In the new memoir Out of Sync ( Simon Spotlight Entertainment ) , openly gay former *NSYNC member Lance Bass opens the book literally on his professional and personal life. Among the items he discusses are his childhood in Mississippi; early showbiz experiences in youth choir groups like Mississippi Show Stoppers; his audition for and induction into *NSYNC; his first gay experiences and relationships; his much-ballyhooed coming-out in People Magazine; and his break-up with his boyfriend at the time, Reichen Lehmkuhl.
Out of Sync is very much painted in broad strokes—Bass doesn't get very detail-oriented about events and people, steering clear of minutia and fly-on-the-wall observation. He also occasionally sidesteps controversy with the grace of a savvy D.C. politician. For example, talking about longtime acquaintance Britney Spears, he states: 'I just want to say that I think she has an amazing and beautiful soul, I've known her since she was a little girl and she is a prime example, I think, of what fame can do to a person.'
Currently based in New York, where he plays Corny Collins in the Broadway production of Hairspray, Bass spoke with me by phone. He was polite and friendly, game for any topic—albeit a mite spin-minded—as we discussed the book, boyfriends and Britney.
Lawrence Ferber: In the book you reveal that you've had a handful of gay relationships. What sort of conversations did you have with friends and editors regarding how to go about addressing these in the book?
Lance Bass: I just decided not to hide anything. I wanted to share my story, for people to feel what I felt during those times. If it was during relationships or the breakup of *NSYNC, I wanted you as I was going through it to feel the emotions I was going through.
LF: Just the same, is there a chance you didn't mention every guy you've dated, so we might hear some queen come out of the woodwork blaring, 'Miss Thing, I was with her in Orlando!'?
LB: Oh no, no. Every relationship I've had is in the book. I didn't have many! I basically had only boyfriends; I never have any dates or hookups. That's all I felt I could do. I couldn't meet people or tell many people [ I was gay ] , and if I told them I was gay then we were dating! We were basically married!
LF: You say that gossip bloggers on the Internet played a role in your decision to come out, but don't mention Perez Hilton by name. Do you not want to perpetuate his place in the public consciousness?
LB: I try not to mention anyone by name in the book. I changed people's names. And I didn't really mention his name because it wasn't only him. When I say bloggers, there were many bloggers out there. He wasn't the only one who tried outing me. I don't want to give him that credit!
LF: In retrospect, are you happy that some bloggers and reporters have taken to outing?
LB: No. I'm not happy they do it. I think it's the wrong way of helping people come out. I know it's shock value and entertainment for a community that loves gossip, but if you're really going to help someone come out, and honestly think you're helping them, then contact them. 'I know you did this, and there are rumors you did this. Would you like me to help you figure this out and we can do a really nice story on you?' Help them come out. Don't force them to come out. And especially bloggers who use hate to do it. A lot are very nice and do it very candidly and fun, people like Perez. The only thing I don't like is using words like 'faggot.'
LF: I did a YouTube search for 'Lance Bass' and found this video clip of a girl reacting to the news you were gay with horrified shock and sadness. And there are viewer comments from other female fans like, 'I thought I had a chance with him, and now he's gay.'
LB: I mean, who really has a chance with a person they look up to or like their music? I think when I did come out I didn't lose any of that fan base—it only kind of grew. The female market for me really expanded; it was weird. I guess they're still non-threatened by me.
LF: Conversely, when you came out was anyone like, 'Duh!'
LB: Well, a lot of people say that, but who really knows? It's so easy to be like, 'Of course I knew that,' when anyone shares anything shocking. But no one really knew. You can suspect someone [ is gay ] but nobody really knows until that person tells you.
LF: Were you surprised that Britney's Gaydar didn't sniff you out before you told her?
LB: Ummm… I'm pretty sure she knew anyway. She has a huge gay audience, and her dancers and everyone, she's definitely around it. I think she knew but had the respect not to say anything.
LF: Speaking of Britney, 'a prime example of what fame can do to a person' is the most diplomatic way of putting things I've ever heard.
LB: But very true!
LF: Do you ever just say to yourself, 'Oh, Britney?'
LB: [ Laughs. ] Yeah. I think that's just the typical thing to say every day when you wake up and read the AOL news page.
LF: Her decline has been like Charlie's from Flowers For Algernon, as the drug wears off.
LB: You have to admit it's entertaining. I always hope she's just doing it as a joke and we're all going to be punk'd in a couple of years. Like, 'You know all that stuff I did, it was all a joke!' I think she's been doing this documentary for years, where she's like, 'Today I'm going to shave my head and see if they buy it!'
LF: Now that more of this Lou Pearlman stuff is coming out in the news—that he took sexual liberties as well as financial ones with members of his boy bands—do you wish you had addressed it in the book?
LB: Not really. I think I touched on [ Lou's improprieties ] well enough.
LF: You don't mention him 'realigning your aura.' Did he ever?
