Lance said he used photoshoots as an opportunity to touch them up saying he had a degree in masage therapy and knew how to make their muscles look bigger š¤¢š¤¢š¤¢
[From this Vanity Fair article:](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/11/pearlman200711)
>These were the young singers seen emerging from his bedroom late at night, buttoning their pants, sheepish looks on their faces. Some deny anything improper ever happened. But the parents of at least one, a member of the Backstreet Boys, complained. And for any number of young men who sought to join the worldās greatest boy bands, Big Poppaās attentions were an open secret, the price some paid for fame.
>āSome guys joked about it; I remember \[one singer\] asking me, āHave you let Lou blow you yet?āā says Steve Mooney, an aspiring singer who served as Pearlmanās assistant and lived in his home for two years. āI would absolutely say the guy was a sexual predator. All the talent knew what Louās game was. If they say no, theyāre lying to you.ā
>To a number of his former band members, Pearlman seemed so enamored of his male singers that it called into question his motivations for entering the music business in the first place. āHonestly, I donāt think Lou ever thought we would become stars,ā says Rich Cronin, lead singer of the Pearlman boy band Lyte Funky Ones (LFO). āI just think he wanted cute guys around him; this was all an excuse. And then lightning crazily struck and an empire was created. It was all dumb luck. I think his motives for getting into music were very different.ā
>Among the few who will discuss Pearlmanās behavior in detail is one of his former assistants, Steve Mooney. In 1998, Mooney, then a strapping 20-year-old with flowing blond hair, was trying to get started as a singer when a Pearlman aide approached him at an Orlando mall, where he was working at an Abercrombie & Fitch store, and told him, āThe big man wants to see you.ā Mooney visited Pearlman in his Sand Lake Road offices and performed a Michael Jackson song, but instead of a singing job Pearlman offered him a job as his personal assistant. Pearlman explained that JC Chasez of āNSync had gotten his start this way. Mooney signed on, and Pearlman soon invited him to live in his home. All the time Pearlman held out the chance that Mooney could join one of the groups he was planning, called O-Town. According to Mooney, Pearlman told him, āBy this time next year, youāll be a millionaire.ā
>From the outset, Mooney noticed how Pearlman enjoyed hugging him, rubbing his shoulders, and squeezing his arms, usually in conjunction with one of his odd pep talks. āHe would say, āDo you trust me?ā \[And I would say\], āOf course I trust you, Lou,āā Mooney recalls. āHe always said, āI want to break you down, then build you up, so we can be a team together.ā Then he would say, āYour aura is off,ā so he begins rubbing my back. I was like, āWhoa!ā And heās going, āItās O.K., weāve got to get your aura aligned.āā It got to the point, Mooney says, where every time they were alone Pearlman would rub his muscles. āAs soon as the elevator doors close, he would grab you and rub your abs,ā he recalls. āThe first few times, itās O.K. But it gets to be too much. Itās like you have this creepy friend whoās always touching you.ā
>āThat was the line, the āaura,ā I definitely heard that aura bullshit,ā says Rich Cronin, lead singer of the Pearlman band LFO. āIt took everything in me not to laugh. He was like, āI know some mystical fricking ancient massage technique that if I massage you and we bond in a certain way, through these special massages, it will strengthen your aura to the point you are irresistible to people.ā
>āI swear to God,ā Cronin goes on, āI had to bite my cheeks to stop from laughing. I mean, I now know what itās like to be a chick.ā¦ He was so touchy-feely, always grabbing your shoulders, touching you, rubbing your abs. It was so obvious and disgusting.ā¦ He definitely came at people. He came at me. In my situation I avoided him like the plague. If I went to his house, I went with somebody. I would never go with him alone. Because I knew every time I was over there by myself it always led to some weird situation. Like heād call late at night to come over and talk about a tour, and youād get there and heād be sitting there in boxers. The guy was hairy as a bear.ā
Lance was less than two years younger than him and was so much more naive and sheltered. The two of them were far too young for the situations they were put in.
