in other news, pdiddy reveals he's black

Lance Bass: I'm Gay
WEDNESDAY JULY 26, 2006 08:30AM EST


Photo by: Wireimage

Lance Bass, the former 'N Sync heartthrob, reveals that he is gay, in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE.

"I knew that I was in this popular band and I had four other guys' careers in my hand, and I knew that if I ever acted on it or even said (that I was gay), it would overpower everything," says Bass, referring to bandmates Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez and Justin Timberlake.

"I didn’t know: Could that be the end of ’N Sync? So I had that weight on me of like, ‘Wow, if I ever let anyone know, it's bad.' So I just never did," he says speaking about his sexual orientation for the first time with PEOPLE.

Now, after years of keeping his personal life private, the Mississippi-bred, Southern Baptist-reared Bass, 27, is publicly revealing what he first shared with his friends, then his shocked family.


"He took years to really think about how he was going to tell everyone," says his close buddy Fatone, 29, who was the first 'N Sync bandmate to find out Bass is gay. "I back him up 100 percent." Adds Bass’s longtime pal, actress Christina Applegate: "I've always accepted him as who he is. It's about his own serenity at this point."

Having pursued acting, producing and – most memorably – space flight after ’N Sync went on hiatus in 2002, Bass now is looking ahead to new beginnings. He is in a "very stable" relationship with model-actor-Amazing Race winner Reichen Lehmkuhl, 32, and is developing an Odd Couple-inspired sitcom pilot with Fatone in which his character will be gay.

Mostly, though, he’s just enjoying the relief that comes with the culmination of a long, at times emotionally fraught journey.

"The thing is, I’m not ashamed – that’s the one thing I want to say," he explains of his decision to come out. "I don't think it's wrong, I'm not devastated going through this. I'm more liberated and happy than I’ve been my whole life. I'm just happy."


As for why he's talking about this now Bass says, "The main reason I wanted to speak my mind was that (the rumors) really were starting to affect my daily life. Now it feels like it's on my terms. I'm at peace with my family, my friends, myself and God so there's really nothing else that I worry about."

LOL, listening to Preston and Steve, are ya?

Wow. This is a very huge surprise. I would have never guessed that some pussy from a boy band was gay! Very surprising news!

i was just about to turn those boners off when i heard that. i kinda thought there would have been a thread about it already. but yeah, this is shocking news huh

I really wonder who even cares? Why does this country equate being gay with being a criminal or something? Sheesh.

I can honestly say this does surprise me. I thought guys in a boy band were supposed to seem non-sexual and sensitive and henceforth gay to some, but not many of them actually are gay. George Michael was certainly an obvious exception.

To me, Justine Timberlake seems just as gay as Lance. But JT is THE lady pimp.

I guess it's not very nice of me to speculate on peoples' orientation.

And I always thought Chris Kirkpatrick was the gay one.

he can get his ass kicked.

True fact.

That's pretty much the only line from the song I remember. And something about Moby.

Boy, MM sure knows how to win friends.

an ex-girlfriend of mine fucked Fatone... so i can pretty much back him on his heterosexuality

and yes... i had the sloppy seconds :pukesalloverthefuckingkeyboard:

So I guess the question is..........What does Joey's dick taste like?

probably like a million bucks

2 million


actually it was probably a year after her "dating" him ("dating", because i doubt that's what he called it )

you dated a groupie huh? i bet she could fuck

so which backstreet boy is gonna come out now that lance led the way?

God i love Justin Timberlake. This thread has set off some emotions I was not ready to deal with yet.

and she was also in a Creed video ("Higher")... could it get any worse?

though now she claims her allegiance to PJ, but we really dont need her in our little group

Pictures plz

i had one of her in the tub, but i had to dispose of it... i mean, im married now and all, and that shit just aint cool... of course, i gave it to a friend about 3 years ago, so it's out there ... just not with me... sorry

for clothed pics, find the Higher vid