BACKSTREET BOYS Dish About Their Dads - BB July 00
Father's Day 2000 may be fading into memory as you read this, but don't dads deserve more than just one day of devotion per year? We think so. After all, their love, guidance and support are big reasons for who we are today! The same goes for the pops of Backstreet Boys Nick Carter, A.J. McLean, Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough and Brian Litrell. Behind each of these mega-successful musicians, who croon "Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely" on their 1999 CD Millennium, there's one proud papa who helped mold them into the singing stars they are today. Read on as these five sweet sons share some of their favorite stories about their devoted dads!
A fishy family
"I remember always going out on the boat with my dad. We used to fish in the ocean. I would always get the poles tangled up and he would be a little angry because we wouldn't be able to fish anymore. Now I'm better at it. When we go out now, we get up early and have a picnic later in the day. My dad and I do a lot of things together." -Nick, 20, on pop Robert
A newfound father - and fan!
"My father and mother got divorced when I was 4, and I hadn't seen him a lot while I was growing up. When I got older, I found out where he lived, went over to his house and knocked on his door. This guy opens the door and I'm like, 'Is there a Robert McLean home?' He said, 'Alex?' I was like, 'Whoa! Dad, you recognize me?' I walked in and there's Backstreet Boys stuff everywhere! He'd been keeping up with me since the day I started!" -A.J., 22, on father Robert
Words of wisdom
"The best piece of advice I ever got was from my dad right before I moved to Orlando, Florida. He said, 'Son, you're young, and you don't have anything tying you down.' He was like, 'I often wondered sometimes what would've happened if I would just taken off to some city where I didn't know anybody and just gotten a job, gotten a place to live and traveled around. I mean, I'm not trying to get rid of you, because you're already out of the house.' I knew he was trying to say, 'Enjoy it while you can.' -Kevin, 28, on deceased father Jerald
Better-late-than-never bonding
"My dad was always the financial supporter of the family. He always paid for me to do the acting lessons and stuff. It was a little tough, because he was always busy working. Fortunately, I can say now that my dad and I are getting closer since I've gotten older. Now that I have things going on and he has a bit more free time in his work life, we try to hang out a lot more." -Howie, 26, on dad Hoke
Santa springs a surprise
"We always went to my grandfather's house for Christmas Eve. Then we'd come back home late that night and fall asleep, so Santa could arrive. One year, we got ready to leave, and my family rigged the phone so my dad had to run back inside. He stayed inside for, like, 15 minutes and then he came out and we went to grandpa's house like usual. When we came back that night and walked in-- surprise!--Santa had already stopped by. We must have been one of the first ones on his list. It was really one of those memories, like, you couldn't believe it, you know?" -Brian, 25, on dad Harold.