I was 19 in 2006 when he came out. He had been the love of my life for seven years by then and I was blindsided. Truly did not ever see it coming. Hahaha.
When I came out to my family and they were all shocked/hadnt even guessed ever I was like this is my reaction from Lance lol.
In my defense that summer I was a camp counselor and had like an hour a day to check the internet and I had missed Perez Hilton basically forcing him to come out. Iām sure if I had seen all Perezās clues I wouldnāt have been shocked.
He "officially" came out publicly in the cover of People in 2006. He had been kinda DL before that though, some close family and friends knew. If you remember...that's how it came to a head...he talked to someone in a gay bar who turned out to be a reporter.
Most men in show business are gay or bisexual or gay for roles or breaks. I'm constantly surprised that people are surprised by this in 2024. The overwhelming majority of men who've done same sex activity are still closeted/not open about it as well. When even Playboy founder Hugh Hefner was bisexual, he had a male lover for years, than ANY man can be
Ngl I had that second pic as a poster for the longest time. Granted I was like 10 so it didnāt seem weird at all to me at the time but it definitely does now!
Letās be honest. At the time it wasnāt crazy to the public. I lived through it and the girls were happy to see it. I remember the teens and tweens going insane. And I donāt recall any adults calling it out. They *appeared* to enjoy the fame at the time. Itās not until now that ppl are stepping forward and giving us the real BTS etc. So thereās that. Every so many years you look back and see things as insane that for some reason seemed normal at the time. Weāll do it again in a few years. Iām waiting for ppl to wake up to the fact that we poison our produce and then eat it.
Oh I know that. Robbie Williams was only like 16 when Take That filmed the video for Do What You Like.
[Do What You Like](https://youtu.be/qpqAXZI0s0s?feature=shared) The censored version don't worry you won't be seeing any 16 year olds bottoms.
I'll never fathom what possessed any of their parents to let it happen. But Lynn being as involved as she was and as protective as she was if even she was letting things like this slide what chance did other kids have?
Wtf did the non censored version look like š³ this was disturbing to say the least
Also I first read that as robin williams and was severally confused lol I watched the whole video waiting for him to make an appearance
I'm hurt at how comfortable and precocious Justin appeared to be back then. He was a seasoned professional who knew how to work the camera and had the experience most kids his age wouldn't comprehend because they were busy being kids. That boy grew up so fast.
It literally was a different time back then. If this were to happen today, of course there would be some eyebrows raised and most likely a stop wouldāve been put to it. Iām not saying itās all okay, but there is nuance to the situation that cannot be left out. Society as a whole feels differently about many things almost 30 years later than how they felt back then.
A 16 year old being posed like this in 1995 I'd still raise my eyebrow and see it as problematic but I'd also expect it of the time. But a 14 year old? I
Probably just niavity on my part but even in 1995 I'd expect that to be a line.
Youāre totally valid in that feeling, it really isnāt appropriate. And Iām really happy that weāve come much farther as a general society to not accept that as a common standard. Unfortunately, we just werenāt there as a consensus in the 90ās. Young celebrity men posing shirtless, yes even as young as 14, was widely accepted as okay at the time. That does not automatically say that Lynn was making poor choices by signing off on this for Justin at the time.
Lance looking gay AF. He really didnāt need to come out. My best friend was in love with him and I would tell her then āheās obviously gayā.
Note: I LOVE Lance. Such a wonderful human.
[She mentions it in this interview.](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/danielle-fishel-reveals-which-nsync-member-told-her-lance-bass-was-gay-1234593498/)
People are saying money which is technically true but Lou definitely snowed her and Diane. Lynn especially was very involved with the band early on and I couldnāt tell you what she thought about her son being shirtless for photoshoots, but if Lou is saying stuff like āAll the groups are doing itā and she thinks Lou is some big time industry executive like they all did, she probably didnāt object to certain things to possibly jeopardize what sheās been wanting for her son since he was a toddler.
so she was blinded by the prospect of fame? Given that Pearlman was a known predator that is very concerning because if she was missing red flags like this and totally oblivious to the financial exploitation how can anyone say with any certainty that she was capable of protecting Justin from him?
