Anatomy of a Rumor: Lance Bass Addresses ‘NSync Reunion on Radio Show
It's the rumor that sent the Internet into a tailspin this week: Will 'NSync be reuniting for a performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards?
Unfortunately, the world still doesn't know if it's true or not. So, how did it get started?
Well, it all began with an item on Tuesday in the New York Post's Page Six. "Justin Timberlake and his former 'NSync band members are set to reunite for a special performance on the VMAs Sunday night at the Barclays Center," the gossip site wrote. "But we're told former bandmates J.C. Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick are scheduled to join him onstage for a reunion performance."
The site pointed out that the band was all together in Miami last Friday to catch former band member Justin Timberlake's concert with Jay Z.
So Lance, one-fifth of the hugely popular '90s boy band, took to his daily satellite radio program, "Dirty Pop with Lance Bass" on SiriusXM OutQ 109 and Cosmo Radio 109, to address the rumors.
"This morning I woke up to a lot of rumors flying [around] that the 'NSync reunion is happening after 11 years at the VMAs this Sunday," the host began. "Well, let me tell you how this all came about. Justin Timberlake is getting the Michael Jackson [Video] Vanguard Award this Sunday at the awards, so of course people are automatically going to think we're going to be there performing, but this is exactly how it happened and I knew these rumors were going to fly. We all came down here [to Miami] except for J.C. [Chasez] — J.C. stayed in California, he had to work … Joey [Fatone], Chris [Kirkpatrick] and myself went to go see Justin's last show with Jay Z at the [Sun Life] Stadium last Friday, and I even took a picture of it, it's on my Instagram … [it was] really fun and … I think that's what started the rumor that there's going to be this big reunion with 'NSync."
So, do you see what's not there? Any sort of denial … or confirmation.
Here's what we know so far:
The band was (almost all) together in Miami, perhaps making a rehearsal — or at least a discussion about it — possible.
Justin is definitely getting the Vanguard Award this Sunday.
Nothing has been officially denied.
Boy band reunions are the thing to do these days (note: popularity of Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block this past summer), and 'NSync is the only major band that hasn't yet reunited together on stage.
The topic of an 'NSync reunion has been trending through the roof — searches on Yahoo! have spiked 396% in the past 24 hours.
"It's amazing to see the reaction out there on Twitter and social media … [and] how many people are supporting 'NSync," Lance continued. "It's so nice to see because when we ended things [over] ten years ago, there was no social media, there was no Twitter [fan base], but it's so cute to see how many people are supporting [us] and 'NSync was even trending."
So, what will likely happen? We're guessing that the rest of 'NSync will indeed be at the VMAs this Sunday, perhaps even taking to the stage together to present the Vanguard Award to Justin. Will they perform? We say it's unlikely, although it's likely they might sing a few refrains of something acapella together.
We'll be on Lance's radio show this afternoon (6 - 8 p.m. ET, along with "Devious Maids" stars Ana Ortiz and Judy Reyes), and we're going to hound his crew for any info we can get! (Although we doubt they'll give anything up! Grrrr!)
Today, MTV announced that Drake has been added as a performer for the 2013 VMAs. The rapper will be singing his hit "Started From The Bottom" on television for the first time. The network also announced that Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jared Leto, Kevin Hart, Emeli Sande, and A$AP Rocky have all just been added as presenters, and DJ Cassidy will serve as the house DJ for the show. Previously announced performers include Lady Gaga (opening the show), Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Katy Perry (closing the show), Bruno Mars, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Miley Cyrus, and Robin Thicke. The VMAs air on MTV this Sunday, August 25, at 9:00 p.m. ET / PT.
