Lance Bass dishes on his missteps and challenges
www.gottriad.com01.22.2009
A veteran of *NSync, Lance Bass knew how to bust a move. He just wasn't quite sure if he could cut a rug.
The 29-year-old singer appeared last season on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," and the tangos, foxtrots and sambas he had to perform on the show were far different from anything he had done in his boy band days.
"I've been choreographed before, but I think in a way it hurt me," he said in a telephone interview. "We had hip-hop training (in *NSync), and it was the opposite of what I had to learn for ballroom. With hip-hop it's very loose, very freestyle, very low. With ballroom it's all about your lines, your posture, it's something I really had to work on."
Though he didn't walk away with the mirrored ball trophy, he and dance partner Lacey Schwimmer finished third.
On Tuesday, Lance and Lacey, along with fellow 2008 competitors Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene, Grammy Award-winning singer Toni Braxton, "Hannah Montana" star Cody Linley and Marlee Matlin, a 2007 competitor and Oscar-winning actress, will waltz into Greensboro Coliseum as part of the "Dancing With the Stars" tour.
Also appearing will be 10 professional dancers from the show, including Season 7 winner Derek Hough, Season 6 winner Mark Ballas and Seasons 2 and 3 winner Cheryl Burke.
The ABC series, which debuted in 2005 and will be in its eighth season this year, pairs about a dozen celebrities with professional partners and follows them as they try to learn the finer points of ballroom dancing. Actors, musicians, athletes and an assortment of other notable personalities, such as entrepreneur Mark Cuban and talk-show host Jerry Springer, have taken part. They are assessed by a panel of three judges, who give them a score of 1 to 10. Fans also vote for their favorites. Each week the duo with the lowest combined judges' score and fan vote gets kicked off.
Bass was approached by producers last spring about appearing on the show. He said he was a bit hesitant at first, but with some encouragement from fellow 'NSync member Joey Fatone (who finished second on the show's fourth season), he decided to give it a try.
"It's scary to put yourself in front of millions of people on live television, doing something you're not that great at," he said. "But Joey told me what to expect, how many hours I needed to put in... But I didn't think we'd make it that far, not at all. The judges didn't think Lacey and I's style was very traditional. So every week we stayed on was a bonus."
A native of Laurel, Miss., Bass joined *NSYNC in 1995 and performed with the group until it went on hiatus in 2002. He made headlines in 2006 by announcing he was gay. In an ironic twist, one of the songs he danced to on "Dancing With The Stars" was Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl."
"The producers picked that one," he said with a chuckle.
The biggest challenge for him, Bass said, was the time constraints.
"You had five days to really learn a whole new dance in a style that you may not have done before," he said. "But there are also a lot of similar dances. And the more dances I learned, the easier it became to learn a future dance, because I became used to some of the same holds."
For others, especially those with no dance experience whatsoever, just staying coordinated can be difficult, Burke said.
"It's not just learning the steps," she said. "But you have to learn how to move your arms with your steps, and stand up straight and put all of that together. It takes a lot of effort... Some people struggle with things more than others, but you have to try to find your partner's assets so that you can really show them off."
Burke, who danced with Greene last season, says the participants get many bumps and bruises along the way, but for the most part have a good time.
"What you're doing is creating a dancer in a short amount of time," the 24-year-old Northern California native said in a telephone interview. "And when you last long, and start to see them (the celebrities) change and develop into dancers -- that's an amazing process to be part of."
The dance partners meet, on camera, for the first time about a month before the show starts. Burke said the dancers ask the celebrities how seriously they want to take the competition and how many hours they want to put in. Typically, she said, they train for four hours everyday at the beginning, moving up to eight hours toward the end of the competition -- provided they make it that far.
Athletes have done especially well on the show, winning three times -- four if you count race car driver Helio Castroneves who won season five. Burke and Greene finished fifth this season out of 13, and retired NFL defensive tackle Warren Sapp finished second behind Hough and model Brooke Burke (no relation to Cheryl).
"I think athletes have kind of an advantage when it comes to training, just because they're used to being coached, they're used to the rigorous schedule," said Cheryl, who also danced with retired NFL running back and season three champ Emmitt Smith . "If I say we need to do something for seven hours, they go for seven hours. And if they don't do something perfect, they're going to stay until they do get it perfect."
