When contemplating career, Justin Bieber never says over

WITH BILL ZWECKER January 9, 2012 7:49PM

Justin Bieber is obsessed with remaining relevant, according to one of his pals. [He] is very savvy about his fame, the pal says. | Frank Gunn~AP

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Updated: January 10, 2012 2:13AM

According to someone very close to Justin Bieber, the teen superstar is obsessed with remaining relevant to his fans and doesnt want to have a short-lived career like Hanson or other once sizzling-hot young entertainers who now show up on Whatever Happened To? lists.

Justin is so very savvy about his fame and the media, and he also gets that whole concept of people being targeted [by the press] when theyre on top.

As the Bieber buddy put it, Justin knows how everyone loves a hot newcomer and then can so quickly turn fickle and begin to dig up stuff to tear them down.

The source used the accusation of Bieber allegedly fathering a baby last year as just one example of how the 17-year-old singer sees the negative aspects of the fame game.

Justin is a serious musician. He knows how to keep his cool. He understands how hard it is to remain relevant. He wants to become what he calls a forever star, like a Madonna or a Stevie Wonder or a Sinatra or Tony Bennett. He does have this thing about wanting to be eternally loved by his fans.

As for that tattoo of Jesus Christs face Bieber recently had inked on his calf, the singer told V magazine it was his way of constantly being reminded of his faith, since he doesnt feel he needs to regularly attend church! in orde r to be in touch with his beliefs.

REALTY RUMBLING: David Ellermann, a real estate broker from the far western suburbs, will be one of 10 contestants on Sweet Home Alabama, the CMT show where guys from both big and small towns try to win the heart of Paige Duke, the former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ambassador and a veterinary technician from South Carolina.

Ellermann, 30, is described as a true city boy who hopes to win the Southern belle with the Greek food and sushi Our Town has to offer.

Sweet Home Alabama kicks off its new season at 8 p.m. Friday.

OSCAR BUZZ: As this years seemingly wide open Academy Award race heats up, a few cynical Hollywood types are wondering who is behind the stories dredging up the ancient scandal of Woody Allen leaving wife Mia Farrow for her adopted daughter Soon-Yi.

Of course, Allen and Soon-Yi have been together for years, but some think Farrows lingering bitterness about Allen has been used by others to spin negative buzz about the veteran filmmaker just as his Midnight in Paris is stirring so much awards chatter.

Even before the nominations for the 2011 films have been released, there already is very early Oscar buzz for Sean Penns next big movie, coming out this spring. In This Must Be the Place, Penn plays a retired goth rocker who discovers his long-estranged father was tormented and tortured at Auschwitz by a Nazi S.S. officer. When Penns character discovers the man is still alive and living in the U.S., he sets off on a journey to find him and seek revenge.

MAKIN MUSIC: Popular cabaret mainstays Nan Mason and Terry Higgins will be performing every Thursday (beginning this week) at Twelvewest, 12 W. Elm, and then will have two shows at the Drake Hotels Palm Court, Jan. 14 and 21.

Fans of Paul McCartney (and who isnt?) will want to know he plans to sing his My Valen! tine on the Grammys appropriately just two days before Valentines Day.

Its an original song from his album Kisses on the Bottom, out Feb. 7. Showbiz411.coms Roger Friedman points out the title of McCartneys new disc is a reference to those xs and os folks add to the bottom of a love note.

Speaking of the Grammys, if and only if Beyonce feels up to it, Blue Ivy Carters mom is hoping she will be able to perform on the Feb. 12 telecast.

Knowing Beyonce, I bet shell be able to do it, said a longtime associate of the megastar.

SEEN ON THE SCENE: After being iced out Friday by the Colorado Avalanche, Blackhawks Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith soothed the loss by hanging out at Studio Paris where Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. was spotted late Saturday after attending the Chicago Film Critics Awards. Chicago native and New York Yankees all-star centerfielder Curtis Granderson was seen dining at Joes Stone Crab, where (separately) Raekwon and Inspectah Deck of Wu-Tang Clan were spotted supping before their Sunday gig at the Congress Theatre.

Bill Zwecker reports regularly on Good Day Chicago and Fox Chicago News at 9 on WFLD-Channel 32.