Prologue

October 4, 2000- Washington, DC "But Bobbie, I still don't see why you made me drive you all the way to DC just so you can try out for The Real World.  Couldn't you have come here by yourself?" Joshua "JC" Chasez asked his girlfriend of three years while standing in line outside the convention center that was hosting a regional casting call for young men and women to appear on MTV's successful television show. Bobbie Thomas stood staring at JC, not believing what he had just asked her.  "What, you don't want to support me?  You think I'm making a stupid mistake wanting to go on the show?" "No, baby, it's not that, you know I'll always support you.  It's just...why drag me along?  I was hoping to stay home today and start writing my paper for my advanced music theory class." "JC," she sighed, "this could possibly be my big break.  This is what I need to get to Hollywood.  Can you believe me, riding in a limo and drinking champagne with people like Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts and..." "You really think you'd make it that far?  Bobbie, you've tried out for how many plays in the area and made a higher part than just an extra?  Sometimes I wonder exactly what type of talent you have." "I'm pretty talented in bed, aren't I sweetie?" Bobbie asked.  JC just rolled his eyes. The line moved fairly quickly and before JC and Bobbie knew it, they were next.  The man at the head of the table asked them to step into a room, where there were two interviewers, a chair, and a camera. "Next, we have Roberta Thomas and Joshua Chasez, correct?" the middle-aged woman asked. "Yes," Bobbie answered just as JC said, "No way, I'm not doing this too!" "Josh, we agreed on this.  You come here and try out as well," Bobbie reminded her boyfriend. "I iknow, honey, but...I'm not so sure now." "That's quite alright, Mr. Chasez," the man sitting with the woman told him.  "We can let Ms. Thomas go first, then you, so you can see what this is like.  Is that fine?" "Yeh, I guess." "Good.  Now, Ms. Thomas, I would like you to sit in that seat in front of the camera and tell us about yourself." Bobbie sat down and immediatley went into her acting persona.  Though she was a natural at this, it did not hide her nervousness this time around. When she was done speaking, the interviewers asked some questions.  "Ms. Thomas, in your application you said you were 25 years old.  You do know that is our cut-off limit, correct?" "Yes, I do sir.  I realize that my age may be a factor, but I assure you that I can be the right person you need for the house." "Thank you, Ms. Thomas.  Mr. Chasez, you can go ahead whenever your ready," the woman told JC.  He looked at the chair, then the camera, the interviewers, Bobbie, then the camera again before sitting down. "Mr. Chasez, why don't you introduce yourself?" JC stammered, "Uh, sure.  My name is, um, Joshua Chasez, although everyone calls me JC.  I'm 24, I have a bachelor's degree in music performance from the University of Maryland, where I am currently working on receiving my master's in teaching.  I have a wonderful girlfriend of three years, whom I love very much.  My parents have always taught me to be independant and do what I want.  I love all types of music, baseball, and I'm just your typical guy, I guess." The interviewers were busy taking notes, which made JC wonder if he was as bad as he knew he would turn out to be.  'I don't remember them taking as many notes for Bobbie,' he said to himself. "Mr. Chasez, if you were to make it on our show, what do you think would be the hardest thing for you to do?" the woman asked. "The hardest thing?  I guess making sure I can get along with everyone in the house.  We will all have different personalities and different backgrounds, and I would want all of us to be able to understand where we come from before any arguments break out.  And if I don't become friends with all of them, that's also fine." October 5, 2000- Nashville, TN "Do you think that it would be hard for you to keep a relationship with someone if you make it on the show?" the man sitting behind the table asked. 'Damn, this is the moment I was dreading,' Lance Bass thought to himself.  "Yes, I do.  I am gay, and I realize that not all of the housemates will agree with my views on homosexuality, but if the right man comes into my life while I am there, I would make every effort possible to have a relationship with him." The female interviewer raised her eyebrows.  "Really, Mr. Bass?" "Yes, ma'am," he replied, unsure on his position on the show now that he had let out his big secret. The two interviewers finished taking the notes they needed and stood up to end the session.  "Thank you for coming to the casting call, Mr. Bass.  If you make it to the finals, we will be in touch with you by the end of the month." Lance shook the interviewers' hands and gathered up his things to leave.  He was surprised that he had not been thrown out when he told them his sexuality, but realized that now he would have less than no chance of even being on the show.  He then saw how late it was getting, and instead of making the drive back down to his apartment in Oxford, MS, he decided to get a hotel room. An hour later Lance had checked into a Holiday Inn and was in his room.  