News/Interviews

New Kids on the Boards

July 25, 2004

By JASON ZINOMAN

WHEN Joey McIntyre and Joey Fatone met for dinner at Joe Allen's in the theater district on a recent night, not one screaming girl, tabloid photographer or nosy fan followed them. In fact, no one seemed to notice them at all. Walter Cronkite. Walter Cronkite, who was sitting 10 feet away, received more stares. How times have changed.

Photos of Mr. McIntyre and Mr. Fatone once adorned the bedroom walls and school lockers of every squealing pop-music-obsessed girl in the country. In the late 1980's, Mr. McIntyre was the youngest (and perhaps most adored) member of New Kids on the Block, a bubble gum pop quintet that paved the way for the boy band craze a decade later, when Joey Fatone from 'N Sync started appearing on the covers of magazines for teenagers. Now that MTV has moved on to other telegenic young stars, Mr. Fatone, 27, and Mr. McIntyre, 31, are attempting second careers as musical theater actors.

The Brooklyn-born Mr. Fatone, who starred in the musical "Rent" in 2002, recently replaced Hunter Foster as Seymour in "Little Shop of Horrors." Mr. McIntyre, a Bostonian, who was in the Off Broadway show "Tick, Tick . . . Boom!," took over the role of the heartthrob prince Fiyero in "Wicked" last Tuesday.

The two Joeys agreed to meet for a conversation at The New York Times's request. After giving each other a quick bear hug, Mr. Fatone and Mr. McIntyre, whose paths have crossed several times over the years, started comparing notes about playing stadiums, getting respect and selling T-shirts.

JASON ZINOMAN Do you worry that being known as a boy band star will make it difficult to earn respect from fellow actors?

JOEY MCINTYRE No, I already have it. Anybody who's seen me in "Tick, Tick . . . Boom!" knows that. You come in with this story about you. "Oh, he's from New Kids on the Block. He's this. He's that." But when I walk in the door, I'm just like any other actor. I'm happy to be there and get it on.

JOEY FATONE When I did "Rent," they were, like, "Sorry, we don't have a private dressing room." But I was, like, "That's cool."

ZINOMAN Why do so many musicians try to act?

FATONE Look, the transition from music to acting can be brutal. For instance, you got "Glitter."

ZINOMAN With Mariah Carey?

FATONE If you took her out of the movie, it wouldn't be that bad.

MCINTYRE I don't think it would be that good, but maybe. People, mostly writers, underestimate young artists in the music business. They figure they're being told what to do because of the history of Hollywood and Motown. Yes, you need a great manager and you need a great producer, but you got nothing unless you got the talent. No one ever told us how to be. It was natural. I was the little cute one. Donnie was the tough leader. Jordan was the sexy lead singer. Danny gave his 110. Jon was the shy one. That's what we were. And then, that was exploited.

ZINOMAN Were you exploited?

MCINTYRE New Kids exploded before we knew it. We put out this record and all of a sudden we were the great white hope. Our merchandising got a little out of hand and people saw us as too commercial.

ZINOMAN What was the worst example of merchandising gone wrong?

MCINTYRE Marbles. You haven't lived until you've seen your own head roll down the hallway.

FATONE For us, things would go out without approval. I don't want 'N Sync lip balm.

ZINOMAN What have you found to be the hardest thing about acting in a musical on Broadway?

FATONE Performing every night eight days a week. Some movie stars will play a role for a few weeks and then leave, but I'm in "Little Shop" for six months straight.

MCINTYRE I love being onstage. I love the integrity of it. I don't want to get dramatic, but this is holy ground.

FATONE Some people are, like, "Why don't you be leading man in a film?" Look, I'm not leading man material right now.

ZINOMAN What about the venue? How is performing in a Broadway house different from 100,000-seat stadiums?

MCINTYRE It's, uh, real. It's way more real. You do stadiums because you can, know what I mean?

FATONE Broadway is more intimate. But when you're at a concert, the energy is fun. I get a kick out of that.

ZINOMAN Joey McIntyre, you were one of the biggest heartthrobs in your group.

MCINTYRE I sold the most T-shirts, I know that.

FATONE Thank God for Justin.

MCINTYRE Exactly. You still split it five ways, right?

ZINOMAN But when Justin Timberlake started getting so much attention, did that cause tension within 'N Sync?

