Bieber booed in Canada

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TORONTO, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Teenage Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber was roundly booed before he took the stage at halftime of the Grey Cup game in Toronto.

Many of the 53,208 football fans at Rogers Centre Sunday expressed their displeasure when Bieber's visage was shown on the stadium's big screen, but the jeers turned to cheers when he came out and sang "Boyfriend" and "Beauty and a Beat" during a 15-minute performance that also included his dance crew, the Toronto Star reported.

"It's an honor to be here at the Grey Cup," the 18-year-old native of Stratford, Ontario, told the crowd before exhorting them. "Come on Canada, make some noise. I said, make some noise!"

As he left the stage later, Bieber told them, "Thank you so much, Canada, I love you."

The Star said there had been some negative online comments from football fans when the halftime entertainment lineup had been announced.

Another Canadian music favorite, Gordon Lightfoot, 74, opened the show. Carly Rae Jepsen and Marianas Trench also performed at the 100th Grey Cup game in which the Toronto Argonauts defeated the Calgary Stampeders 35-22.