Still, Burke said even the best competitors on the show shouldn't give up their day jobs.
"Oh, they have lots of work," she said about the possibility of any of the celebrities trying to compete on the professional dance circuit. "I don't think they would do that great. I've been doing this for about 20 years, and that's about how long it would take them."
Comments (0) 02.08.2009. 13:52
Did Lance Bass teach him nothing?
southernvoice.com01.30.2009
Ex ’N Sync member and “Dancing With The Stars” alum Joey Fatone was tapped by the TV Guide channel to host the Screen Actors Guild Awards red carpet festivities. Unfortunately Fatone — hardly a seasoned pro at the hosting gig — stumbled over his own words repeatedly through the broadcast and uttered a major gaffe when interviewing James Franco about his nomination for “Milk.”
“You played a homosexual, correct?” Fatone said, as Franco politely nodded along. Fatone then continued: “It is challenging for an actor do something like that, who is straight, is it? ... You played a stoner [in “Pineapple Express”], and now you’re a homosexual.”
Franco stammered uncomfortably at the line of idiotic questioning.
“It was challenging, but it wasn’t that challenging,” he said with a shrug, as Fatone’s producers tripped over themselves running for the camera’s on/off switch.
Comments (0) 02.08.2009. 13:41
Kings Of Leon and Justin Timberlake!?!?!?
rollingstone.com01.21.2009
Justin Timberlake has been in the studio, hard at work with his producer du jour, Rob Knox.
Last year, the duo collaborated on T.I.'s mellow-jam, "Dead and Gone."
Now, a little birdy has told us that Justin and Rob have created an "absolutely incredible" remix for the Kings of Leon gem, "Use Somebody," from their latest disc, Only By the Night.
We'll get to hear the cut in the next few days and tell y'all about it.
Hopefully, when JT returns home from vacation next week, he'll tell us about it.
Comments (0) 02.07.2009. 22:09
New Justin Timberlake Track Leaks
mtv.com01.15.2009
While Justin Timberlake recently told MTV News that he's going to be focusing on working with other artists rather than his own material, on Thursday (January 15), a new song of his, apparently titled "Bigger Than the World," leaked online.
The song, which sounds unfinished, features Timberlake singing in a light falsetto reminiscent of Robin Thicke (or perhaps it's Justin sounding like Robin Thicke sounding like Justin) accompanied by a pulsing mid-tempo beat, keyboards and guitar. According to some online reports, the track was produced by Timbaland, and was posted on ThisIs50.com on Thursday. Toward the end, the beat drops out and the song ends with just piano.
When he spoke with MTV News last year, Timberlake said he was focusing on working with other artists, although he declined to reveal who those artists are. "I've been working with different people here or there," he said. "I feel weird. You'll hear it when it comes out. I would love to give you everyone but there's some stuff that might not work out due to business stuff, unfortunately.
"As far as myself, I don't have that," he continued. "I could change [my mind] next week, but I don't have the bug to jump in and start the whole process again, and touring again. I do love it, but it's tiring."
In addition to "Bigger Than the World," Timberlake recently released "Follow My Lead," which features vocals from the first signing to Timberlake's Tennman Records, Esmée Denters.
Comments (0) 02.07.2009. 22:05
JC Chasez: 'There's No 'N Sync Reunion'
nypost.com01.15.2009
After two seasons that showcased some of the most insanely talented dance crews from around the country, "America's Best Dance Crew" is reverse flipping back onto TV with a third season that is going to push the contestants to the limits like never before.
As one-third of the team that decides which crews skills border on the inhuman, JC Chasez has seen some truly amazing stunt work over the last two years. But as he tells PopWrap, they ante has been seriously upped for season three.
Not only is the show kicking into high gear, but so is JC's non-"ABDC" career. He reveals that a new CD is in the works, as are a bunch of movie roles. But the one thing JC says he has no plans to be a part of is an 'N Sync reunion tour. Sorry Lance!
PopWrap: Season three kicks off tonight. How does it feel to be back?
JC Chasez: It's very exciting -- for the judges and for the fans too.
PW: Did you anticipate the show connecting with fans the way it has?
JC: I knew that there was an amazing team behind the show and that everyone involved was amazing, but I was a little nervous. I don't consider this to be reality TV because it's more of a talent competition.