FATONE Funny, it never did. You think it would. He's young. Younger girls are obviously going to love him, and there's a lot more younger girls at our concerts. One time we did an autograph signing and we're all sitting side by side. A young girl goes up to Justin, "Oh, my God, you're so cute, I want to marry you." She goes to JC, "Oh, JC, you have a beautiful voice, I love you . . . Lance, your eyes are so pretty . . . Chris, you're crazy . . . Hey, Joey, my mom loves you and wants to cook you dinner." That's what I get, being from New York, Italian and loving to eat.

ZINOMAN Jordan Knight put out an album earlier this year called "Jordan Knight Presents New Kids on the Block Remix." What do you think about that?

MCINTYRE Nooooo comment. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

ZINOMAN Did you get money from that album?

MCINTYRE If it happened to sell millions of copies, we'd say, "Dude, come on." I think it's a shame. I didn't know what he was thinking. He's way too talented to do something like that.

ZINOMAN Isn't Jordan also on the latest version of "The Surreal Life," the reality show starring has-beens like Hammer and Tammy Faye Bakker?

FATONE I got offered to do that.

MCINTYRE So did I! The thing is - thank God - my life isn't surreal. It's real, and I've worked hard to keep it real. It's a big trap. People underestimate you constantly. Stick a camera in your face, and you're supposed to be, like, "Really, where do I sign?"

ZINOMAN New Kids and 'N Sync were perceived as nice, wholesome guys. What's the truth?

FATONE We were kids, running around, going to clubs. We're going to strip clubs, this and that. I'm 19 years old, going around the world. I'm going to try to enjoy life. You're young and curious. It's weird, because people perceived us to be goody-goody. We didn't choose to be that way. People are, like, "You curse?" "Yes, I do, but I'm not going to do it on TV."

MCINTYRE After New Kids, I hung out and I partied and I probably made an ass out of myself in the clubs every now and then.

FATONE You needed to.

MCINTYRE Exactly, everyone does.

ZINOMAN Now that you are theater actors, will you change your names to Joe?

FATONE I've been called Joey, Joseph, Joe, everything. I don't care.

MCINTYRE I'll change when he changes. Joe McIntyre sounds like the Democratic representative from the Sixth District in Boston. When you put that "y" on there, man, watch out. The magic happens.

www.nytimes.com

THE LEADING MEN: Joey, Joey, Joey

By Wayman Wong

06 Jul 2004

Joey McIntyre

photo by Ben Strothmann

July is full of fireworks, and these three "Leading Men" are having a bang-up time: Joey McIntyre (Wicked), Burke Moses (The Frogs) and James Getzlaff (My Big Gay Italian Wedding).

A MAC OF ALL TRADES

On July 20 Wicked welcomes a New Kid to the block: Pop superstar Joey McIntyre makes his Broadway debut as Fiyero, the young guy who’s bewitched by Elphaba. The former New Kid on the Block, who’s sold millions of records, will be in Wicked through mid-January, but does he have "the right stuff" for the Great White Way? To quote a NKOTB hit, "he’s got it," says Stephen Schwartz, Wicked’s wonderful whiz of a composer: "Joey did a great job when he took over in my son Scott [Schwartz’s] show tick, tick … BOOM!, and I’m confident he’ll do just as well as Fiyero. He’s very charming, very musical and a much better actor than people who just know him from his pop-group days may realize."Besides his N.Y. stage debut in tick, tick … BOOM! in 2001, McIntyre appeared in the Reprise! concert of Babes in Arms in L.A. and did a reading of Schwartz’s The Baker’s Wife with Richard Chamberlain and Kerry O’Malley. The boyish singer-songwriter also stars in the film of The Fantasticks (1995) and the movie of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding (2004). Plus, he was on TV’s "Boston Public" and just put out a stellar new solo album, "8:09," produced and co-written with Emanuel Kiriakou. Contrary to the title of one of his most fun and infectious tunes, the 5-foot-10 heartthrob isn’t content to "Stay the Same." Now 31 and married to Barrett, a blonde with "Cover Girl" looks, he hopes to have kids "in another year or two.

"Question: Congrats on getting cast in Wicked? How’s it feel?