His first instinct was to take a nap before dinner, but he knew that his mother was at home in Clinton worrying about her baby. "Hello?" Diane Bass' warm voice answered the phone. "Hi Mama, it's me." "James, honey, how was the audition?" Lance hesitated before answering.  "Fine.  I think I really impressed them, up until they asked me about dating." "Honey, I'm sure everything will be okay.  I'm sure they wouldn't turn you away just because of your sexual preference." "I know, Mama, but what would they want with a gay Mississippi hick who has done absolutely nothing with his life?  I don't even remember why I tried out for the show in the first place." Diane was used to the discouragement of her son by now.  When Lance was 14, he had tried out for a singing group that toured the United States.  The weekend after the audition he spent complaining about how awful he had done, then the following Monday he got the call that he made it.  "James, they would keep you because of who you are, not where you're from and what you did..." "As long as you love me, Mama?  Why start singing Backstreet songs now?" "Honey, you've never had a problem with them before.  Not even if I talk about your favorite, the one that looks like Jesus?" Lance groaned.  "That's Howie, Mama, and besides, he's straight.  My new fantasy is Joaquin Phoenix." Diane started laughing, "Joaquin Phoenix?  The guy from Gladiator?" "Yeah, Mama.  Anyway, I better go.  I'm staying at the Holiday Inn in Nashville if you want to call me.  I love you." "I love you too baby.  Now get a good night's sleep and don't think that anything bad happened to you today.  Bye, James." "Bye Mama," Lance hung up the phone and lie down on the bed.  'Does she really think I could make it on the show?' December 28- College Park, MD JC awoke to the ringing of the telephone.  Guessing that it was only 9 in the morning, he groaned and pulled the blanket over his head.  That didn't stop the ringing.  "Bobbie, answer the damn phone!" he called out, forgetting that she had a hair appointment to get new highlights for New Year's.  When he had finally had enough of it, JC sat up and picked up the receiver.  "Hello?" he answered as civilly as possible this early in the morning. "Is this Joshua Chasez?" he heard a young man ask. "Yeah, what do you want?" "Joshua, this is Christopher Kirkpatrick from MTV.  We are pleased to announce you as one of the seven members of The Real World's Orlando cast." It took a minute for the words Christopher said to register in JC's mind.  "Cast?  As in I made it?" Christopher laughed.  "Yes, you did.  Congratulations, Joshua.  We will be sending out the information for you later today, so you can expect it in the mail shortly after the new year." "Thank you, Mr. Kirkpatrick," JC said before hanging up the phone.  'I'm on the show.  I can't believe it!  How did I end up so lucky?' JC was still in bed when Bobbie came home.  "Babe, what are you still doing here?  I need you to get the groceries out of my car," she said. "Bobbie, I got a call from MTV today.  I made it on to The Real World." "You DID?" she shouted.  "Oh my God!  That's great sweetie!" JC was surprised at the amount of enthusiasm his girlfriend was showing.  "You're happy for me?" "Of course, Josh.  Since I was too old to be on the show, they decided that you had to go on and take my place!  This is great!  Now can you go get the groceries?  I ended up getting a manicure too and I dont' want to break a nail." JC groaned again, wondering if this would be the shot at proving to himself tha he was not ready for marriage.  Once again, Bobbie had spen all Christmas Day sulking over the fact that not one of her presents was an engagement ring.  It was hard for JC to get her to understand that he wasn't ready for the committment yet.  'Maybe someone that I will be living with will be able to help me decide my future,' he thought. Clinton, MS Lance was spending the holidays at his parents' house outside of Jackson, so he was fairly surprised when his mother woke him up saying that there was a phone call for him.  "Hello?" he asked, taking the cordless phone from Diane's hand. "Is this Lance Bass?" "Yes, may I help you, sir?" Christoper went on to tell Lance the same thing he told JC, but got a much different reaction.  "Yeah right, Cameron, I know you're just playing around, now leave me alone until I get back to school, alright?" "Mr. Bass, I am very serious.  You made it on the show." Lance's mouth dropped open.  "I-I did?" "Yes, you did.  Now I will be mailing the information out to you today, so you should receive it sometime next week.  Have a good day, and congratulations," Chris said before hanging up. "James, is everything okay?" Diane asked her son. "I'm going to Orlando, Mama.  I'm on the show." "Really, sweetie?  That's wonderful!" she exclaimed, pulling Lance into a hug.  "I told you you had nothing to worry about during the finals, right?  Now let me go call your father so we can go out to dinner and celebrate tonight." "Thanks, Mama," Lance called out as Diane left his room.  'They chose me instead of some goody two-shoes jock.  Maybe this is the thing I need to see where my life is going?' Chapter One Back to Chapter Index Back to Story Index