Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber is no longer a boy. But, honestly, is he yet a man? The Canadian megastar's mum, Pattie Mallette , isn't sure. She does know one thing: She's not quite ready to let him go, to fly the coop. "Um, yeah, I mean, he's growing up," Pattie told Access Hollywood on Wednesday. "He's 19. I mean, he's not my baby. I want to be able to take away free will sometimes and be able to do everything for him. " BeliebMom says it's tough to see some of the media reports about her boy, such as a story that the "Baby" singer on Tuesday assaulted a neighbor at his Calabasas, Calif., pad. "I'm sure you can appreciate as a mom how I feel when I read some of these stories," said Pattie.

Sheldon Stephens , the first of four men who accused former Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash of molesting him when he was underage, alleges in a new lawsuit that Clash, 52, indulged in an orgiastic intake of crystal meth and "poppers" before having sex with Stephens, then 16. The suit, filed by the Harrisburg resident in U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania, says Clash promised the young would-be actor he'd help advance his career. Clash lawyer Michael Berger calls the suit meritless.

Gossip professionals are under attack this week, targeted by celebs who slam us for distorting the truth. Miley Cyrus is mad over rumors she's split up with sweetheart Liam Hemsworth because she's been seen without her engagement ring. She says the bauble is out for repairs. Her pal Evan Rachel Wood tweets her support: "The fact that we live in a world which condones the stripping of basic human rights . . . of people because of their status, is very sad to me. " Yep, I've always dreamt of trampling on Wood's human rights!

A SEISMIC SHIFT is occurring in the entertainment firmament. Justin Bieber has been booed in London. The Biebs, who's 19 now but sings to a legion of girls just a few years removed from "Sesame Street," apologized Tuesday to his young fans - and their PO'd parents - after they accused him of taking the stage inconsiderately late for a concert. Bieber insisted that he was only 40 minutes behind schedule, and blamed "technical issues," but show time on the ticket for his roughly 90-minute gig was 8:30 (the O2 Arena said that he was due to go on at 9:30)

WHEN MY DAUGHTER Eve was little, we were inseparable. I'd listen to her talk about her imaginary boyfriend in Florida. I'd hold long conversations on her pink feather toy phone. I even played jacks with her once or twice, because seeing her smile was worth every bounce of the ball. But girls grow up, and when they do, they become different people. It's not as drastic a transformation as Linda Blair's in "The Exorcist," but it's pretty darn close. In fact, if you put a regular teenage girl in a lineup with a chick possessed by Beelzebub, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

Editor's Note: This column has been corrected.   Philly's own Will Smith was at a Temple University panel last weekend with Sister Souljah . He spoke of why daughter Willow decided not to star in the hip-hop remake of Annie . Jay-Z was lined up, and Smith tried to get Willow to do it, but Willow won. "She looked at me," said Smith, "and said, 'Daddy, I have a better idea. How about I just be 12?' " Wise beyond her years.   Kim's coming kid in two-way race!

WHETHER you're interested in celebrity silliness or a career in public relations, the following is a perfectly planted gossip item. According to Life & Style magazine - in an exclusive conversation with an unnamed friend of Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber - the reason Selena broke up with the Beebs is because he cheated on her. Duh. With Rihanna . Huh? That's right, Rihanna. You can stop laughing now. It has "devastated" Selena, the friend tells Life & Style . "It really cut like a knife because it happened in February of 2011, when Selena and Justin had been dating for months and were falling in love.

British authorities have decided not to prosecute Aussie DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian , who impersonated members of the royal family in a prank call to London's King Edward VII's Hospital on Dec. 4. Posing as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles , they asked after the pregnant Kate Middleton . Jacintha Saldanha , the nurse who originally took the call, committed suicide three days later. (The reasons have never been clarified.) Reports suggested the DJs might be charged with manslaughter, but prosecutors on Friday said there were no grounds.

John Mayer , whose tempestuous relationship with Taylor Swift inspired some of her nicest songs, is offering the same services to another A-list singer, Katy Perry . Mayer tells Rolling Stone he's a misunderstood dude. His love life, he says, has always been as serene as the sweetest spring zephyr ever to grace a John Keats poem. "I haven't had any trouble in my private life at all," John says. His thing with Perry, he insists, is sweet. "It's been . . . I mean, I'm quite happy.

Justin Bieber , 18, has finally spoken out about his breakup with Selena Gomez , the biggest love upset since Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake broke the planet's heart 11 years ago. "I'm not in the happiest place that I've ever been," Justin tells Billboard. "I'm trying to get through what I'm going through. . . . I have my really close friends to cheer me up and keep me going. " The "Boyfriend" singer says his pain is compounded by the media's endless speculation.