Joey McIntyre: Thrilling. I grew up doing community theatre [in Boston], and my whole family was involved. My sister Carol sorta got me involved with theatre. I sang my first song onstage with her: "I’d Do Anything" from Oliver! She was Nancy and I was Oliver. She was 16 and I was 6. Carol’s been raving and raving about Wicked, so when I got cast as Fiyero, she flipped out. To make my Broadway debut in a show that’s so successful and so cool, and to be singing with Tony winners [like Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel] is pretty ridiculous. I’m pinching myself. I’m working with Stephen Schwartz and Joe Mantello, and it’s so awesome.

Q: What’s your take on Fiyero?

McIntyre: I’m still trying to figure him out. He’s got a great journey. He starts off as a party boy who’s very shallow, but is he detached because he’s in pain or because he’s privileged? Elphaba calls him on it and knows he’s really hurt inside, and Fiyero realizes she sees something in him nobody else sees.

Q: In Wicked, you’re reunited with Joey Grey, who played your father-in-law in The Fantasticks. What do you recall about him?

McIntyre: It was my first movie, and he was such a pro. I remember being able to go to his trailer and chat about anything. I was 21 and blabbing about what I wanted to do, and he said everything would work out.

Q: And what about the movie of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding? There’s no release date yet, but it just got a rave review in Variety.

McIntyre: It was a kamikaze shoot, but the cast really stuck together. I played Tony, who tries to keep it altogether, while all the mayhem is going on.

Q: Was Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding anything like your own?

McIntyre: Oh, no! But it was a blast. We had about 230 people at the Plaza in New York, so that was beautiful. Everyone was waiting for [Barrett and me] to do a slow number for our first wedding song, and my wife came through the doors to "Like a Virgin." And then I came out, and we did this whole choreographed dance routine. People went crazy. Then we did "We Are Family" and everyone else came out, and then "Hava Nagilah" and everyone got on the chairs. It was amazing!

Q: You met your wife, who’s a real-estate agent, while she was showing you houses in L.A., and 8:09 was the number of your rental, and it’s your wedding date and the title of your new CD. How’d you know she was "the one"?

McIntyre: Barrett’s smart and has a great sense of humor. Blond hair, blue eyes, great legs. She’s beautiful and she’s the best. I had to find someone smarter than me, funnier than me and crazier than me, and I found her.

Q: Speaking of weddings, the topic of gay marriage has been in the news. And you’re Irish Catholic. What do you think of it?

McIntyre: I support gay marriage. I don’t see the big deal. It’s really ridiculous. My mother raised me Catholic, and I think the teachings of Jesus Christ have made me a caring person. And in my family, we have blacks, Jews and gays. I was brought up to follow what Jesus said: Love your neighbor, period.

Q: Back to theatre: In Jonathan Larson’s tick, tick … BOOM!, you played a songwriter who’s turning 30. You went into it after Sept. 11, 2001. Stephen Oremus, who worked with you then and is now music-directing Wicked, says you kept Larson’s show going because you brought new fans to the theatre.

McIntyre: That role changed my life. It was amazing to be around those people, and I loved the director, Scott Schwartz. I live in Tribeca and my apartment looked downtown, so I could see the Twin Towers. I was in Seattle [at the time of the attack]; it was mind-blowing. Tick, tick … BOOM! was a helluva name for a show then, but it was a hugh privilege to be part of Larson’s legacy.

Q: One of your favorite movies is "Shakespeare in Love." Why?

McIntyre: Gwyneth Paltrow. The movie was amazing, and she’s unbelievable, but I tell my wife that I have the real-life Gwyneth Paltrow.

Q: Would you ever want to tackle Shakespeare?

McIntyre: Omigod! Let’s just take it one step at a time. (Laughs.)Or to quote another NKOTB hit, McIntyre could do it "Step by Step." For more information, visit www.joeymcintyre.com.

Wicked cool, Joey Mac!

By Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa

Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Sure, he made gazillions of dollars as a teenthrob in the original boy band the New Kids on the Block but what really impresses Joe McIntyre's sisters is his latest gig - a role in the hit Broadway show ``Wicked.''

``I've never heard my sisters more excited about anything, 'cause it's theater,'' Joe told the Track. ``To them, this is bigger than New Kids. My sister Carol saw the show a couple of weeks ago and just loved it. She went backstage and met everyone. So one of the biggest thrills about this was telling my sister Carol.''