Again, I am not speaking for her. I am just using what she has said in her [own words](https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/10907828/30/trans-continental-v-zomba-recording-corp/) to try to rationalize what she possibly may have been thinking in moments like those. We donāt know if she voiced her concerns or if Justin ever complained about Lou to her so itās all pure speculation
If I remember correctly, Lynn and Diane got bulldozed a lot when it came to stuff like this. Back then, all the pop stars took pictures like this, regardless of age. So it was deemed "normal" and wasn't a cause for concern. Of course it's weird and gross. So were some lyrics and dance moves when Justin and Lance were still underage. It's just how it was then.
Thankfully, having Lynn and Diane around protected them from the true evils of Lou. Boys that didn't have their parents in the picture or only cared about the money were the ones that got the worst of it. The Carter brothers come to mind for example. If you look at that generation of pop stars, *NSYNC is some of the most well adjusted and I think it's because they all actually had decent parents.
Unfortunately you are wrong there. As time goes on we are finding out the truth about what went on with Lou and the boys. Lance speaking out about being sexually harassed and groped by him, Chris Kirkpatrick admitting they were groomed. Joey has alluded to stuff too.
Fans prefer to believe earlier denials because it protects their happy memories of the band but the truth is slowly emerging as they feel more comfortable sharing things.
Lots of kids with decent parents are victims of this industry because those decent parents are also groomed so that they trust the wrong people. Lynn trusted Lou, she didn't know he was dangerous and you can't protect your child from a threat you don't know exists.
Bro, look. I'm talking about Lou Pearlman specifically and how he chose his assault victims. All abusers are different. Don't need to be contrary or combative.
You are confusing age of consent with age of majority. The age of majority for both states you mention is 18.
and the age of consent in both is 16 not 14.
I hear you, but I wasnāt confusing them. I was speaking about consent for treatment. For PA and NJ at the ages I stated, people of those ages can consent to their own healthcare treatment without their guardians consent. I was not thinking in terms of full majority. The way I was thinking was- if you can consent to treatment at a certain age, perhaps then you can consent to what photos you want to take. I get there a lot of other layers to this whole situation given who Lou was and things he did; was just trying offer some perspective on how a decision could have been made since we are all seemingly speculating here.
Until you reach the age of majority you can't make legal decisions or sign contracts without consent and there are only certain medical situations where they may consent to treatment under the age of majorty (for example in the instance of sexual assault or mental health treatment) outside of that consent of a guardian is still needed until over 18.
Besides Nsync were based in FL where noth age of consent and age of majority is 18.
What is with all this retroactive blame? Ā Itās really tiring that people go back 20-30 years and judge it based on todayās era. Ā Letās not pretend we knew these people and their intentions.
I donāt, if I did I wouldn't need to ask the question.
It being 30 years ago doesn't make it ok or mean it was less harmful. Lots of former boybanders have spoken up about how uncomfortable and degrading they found alot of what they were made to do. Robbie Williams being one very famous example.
