niche drama

Justin Bieber and Marilyn Manson’s T-Shirt Feud Has Come to an End

Marilyn Manson. Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Just as we were starting to get used to the utterly bizarre phrase “Justin Bieber and Marilyn Manson’s T-shirt feud,” the two singers seem to have reconciled. In an interview with Howard Stern on Tuesday, Manson allowed the radio host to read his text exchange with the Canadian pop star, in which Bieber apologized and Manson agreed to “avoid more questions on Stern,” a pledge he clearly chose to apply rather loosely.

Some background for those of you whose brains refuse to process Bieber and Manson’s names in the same sentence: In 2016, Bieber put Marilyn Manson’s face and name on his tour shirt without Manson’s permission. This did not sit well with Manson, who told Billboard in August:

I ran into him in some fancy bar where a lot of celebrities — a word that I despise — go. I saw a little girl in a pink hoodie with blond hair, and it turns out to be Bieber. I sit down, and I say, “Hey, so you wore my shirt and everything onstage.” He was one of those touchy people that hit you when they talk, and he comes up to about dick height. Then he goes, “I made you relevant again.”

The article did not sit well with Bieber, who allegedly reached out to Manson to apologize. Manson, ignoring his agreement to “avoid more questions on Stern,” gave Stern his phone to read the pair’s texts to each other.

“I thought we had a pretty pleasant interaction,” Bieber wrote. “Also, if anything wasn’t squared away with the T-shirts, I’m so sorry. Anyway, regardless, it kind of stung seeing that I came off as an a-hole or even just was an a-hole, I’m sorry?”

Manson said the interview was exaggerated and told Bieber, “You were just being you. No beef here.” (A tremendously beefy answer.)

“Honestly, I totally thought we hit it off,” Bieber continued. “Again, my bad. If I was an a-hole, that wasn’t my intention. Just want you to know that.”

“We are cool,” Manson’s said. “People just made that shirt stuff into a fake feud. Let’s turn it upside down and fuck the press and do something together. It will be the best. And don’t apologize. You weren’t an a-hole. They asked if you were and I sort of agreed. I wasn’t out to get you. If not, I’ll try to avoid more questions today on Stern.” (Which he did not do.)

Now that that’s all settled, we sit and we wait for the Manson–Bieber collaboration that we will all mock mercilessly, but secretly listen to when we work out.

Justin Bieber and Marilyn Manson’s T-Shirt Feud Is Over