Entertainment

Justin FaceTimes with the Least Likely Person

by Lia Beck

In news no one saw coming — like, for real, NO ONE, I'm not just making a throwaway comment here — Justin Bieber FaceTimed with Malala Yousafzai. The Malala Yousafzai. As in, the 17-year-old girl from Pakistan who became an education activist and wrote a book about her experience living under Taliban rule. Not, like, some new pop star who has the same name. According to NY Daily News, Bieber apparently chatted with Yousafzai as part of some sort of partnership he has planned with Yousafzai's charity, The Malala Fund. Obviously, I can't hate on that. But still, Justin Bieber FaceTimed with Malala Yousafzai. I don't know whether to be surprised or just totally accepting of this. We do live in the future after all. Maybe a Canadian pop singer who has as many legal issues as he does stupid tattoos video chatting with a Pakistani teenage activist is just the way of the world.

Bieber posted photographic proof of their interaction to Instagram with the caption, "Just got to FaceTime with Malala Yousafzai. She has such an incredible story. I can't wait to meet her in person and talk about how I can support her and the @malalafund. #love." If Bieber really is partnering with The Malala Fund — which hopefully he is, and this didn't just happen because Yousafzai's a Belieber — that's excellent news. But weirdly, it shouldn't be surprising that Bieber would be involved with a great cause. Bieber might be known for getting in trouble with the authorities, bad fashion choices, and music (in that order), he's actually pretty charitable, his efforts are just hidden by all the poor decisions he makes.

On his 17th and 18th birthdays, Bieber asked that his fans, friends, and family donate money to Charity: Water. He's participated with the Make-A-Wish foundation in granting over 200 wishes. More recently, according to TMZ, Bieber donated $545K to amFAR during a gala in Cannes. He also received the Champ of Charity award at the Young Hollywood Awards on July 27 which he attended with a child from Make-A-Wish.

So, while Bieber chatting with Yousafzai is definitely unexpected, the fact that he seems to be partnering with her shouldn't be. Now, if only this side of Bieber could stay in the spotlight more often. But that will require the side of him that loves throwing parties that attract the police and getting into questionable incidents all over the world to take the backseat and, unfortunately, that doesn't seem likely.

Image: Justin Bieber/Instagram