The Most Shocking Claims From TMZ’s "What Happened To Justin Bieber?" Episode

TMZ’s new Hulu investigation series feels like tabloid theater pretending to be journalism.

This is an opinion piece.

In the first five seconds, we’re blasted with dramatic music, paparazzi flashbulbs, and a montage of Justin looking sleep-deprived. I believe that the episode’s goal is clear from the jump: to convince viewers that Justin’s in trouble, maybe even on hard drugs.

Here are TMZ's most shocking claims about the singer.

Is Justin Broke?

The episode claims that in 2022, Justin was allegedly “on the verge of financial collapse,” according to TMZ executive producer Harvey Levin. “I was on a call with multiple people – Justin’s side acknowledges that in 2022, he was on the verge of… the words were ‘financial collapse,’” Levin says in the doc. “Justin said, ‘I gotta sell it now.’ And he sold it in December. That’s how broke he was.”

Let’s pause for a moment. While I do think that TMZ has some credible sources, it’s important to note that Levin is the same man who’s faced lawsuits over running an allegedly misogynistic and discriminatory workplace. TMZ has also been accused of exploiting celebrity deaths for clicks, and it appears they may be exploiting Justin’s life for the same reasons.

Nevertheless, Levin suggests that canceling the 2022 Justice Tour left Justin in a financial hole so deep, he had to sell his $200 million music catalog just to stay afloat. TMZ executive producer Don Nash backs that up, saying the tour would’ve earned Justin $90 million – but only if he had finished it.

TMZ’s staffers toss out a mix of explanations: extravagant tour expenses, including eight buses and $2 million in renovations, Hailey’s requests for private jets, and several mega-mansions. Another report cites Justin’s lifestyle as “out of control,” with one source saying, “He spends eye-watering amounts per month. At one point, he couldn’t even get a credit card.” Someone else claimed, “He’ll spend $300,000 at the Nobu at Coachella. He hasn’t worked in a really long time.”

There’s also a claim that Justin owes over $8.8 million to his former manager Scooter Braun. Their report states the debt comes from a personal loan Scooter gave him to “help him” after the canceled tour left him $20 million in the red. Despite parting ways years ago, Braun’s financial tether still appears to be wrapped tight. To summarize, TMZ is painting Scooter as a father figure who cared for the singer.

They, of course, target Justin’s mental health as well. There are clips of him snapping at paparazzi, which the film refers to as “mantrums.” Never mind that any reasonable person would be annoyed after years of being stalked by flashing cameras. According to TMZ, friends are “worried he’s disintegrating.” One anonymous former colleague even says, “He’s lost. There’s no one protecting him because there’s no one there willing to say ‘no’ to him. You say ‘no,’ you get blown out.”

Is Justin in a Cult?

The episode paints Justin’s connection to Churchome as borderline cultish. He’s reportedly cut off longtime friends, including Ryan Good (his best man and Drew House’s former creative director), allegedly because Good left the church. TMZ claims Justin and his pastor, Judah Smith, even confronted Scooter Braun for not believing in Jesus. When asked directly, Smith denied Churchome is a cult, joking, “What kind of a cult only meets once a month?”

They believe that Smith is in “Justin’s ear,” which could have led him away from Scooter.

Is Hailey Bieber Obsessed with Selena Gomez?

TMZ says the drama is “one-sided on the Biebers’ end.” Sources claim Selena Gomez lives “in Hailey’s head,” and that the couple sees her as a “thorn in their side,” not because of anything Selena’s done, but because of their own perception of her.

Is All of This True?

Is Justin constantly posting about weed? Yes. Does he appear more erratic? Also, yes… still, none of this paints a full picture. If you’re watching closely, the “sources” are always anonymous, vague, and conveniently connected to someone with a reason to talk. This brings us to the part the series doesn’t dig into: what if the episode is a result of a PR war, and the previous management is worried Justin will speak out about the industry that took advantage of him?

Justin himself recently broke his silence on Instagram Story with a message that felt raw, maybe even defiant. With Lil Wayne’s How To Love playing in the background, he wrote, “Everyone telling me to move from LA. U think I’m gonna get bullied to leave where my influence is most needed?” He admitted, “I too have been caught up in the transactional nature of Hollywood. It’s embarrassing but with that said I want nothing to do with that as a grown adult with a wife and son.” The post ended with, “I’m a proponent and advocate for LOVE AND EQUALITY.”

So maybe the story’s not that Justin’s losing it and turned his back on Scooter. Perhaps he’s just over it all and wants to focus on his family.

Nevertheless, TMZ's docuseries gives you all the scandal, reporting on the big spending, the “cultish” church rumors, the canceled tours, and his wife’s alleged obsession with the ex. In my personal opinion, what would have been more of an investigative report is how Justin got to this point. What if Scooter overworked Justin until he couldn’t take it anymore? He’s been working since he was a teenager. Maybe he crashed, burned, and finally said no and now he just wants to be free.

Lastly, we never know who TMZ’s “sources” are. In a world where headlines are weapons and silence is treated like guilt, it’s worth remembering that not everything that’s loud is true.