system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How can Justin Bieber have been recorded saying the N-Word in 2008 and have nothing happen, but Paula Deen generates a scandal for having said it years ago?
gpt
Paula Deen used the 'N-word' as an adult in a context which was clearly racist and discriminatory. Paula also has a history of other racist and discriminatory behavior.

Justin Bieber used the N-word when he was a young teenager and the context was not the same. In this case, Justin was simply repeating a song that sounded funny (to him) and it was pretty clear there was no real malice intended, he just did not appreciate how offensive the lyrics were. To him, it was not so much about the meaning of the song that made it funny, but rather the fact that it contained curse words and things you shouldn't say.

It's also worth understanding that Justin Bieber is from Canada, a country which doesn't have the same history of racial segregation and discrimination as the US and where only 3% of the population identifies themselves as Black. As such, young Canadian teens are arguably less aware of racial issues and US Black history (as compared to their US counterparts), and therefore are less likely to appreciate how offensive such songs are to others, particularly people from the US.