention To Detail In This Movie Is Going To Be Nuts, And I’m Along For The Ride
There have been some great MMA movies (Warrior is a personal favorite of mine) over the years, but after watching Bas Rutten get that excited talking about cameras on the set of the upcoming sports flick, my anticipation is through the roof. During that same interview, Rutten talked about how Benny Safdie recreated the Tokyo Dome by making the set have Japanese writing everywhere and even the same lights that were used at the PRIDE shows held at the famous stadium.
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I’m sure those aren’t the only ways The Smashing Machine’s production team made the set look and feel like a real MMA show, and I can’t wait to see how all of that looks when the movie opens this fall.
The trial of Sean “P. Diddy” Combs officially begins today, Monday 5, with the rapper – who tried to change the date – charged with several federal offenses and facing up to life in prison. With the legal proceedings now in motion, a number of steps must be taken in preparation of the court case. One of the key tasks involved is the jury selection process, which can vary in complexity based on the specifics of a trial. Now, it’s being reported that this procedure could be quite challenging as it pertains to Combs’ trial.
As is customary with a jury selection, potential jurors have to be vetted and approved by both the defense and the prosecution. This usually involves a judge asking questions that might illuminate any opinions and personal biases an individual may have. Per TMZ, the defense in Diddy’s case could have a “much more difficult” time due to the highly publicized nature of the case. With that, there’s a firm chance that the court may be hard-pressed to find jurors who don’t already have personal takes on it one way or the other.
a host of lawsuits involving alleged sexual assault and violence among other offenses. With all of that in mind, it’s believed that Combs’ legal team will have a tough time finding prospective jurors who aren’t of the thinking that the mogul is guilty. It’s also reported that the publicly released footage of Combs assaulting Cassie Ventura (his ex-girlfriend) could influence jurors’ thoughts, too.
It’s true that Diddy’s alleged actions have collectively been a major topic of discussion for some time now, and that chatter arguably escalated after his arrest in New York back in September 2024. One of the most widely talked about subjects involves the Grammy winner’s Freak Offs, which were parties for which women were weighed and then hired or coerced into performing sexual acts for guests. Diddy also held events called Wild King Nights, which took place in hotels and involved drugs, sex toys and a lot of baby oil.
Aside from the fact that so much information on Puff Daddy’s supposed dealings has been available to the public, there’s also the matter of the legal losses he’s faced. A judge denied his team’s motion to keep the Cassie Ventura video from being used as evidence. (On top of that, Ventura is also willing to testify in court should it become necessary.) Also, Puff faced another legal loss when it was ruled that newer allegations related to the Freak Offs could be used as evidence by prosecutors.
TMZ does report, however, that what might help the prosecution is the fact that the criminal charges don’t involve minors and that there are no celebrity sex tapes in the mix. Over the last several months, the “Been Around the World” performer’s lawyers have been putting together his defense. In January, they filed docs related to the Freak Offs, arguing that party footage obtained by the feds furthered the notion that Diddy and Cassie Ventura were in a “consensual” relationship. More recently, it was reported that the attorneys planned to argue that Diddy leads a swinger lifestyle and prefers having multiple partners.
Aside from all of the available information and rumors surrounding P. Diddy, there are also more practical reasons as to why it may be difficult to finalize a jury. It may be tough for prospective jurors to commit to sitting in on a two-month trial, as it could create personal hardship. There’s no way of telling just how long it’ll take to narrow down the jurors, but they will have to be decided upon in some way for Diddy’s trial to proceed.
Celebrity couples have a way of capturing the public’s attention, such as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce or Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. The latter pair broke the internet when they reunited and got married in Vegas, but lately all the headlines have been about their break-up. And an alleged insider close to the Oscar-winning filmmaker revealed what he might be looking for in his next romantic partner.
JLo filed for divorce back in August, and the pair of A-listers were able to land on an agreement without actually facing off in court. Lopez and Affleck’s divorce is finalized, and an anonymous insider spoke to inTouch about what the latter is reportedly looking for in a future romance. As they put it:
She must be independent, strong in her convictions and understand that Ben’s sobriety has to come first. Someone sober would be ideal, but it’s not a priority.
Affleck has been public about his substance abuse issues, so it makes sense that his sobriety would need to be an ongoing priority in whatever future relationship comes down the line.
Some might argue that the description from this alleged insider sounds a lot like JLo. She’s obviously strong and successful pop star, and also reportedly doesn’t drink. Alas, their relationship has come to an end. The same anonymous insider spoke abut how Affleck is feeling about his romantic prospects, saying:
He’s hopeful. He really does want lasting love.
Don’t we all? Sometimes celebrities really are just like us… even if their breakups are way more public than we can imagine. And smart money says Bennifer will go viral whenever they start actually dating someone else.
The internet exploded when Affleck and Lopez got back together, especially given just how viral their first relationship was. They ended up getting married and blending families, but unfortunately have since split up. But now that their kids are close, they have reportedly continued to coparent in order to support this relationships.
(Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
The discourse surrounding that former relationship continues online, and there’s non-stop chatter about what might be going on behind the scenes. That includes rumors that Affleck and Jennifer Garner might be getting closer again. Although considering how many claims are swirling online, it’s hard to make sense of what is true and what isn’t.
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As the chatter about their personal lives continues on, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez continue keeping busy with their thriving careers. They both have projects on the 2025 movie release list and beyond, so it’s clear that the chatter about their personal lives hasn’t negatively affected their careers.
Saturday Night Live, now in its 50th season as part of the 2025 TV schedule, has showcased many stars. But none quite like the late Chris Farley. A whirlwind of energy and comedic talent, Farley’s iconic sketches helped shape SNL in the ’90s and continue to be celebrated. But his struggles with addiction are a sobering reminder of another SNL legend, John Belushi. Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator, aimed to ensure that history wouldn’t repeat itself.
In a recent conversation on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, Susan Morrison, author of Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live, spoke candidly about how deeply Belushi’s 1982 overdose affected Michaels and, in turn, how that shaped his handling of Farley. According to the author:
When Belushi died, it really hit him hard…And I think he felt like this whole approach of just letting people do their own thing on their own time, this was the wrong approach. We’re a tribe, we’re a group, and we have to look out for each other.
Chris Farley died of an overdose at 33. Cocaine and heroin, the same fatal mix that took Belushi. It was the tragedy Michaels had tried to avoid repeating. But even with all the interventions and hard decisions, addiction proved too powerful.
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Peacock subscription holders can revisit SNL’s most iconic moments by streaming on the platform.