PW: Was there a moment when you realized how many people were loving the show?
JC: Once I heard the crowd inside the theater yelling and screaming for the crews, I knew that we had something special. It was connecting with people and speaking to them.
PW: After two seasons, I would imagine that these teams have to work a lot harder to impress you three, yes?
JC: I don't want to see some tired stuff, I think we expect a lot from these kids more than anything else. We don't want someone just doing what everyone did in previous seasons to win. It's gotta be new, it's gotta be fresh, it's gotta be different.
PW: The challenges in previous years have been real creative. What can we look forward to this season?
JC: I will say this, Everything is going to be so much more physically demanding. That's the thing -- dance is quite emotional on one level, but this show really shows how these kids push the limits of the human body. Whether it's balance or strength, this is an athletic competition. There are going to be challenges this season that push the limits of these kids physically.
PW: How involved are the judges in creating the challenges?
JC: Everyone involved from Mario [Lopez] to the guys who do the music to Lil Mama are putting ideas on the board. We're all trying to make the show the best it can be.
PW: What makes a good challenge to you?
JC: Each one needs to be creative and multi-dimensional. That's what engages the crowd. If you stick one thing on someone, they can overcome that in a matter of seconds, but these routines are more than a minute long, so there needs to be more to them.
PW: Has being in this dance-heavy environment sparked your creativity?
JC: "ABDC" is a great opportunity to spend time with kids who are excited about dance. They keep me excited. I got so focused on music at one point that I stopped focusing on the performance side. Now I have a front row seat to people who are performing to the best of their abilities. It's fun to see that.
PW: Does that mean we might see a new JC CD in the coming months?
J.C.: I'm working on stuff, but every time I say I'm going to release a new CD, I get sidetracked and I feel terrible about that. But you'll definitely hear new music from me, whether it's in the form of singles or a new album. I'm tired of waiting.
PW: What about rumors of an 'N Sync reunion tour, Lance Bass has been talking that up majorly!
JC: No. We haven't discussed anything like that. I don't know. Honestly, I can't speak for him or as to why he would say that but I know nothing about one.
PW: You also have some films in the pipeline. Did something specific spark this desire to be on the big screen?
JC: I don't know if it's a desire to be in a movie as much as it was a desire to broaden my horizons. I don't ever like being uninspired, which isn't to say music isn't inspiring -- but that's just sound stimulation. And music videos have disappeared, which is where we used to tell our stories visually. So I wanted to find new ways to express myself and it seems like this is the medium now.
PW: 'N Sync did really set the benchmark for music videos.
JC: Yeah, when I first got into music, videos were huge and you could perform whole mini-films and take people on an emotional journey. That's why I decided to step into acting, because I haven't been getting my fill of that anymore.
PW: A lot of singers have complained that segueing into acting is tough. Have you found that to be the case?
JC: Nothing's easy. Everything's hard. I'm a believer in hard work. The part that I enjoy the most is the work. Everyone seems to be in it for the accolades, but to me the most important thing is the journey and that's what I've been enjoying.
Comments (0) 02.07.2009. 21:51
Joey Fatone on N Sync Reunion: It's Possible
hollywoodscoop.com01.12.2008
2008 was all about the comebacks. The Spice Girls did it, the Backstreet Boys did it, hell even the New Kids on the Block reunited. With the New Year comes new possibilities.
So could an N Sync reunion be next? "It's possible," says former N Syncer Joey Fatone.
"You never know, that’s the hardest part. With N Sync you have 5 guys with five individual likes and what they wanna do in the direction of their careers," Joey told Hollyscoop exclusively at the NBC Golden Globes after party on Sunday.
"For me, personally I’m the only one that’s married and has a child and has that career. Family is some sort of lifestyle and career," he added.
"For the other guys, you’ve got Justin Timberlake, who is doing really well, JC Chasez who is writing, Lance who just did 'Dancing with the Stars' and who is hosting. You’ve got Chris who is writing and singing."
Joey added that the boys won't be getting together just for the sake of a reunion. "It’s all a matter of time and communication," he said.
"To get 5 guys that are in different states, together at one point in time is gonna be very difficult. We wanna do it at the right time, when it’s right. Getting all 5 guys to really talk on the same page. The hardest thing is to get together same with new kids…it took them 20 years."