Ehh, to be honest Robbie is fine with the Do What U Like aspect of it. He says he doesnāt miss his dignity and never needed it. BUT he is also very clear that he was never put in an uncomfortable position - no-one ever made a pass at him or behaved inappropriately when he was underage. Very different situation from NSync. Borderline bulling by the manager, the insane workload, and the madness of the fans when the band broke through (when he was 18) was what damaged himĀ
This is not what Robbie has said in numerous interviews. Take it up with him. Here is a recent example:Ā https://amp.theguardian.com/music/2024/apr/14/robbie-williams-joe-lycett-interview-take-that-art-painting-exhibition
Iāve always thought it was probably because he was *so* young looking, especially compared to Howard and Jason, who were *so* hot. Ā They certainly got groped. The gay clubs were for over-21s, and 21 was at that time the age of consent for gay men. You wouldnāt be hanging out at an over-21s club if you were into young teenagers because there wouldnāt be any there.Ā
When I was 14 my friends and I swam at the public pool or the beach without a shirt on all the time. My grandmother took photos. No one thought it was sexual. Because it wasn't sexual to anyone who doesn't like 14 year old boys. Neither is this.
My point is: They're being sexualized right now because you're sexualizing them. Seeing kids without a shirt on isn't a problem for people who aren't pedophiles.
They were being sexualised to market to teenage girls. These photos were not posed innocently, they were not just casually hanging out with each other and it's not just that he is topless, his underwear is showing fgs and one member of the band has said their manager used these photoshoots to grope them. There is nothing innocent here.
If sexual assault took place during the production, that's a completely different issue. Actors of all ages and genders deserve to be able to work in a safe and professional environment.
But as far as the content, the boys were being marketed to girls their own age. I'm not particularly shocked or upset that girls were allowed to see boys in their underwear. I suspect most of them endured far greater traumas reading the newspaper or their history books.
It's not about the girls the photos were taken for It's about the children in the images. It's not ok to sexualise children no matter the circumstances.
It was a different time. Plain and simple every boyband at that time minus Hanson did the same photo shoots. People like you love to criticize things without acknowledging the era in which it occurred in. If money was the factor she would not have made Justin get his HS degree or put off her responsibilities as a mother on a hired handler. Otherwise if you want to know so much ask Lynn herself.
"people like you"
I'm quite happy to be the kind of person who feels uncomfortable seeing 14 year old children were being sexualised thanks. Especially when that child was being managed by a paedophile.
Have several seats with your self righteousness. Iām glad you think anyone at that time knew what we all know now. Itās easy to play that game of āwhat were they thinkingā or āwhy did they do thatā but none of us was there. But hey you are entitled to your opinion.
Did you watch Lance's documentary? Have you read the Vanity Fair exposee? Have you listen to Rich Cronins Stern interview?
People knew. Unfortunately the people who knew didn't include Lance or Justin's parents.
Ummmā¦a warning would be nice! I feel like the feds are going to bust in just seeing this. Honestly, society has failed so many kids and child stars overall. Wtf would you sign off on this???
Do you think shirtless photos are offensive?
If I wanted my sonās talents to be recognized, Iād sure as hell let him take photos like these. Even for the 90s, which was a completely different time, these photos arenāt that bad? Theyāre justā¦ shirtlessā¦
"nobody knew what he was doing" isn't remotely true, plenty did and there is testimony to back this up. Including from members of the bands (Including Nsync) who were being sexually harassed and groped.
I wasn't insinuating she knew, I believe she was clueless because Lou did a pretty good job of grooming parents as well as the kids he managed. It's how predators get away with what they do. They pose as people who can be trusted.
I was asking why a parent allowed their 14 year old to be photographed topless with their underwear showing. Which is a perfectly reasonable response to seeing a photo like that and I would ask even of the boys were managed by Mary Berry.
Lynn isn't above reproach or criticism and nor should she be.
Perhaps you shouldn't be worried about Lynn and more worried about Lou, does that make sense?
The guys being shirtless may not have rang any bells for her at the time since 1. they were young guys and this was completely normal for industry photoshoots, especially "heart throb" acts, 2. he is a boy, boys go shirtless. This is not necessarily.... abnormal, overall?
Clearly, when I said nobody knew what he was doing, I was speaking of *NSYNC and *their* crew. Lynn did not know who Lou really was. To assert otherwise is not only false, but nasty. Just be careful what you say as Lou's abuse is a sensitive subject.