LB: No, and that never happened. I read the Vanity Fair article like, wow, it doesn't surprise me that any of that happened and I don't know if it did, but I never saw anything like that. Maybe because we were one of the first bands he had. I know we were only there for a few months in Orlando before we were shipped off to Germany so we didn't get much quality time with Trans Con and Lou.'
LF: Speaking of Lou, he created this other boy band called US5—they're huge in Germany. One of the members, a blonde kid named Richie Stringini, was caught on cell-phone camera in a Berlin gay bar bathroom stall, shirtless, with a guy's head in his crotch. So to counteract this outing, Richie went on German TV to share an utterly cockamamie story about how he was sick and had to take his shirt off and his friend helped carry him into the stall and was holding him up by his waist. Oh—and he didn't even realize it was a gay club! [ Note: You can easily find this news story, which includes the famed bathroom photo, via a Google search. ]
LB: Hey! That could happen!
LF: Any words of comfort or advice for Richie, having been outed yourself?
LB: I believe anything a celebrity tells me. Until you tell me otherwise, I will believe whatever you tell me.
LF: But could Richie's life improve if he comes clean and out?
LB: If he honestly is gay, I would suggest to anyone who is gay [ to ] just come out and accept it. Especially now in 2007. I mean, people do care and in some professions it might hurt, but especially in entertainment right now it's actually a positive thing. This business is run by the gay community and it's not going to hurt anything.
LF: Would you have been outed earlier if you stuck with the Mississippi Show Stoppers as a teen—love the book's photo of you in the glittery outfit, by the way—rather than joined *NSYNC?
LB: If I stayed in Mississippi I don't know where I would have gone. Hopefully, I would have found myself and been honest. But just like millions of people in the South you [ could ] go into that role of I've got to play straight. I could be married with kids and miserable. Who knows?
LF: Will you watch here! TV's Dante's Cove, in which Reichen is co-starring this season?
LB: I don't think I will be watching. But when I heard he got that I texted him immediately to say congratulations. I think that's amazing.
LF: I recently saw a photo of Reichen posing with shaved armpits and I was wondering if you were around when he did that and if you could have stopped it.
LB: I have seen him with shaved armpits before. But I dunno. It's OK with me. There's no stopping him doing anything!
LF: You mentioned in an interview recently that Justin Timberlake once said he wanted to play a gay part in a movie and that had the rest of *NSYNC thinking he was gay.
LB: Yeah, which was totally taken out of context again. Here's exactly what I said. I think in everyone's life you question your friends' [ sexualities ] at some point. You're gonna ask that question—I wonder if they're gay. It doesn't matter if they're straight, whatever. And, of course, with five guys who live together some thoughts are going to go through your head. Chris used to hang out with our choreographer, who happened to be gay, and we would question each other, 'I wonder if he's gay.' And Justin's like, I always wanted to play a gay guy, and to yourself you're like, 'I wonder if that means he's gay.' You always have these ignorant thoughts about all of your friends. It they give you a little tidbit, oh, I wonder.
LF: If you could play any living or dead gay person or icon, who would it be?
LB: Oh my gosh. I don't think there's anyone I could play. Maybe younger versions. And there are tons of persons who weren't out, like Rock Hudson. That would be a fun role to play. Back in that era where you're at the top of your game, one of the biggest movie stars and hiding this huge secret.'
LF: Would you like Zac Efron to play you in the movie of your life?
LB: Sure, why not? He's a hot little thing right now.
LF: Are you disappointed that he didn't decide to reprise his role from the Hairspray film in the Broadway version with you?
LB: Haha. No. Zac's definitely not my type. He's a little too young for me, I'd feel a little pedophile-ish if I ever had a crush on him.
LF: A little Lou Pearlman-y.
LB: Yeah, exactly. Ewww!
LF: How is stage life treating you?
LB: It is amazing. I'm finally loving this part of Corny Collins and making it my own and I couldn't be happier right now. And I love the city.
LF: In the book you say you'd like *NSYNC to reunite. Still feeling that way?
LB: Oh, definitely. *NSYNC was my life for so long and to me it ended so prematurely, so if the guys wanted to do a song or album or some kind of show I would be there in a heartbeat.
LF: Are you currently dating?
LB: I am. I try and keep it as quiet as possible. Some people I date that are a little recognizable, it kind of gets out there and all of a sudden you have a boyfriend you never labeled as a boyfriend. And that ruins your chances of anyone else asking you out! So I try to keep things very quiet. I've been dating someone in particular I'm getting to know a lot better and having a lot of fun.
LF: Is he a chorus boy?
LB: No—not in the business. Thank God!
LF: Is there a musical project you want to pursue?
LB: My biggest goal right now, since I've been bitten by this Broadway bug, [ is ] to find a project to produce on Broadway. I would love to be part of the cast and open it up. But mainly I would love to see and create a show.
LF: Would you put Britney in there?
LB: I know; that would be so perfect for her! She needs to come and do Hairspray. She could be Von Tussle. She would be perfect and that would straighten her out!