Comments (0) 02.07.2009. 21:42
Dancing with other stars
torontosun.com01.10.2009
Lance Bass admits he was the weakest dancer of NSYNC's five boy band members which included the future and now wildly successful solo act Justin Timberlake.
So it surprised the 29-year-old Mississipi native when he placed a respectable third alongside his dance partner Lacey Schwimmer in the most recent season of Dancing With The Stars.
Particularly since the judges gave Bass and Schwimmer a hard time for their non-traditional approach that included dancing in their barefeet for one number.
"I definitely wasn't the best dancer in the world and for me to make it to the finals, I was just so happy," said Bass down the line from a tour stop in Kansas City this week before the DWTS tour pulls into the Air Canada Centre on Monday night for its only Canadian date.
"The first half we really weren't being treated very well by some of the judges, they didn't like my partner, and we were just working so hard and we just wouldn't get the remarks we wanted -- and it was really kind of depressing.
"So then we just said, 'You know what? We can't focus on this anymore. We just have to have fun.' And once we started doing that, everything changed for us."
FOLLOWED FATONE'S CUE
Bass only started watching DWTS last year when his NSYNC bandmate and best friend Joey Fatone -- he's godfather to Fatone's daughter -- was a runner-up.
Now Bass says he'd like to see another NYSNC member put on his dancing shoes for the wildly popular series, which just won the People's Choice Award for reality show.
"I would love to see JC Chasez do it, I really would," said Bass who has never talked to Chasez about the possibility. "I think he would actually win the whole thing. I think in the group he was definitely the best dancer we had. I would love to see what he could do with it (but) I don't think he ever would. I think he would be too shy to do it." (Chasez is also a judge on the MTV show, America's Next Dance Crew.)
In the meantime, Bass said people still continue to throw money at an NSYNC reunion tour, but so far it's not happening.
"It's something that we get offered a lot but it's something we haven't even talked about, and all of us are doing so many different things, and especially Justin has had just such a phenomenal career, so there's no way we would stand in his way to put that on hold for any of us," Bass said.
"I couldn't imagine doing it without him."
Compared to the roadtrips of NSYNC's heyday, Bass said the DWTS tour is a lot easier.
"The difference is definitely I don't spend as much time on the stage, which is really nice and relaxing for me," said Bass. "You know with NSYNC, you do a two-hour action packed show and with this you share the stage with 20 other dancers and everyone has their moment to shine."
Not that there are any plans for a Lance Bass DWTS video or TV special.
"I don't think anyone would want to see that," he said with a laugh.
"I've been producing the last few years and it's been fun so I'll definitely be hanging up my dancing shoes after this tour and getting back to that."
In the meantime, he's staying in the best shape of his life.
"It is definitely a sport I've come to find out," said Bass.
"I lost 22 pounds doing the show and I've kept it off during this tour for sure, but it's definitely the most challenging thing I've ever done in my life, physically."
This from a guy who did Russian cosmonaut training in 2002-03.
Bass still hopes one day to go into space but he has to get sponsorship for a future mission.
"My first dream was to be an astronaut, I loved math and science and all that," he said.
"Of course when you get introduced to the world as a boy band member people don't really expect that to come out of you, but yeah some of us boy band members do have other loves in our lives and some of us are actually smart.
"So it's something I've always wanted to do and something that I definitely see myself doing in the future."
Comments (0) 02.07.2009. 21:34
Danielle Fishel's Dating Block
ok-magazine.com01.02.2009
Danielle Fishel has dater’s block. She’d love to marry one day but can’t forget her romance with former ’Nsync-er Lance Bass, who came out in 2006.
“I don’t assume anybody is straight anymore,” the Boy Meets World Star, 27, who hosts Style Network’s The Dish, tells OK!. “I’m always like, ‘Hmm, wonder if he’s gay?’ ”
She and Lance were never intimate in their 1999–2000 relationship, she says. “I was naive, 17 and a good girl!” After they split, she confronted Lance, who told her, “ ‘I knew if I wasn’t happy with you, I wasn’t going to be happy in a relationship with any woman.’ ”
Danielle adds, “I wish he’d felt he could have been honest with me then!” Despite that, she and Lance are still friendly — and she hopes to follow him on Dancing With the Stars: “There could be no better way to get into incredible shape!” she says.
Comments (0) 02.07.2009. 21:28