On July 20 the former J.P. kid will step into the role of Fiyero in the musical that scored a trio of Tony Awards earlier this month. McIntyre, who had the lead in the off-Broadway production of ``tick... tick... BOOM!,'' plays the vacant pretty boy who comes between the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch in the show that is a ``prequel'' to ``The Wizard of Oz.''

``I'm beyond thrilled,'' McIntyre said. ``It's a funny, romantic, serious character that has a journey. It's a really nice role for me to come into for my first time on Broadway. And it's good timing.''

McIntyre was between gigs after his character was phased out of David E. Kelley's ``Boston Public.''

``This business is crazy,'' he said. ``But for me the best thing is to keep an open mind and an open heart and the right things come along at the right time.''

Joe admitted that auditioning for the role - he read with Tony Award-winning leading lady Idina Menzel - was ``not the most relaxing situation.'' He sang in front of a room full of people but said it ``wasn't like in `The Producers' where you sing three notes and get cut off. I've never been cut off. Thankfully.''

Rehearsals start in two weeks and McIntyre said he's looking forward to working with Joel Grey again. Grey, who plays The Wizard in the play, co-starred with Joey in the film ``The Fantasticks.'' He's also excited about moving back to New York with his bride, Barrett. The couple had been living in L.A.

``It's just great on so many levels.''

From The Boston Herald

July 13, 2004

Joe Mac and Eman at The Knitting Factory

by Kim, Loyal Braveheart

Joe and Eman could spend the rest of their lives just doing their thing and making a happy living at it. It's just the two of them and an acoustic guitar, but in comparison to the last full show I saw, their act just gets better. Technical difficulties pushed the curtain time back a tad, but they soon got underway.

Joe's affliction of love songs hasn't been cured, and his shows are great! Girlfriends formed long chains with their arms around each other as they swayed back and forth remembering the good old days.

The Lex Luthor look was very in, and many of the men in the audience were dressed far better than Joe and Eman. And there were plenty of girls in the audience, as usual. The regular guys stomached the show as they held purses and coats and sneaked peeks at the Lakers game. Looks ran the gamut from Japanese go-go dancer to pierced and plaid with unnatural hair colors. If Joe wasn't partial to jumping up and down and demanding attention, many people might have never watched the show. Yet Joe is what we're here for, and when he's on stage he is one sexy man. I still have a poster of him. It's the black one with the gold signature, remember girls? The one that's discounted on Ebay because it's been kissed so much. The only picture of him I have ever seen that's hotter is with a scruffy beard, mussed-up hair and his jacket inside out. He was going through a chunky monkey phase but that's all over now and he's back to lean mean Stay-the-Same Joe.

Eman is handsome in that tall, dark, classic Greek way, and there were plenty of girls to go around. As Joe said, we aren't twelve anymore. Just next time you're going to wear a wife beater on stage, give us a little shoulder, ok? The show opened with the One/With or Without You medley. Joe was perfectly in tune with his gorgeous voice, and Eman was amazingly funky. With only one guitar in the band, he certainly earns his place.

In between songs the humor was sharp and memorable; the swearing was, well, the swearing was Joe but the flipping off was pure Eman. There was a discussion about exactly what parts of the body were being photographed, causing Joe to be concerned about how his pockets looked, and he can't sit down unless Eman sits down because it bothers Eman.

Bothering each other seems to work, as when they're into music it's a form of magic. Most of the set is from the new album 8:09 which is out now. This Is Different sticks with me, and most are pure rock with a bit of funk. LA Blue, the first single, now that I have really got to hear Joe belt it out, is a great piece of modern Irish-American blues about being alone in this town and missing everyone and everything you know. Half of the show was covers: Suspicious Minds, their touching rendition of Time After Time, nd the New Kids' Cover Girl. I was beyond joy to hear Please Don't Go Girl, as I thought I would never hear Joe sing that live. Before anyone was too nostalgic Joe brought up a recent plastic surgery show and his disdain for the trend by telling his audience that some of the women were hot to begin with but only needed a shower and makeup. Eman made a stretched plastic surgery face as Joe talked about his song Stay the Same, which is a must-listen-to for anyone feeling down.

As the night reached a close the technical difficulties began to rear their ugly head again. While Eman dealt with the guitar feedback Joe gave us his interpretation of The Matrix. When the guitar cut out all together he continued a cappella. When he asked for the audience to sing along they answered eagerly.

