Kevin Hart is on a major roll right now.
After nearly 15 years of grinding it out in stand-up, movies and TV, the comedian is on fire these days thanks to his smash hit with Ice Cube, and his upcoming remake of “About Last Night,” due out on Valentine’s Day.
So after working non-stop for all of his 20s and early 30s, the 34-year-old knows a thing or two about how to survive in the business and really appreciate your fans. That’s why he’s happy to act as friend and mentor to one of his biggest supporters, Justin Bieber.
The last time Bieber was on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” the host surprised him on his 18th birthday by bringing Hart out to say hello. “That’s my guy, man,” Hart told DeGeneres on Tuesday about Bieber. “Let me tell you something, I’m a friend. If I say I’m your friend, I’m your friend. Regardless of what it is you’re going through.”
And Bieber, obviously, is going through a lot lately . From his DUI case in Miami , to an assault charge in his native Toronto and possible felony charges in California over an alleged egg raid on his neighbor, the 19-year-old singer has undoubtedly hit a rough patch.
Hart said he thinks the media have a way of pouring it on celebrities when they are in a bad place, but he thinks Bieber is going to be fine. “Justin’s a teenager,” he said. “I called him and I told him, ‘Look, when I was a teenager I did some stupid stuff too.’ That’s what you’re supposed to do as a teenager. The job is to learn from the stupid mistakes that you make.”
As you transition to adulthood, Hart said, the key is to not keep making the same mistakes as you did during your teenage years. “Learn from it, grow up, move on,” he said. “But don’t keep giving them ammunition. He understands that, but he’s putting himself in a position for them to keep on finding him and doing things.”
The bottom line for Hart, though, is that Bieber is still a kid who has spent much of his teenage life in the spotlight. “Well, I’m glad you’re talking to him, because he needs some good advice right now,” DeGeneres said.
“Honestly, if I had Justin’s money at his age and ya’ll cut me loose … Justin bought a monkey at one point in time,” Hart joked. “I was like, “I probably would have did the same thing! If I’d have seen a monkey run by and somebody told me I could do what I want because I’m 18? ‘I wanna take that monkey on the plane with me guys. Don’t tell me I can’t, I got a lot of money. I want the monkey.'”
Bieber clearly appreciated the love from Hart and DeGeneres, thanking them for their support and love.
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