The Knitting Factory was welcoming and accommodating, and Joe's management even more so. If you ever find Joe Mac and Eman coming to your town, pay them a visit. The pose he takes during Eman's song Falling is well worth the price of admission.

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April 19, 2004

Joey McIntyre: A Grown Up

With a new solo album on his way, the New Kids' youngest member is all adult

by Eddie Shoebang

March 31, 2004

By Eddie Shoebang

College Times

When Joey McIntyre called the office we had to get one thing straight and out of the way. Are the New Kids on the Block planning a reunion tour where they will sing all their old hits and perform their old dance moves?

Theres been talk for a reunion, McIntyre said. But it hasnt been from us. For the time being, it aint gonna happen. Were all busy doing our own thing. I still keep in touch with everyone. Donnie and I hang out the most since we are both in L.A. Jordan and John were at the wedding and Danny and I talk on the phone.

Its kind of surreal to imagine Wahlberg and McIntyre sitting together at a Starbucks in L.A. sharing a laugh about the old days when they were gods of the teenage world and things were much easier. Its sad to say, but the kids from NKOTB have grown up.

They exploded in 1988 when they released their second album Hanging Tough, which produced such hits as The Right Stuff, Ill be Loving You, and Please Dont Go Girl. The group consisted of five boys from Boston, Donnie Wahlberg (the bad one), Jordon and Jonathan Knight (one was hot, one was not), Danny Wood (looked like a monkey) and McIntyre (who was the heart-throb of the group).

Many say they were the business model for boy bands of the future (technically New Edition should get the honors since they were first, but how many of you actually know the words to Cool It Now?) and are indirectly responsible for the Backstreet Boys and NSync. Thanks guys.

I dont cringe at all when I hear the old songs, McIntyre said. I went through a phase when you dont want to hear it, but that changed when I got older. Ive always been one to embrace my past. It was an awesome experience.

Uber-fame has its perils, though, and McIntyre found out the hard way after returning from the gym to his hotel room in Korea. McIntyre came out of his shower butt-naked and was greeted by two school girls.

That scared the shit out of me, McIntyre said remembering when that actually happened to him. They definitely got a show. I was screaming like a schoolgirl myself. Its ironic since its every kids dream.

Dont let your imagination run wild because security was called and the girls were escorted out. McIntyre has every right to act like a larger than life celebrity and take advantage, but he doesnt. Hes remarkably down-to-earth and is charismatic, even over the phone.

This country has a weird way of treating celebrities, McIntyre said. If you have a hit record thats making money, they want to give you the store. Sure, I like to get a good table at a restaurant at the last minute, but Im not abusive. Free slices of pizza are cool though.

If his new album, 8:09 (due in stores April 27) is a success, McIntyre may be able to enjoy a whole pie. All the songs were written with Emanuel Kiriakou, McIntyres collaborator with his Meet Joe Mac album. The songs on the album range from the poppy music McIntyres is known for to the love ballads that hes infamous for, most of which were inspired by his new wife, who also inspired the album title. Thats right girls, hes married and her name is Barrett.

My wife and I met on August 9, married a year later, and the place we wrote the new album had the address 809, McIntyre said. There was a lot of great karma in the house and it was all just working. I like that its a number.

How can a viable sex symbol settle down with just one woman when there are literally thousands (my girlfriend included) who would drop everything to meet him?

Its actually refreshing to be married, McIntyre said. Its like every guys fantasy, to be someones adoration, but it only lasts for a few minutes and then its off to the next town. With my wife, I have something thats genuine. We share the ups and downs together. Its real, not fantasy.

McIntyre has grown up and it shows, not only in his looks and now more manly sounding voice, but with his life choices as well. He is also looking toward a career in acting, having come off of playing teacher Colin Fynn on Foxs now cancelled Boston Public. Up until McIntyres emergence on the show, no one spoke with a Boston accent.

They might have been able to get someone cheaper if they just wanted a Boston accent, McIntyre said laughing.

Right now, McIntyre is hitting the streets again, promoting the new album and its first single, L.A. Blue, a love song about being away from the one you love. It has been interpreted as being sung to his wife and to the city of Boston, which counts as a love for any Red Sox fan.

I was in New York City during game seven unfortunately, McIntyre said. My wife, whos from New York, was with me and couldnt understand why I was so upset.

Well if she doesnt work out, it shouldnt be too hard finding a replacement.


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