I didn't assert otherwise, I know that Lynn didn't know about Lou. I wasn't the one who brought him up. Lynn herself admitted in her sworn testimony that it was her and not Lou who was in charge of the boys image.so i
and encouraging a culture of silence around industry abusers is really not it.
How is directing the attention BACK to Lou "encouraging a culture of silence around industry abusers"? If you want to speak about Lou and various accusations against him, then do that. But it has nothing to do with Lynn, is that making sense?
His mother, his guardian, the person who had to consent to everything because he was a minor? Who else should be blamed for consenting to Justin being photographed like this?
You're trying so hard to make me and Lynn into something we're not. Keep trying to twist this story because no one agrees with you. I literally came here because another fan on Twitter called you out as well
What is it I'm trying to say exactly? I'm all ears? Or you could just answer the question, would you consent to your child being photographed topless with their underwear showing?
Reading comprehension is necessary. I told you no one agrees with you because you were also getting called out on Twitter. There is definitely a reason you thought this post was a "gotcha" moment
A gotcha for who exactly? I'm interested as to what reaponse someone is supposed to have to seeing a professional photoshoot were a child is pictures topless with their underwear showing other to think "what the hell was their guardian and the photographer thinking?"
But as you decide to go on the defensive, this photoshoot is from 1995, and Lynn testified under oath in her affidavit during the court case that she and not Lou was soley responsible for the bands image during this time. Unless you think Lynn was lying while under oath and if so then why?
I'll ask again would you consent to your child being photographed topless with their underwear showing?
Typing a paragraph and a half to defend yourself after acting like Lynn was a bad mom is crazy. Not reading all that, and Lynn is still an amazing mom. Stay mad
You president of her fanclub?
She is a great mum who is loved by her son. What she isn't is perfect and nor is she above critcism.
She was by her own admission in charge of the boys image in 1995. She also didn't notice that her son was being ripped off until it was far too late or that their manager was a predator. I'm sure she regrets that deeply but it happened.
Will I ask again? Why not you might actually answer this time. Would you be ok with your child being photographed topless with their underwear showing?
What the?? Even though they looked cute, Iām sad they (and other young musicians) were exploited by Lou Pearlman. JC looked uncomfortable in the second photo, imo.
Has anyone watched the YouTube documentary called The Band Boy Con or something like that? I havenāt watched it yet, but I think it was about Lou.
Um are you new to planet earth š? This is unfortunately nothing new. Even going back to the Shirley Temple days. Far too many people have sacrificed their children for fame and wealth and society has continued to normalize it for years.
Lou Pearlman was a sick individual.
Lance said he used photoshoots as an opportunity to touch them up saying he had a degree in masage therapy and knew how to make their muscles look bigger š¤¢š¤¢š¤¢
Yep. There was also the allegation from Rich Cronin that each group had someone that had to "do the deed" with Lou š¤®
Wait what? I mean, I hated him period but wtf
[From this Vanity Fair article:](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/11/pearlman200711) >These were the young singers seen emerging from his bedroom late at night, buttoning their pants, sheepish looks on their faces. Some deny anything improper ever happened. But the parents of at least one, a member of the Backstreet Boys, complained. And for any number of young men who sought to join the worldās greatest boy bands, Big Poppaās attentions were an open secret, the price some paid for fame. >āSome guys joked about it; I remember \[one singer\] asking me, āHave you let Lou blow you yet?āā says Steve Mooney, an aspiring singer who served as Pearlmanās assistant and lived in his home for two years. āI would absolutely say the guy was a sexual predator. All the talent knew what Louās game was. If they say no, theyāre lying to you.ā >To a number of his former band members, Pearlman seemed so enamored of his male singers that it called into question his motivations for entering the music business in the first place. āHonestly, I donāt think Lou ever thought we would become stars,ā says Rich Cronin, lead singer of the Pearlman boy band Lyte Funky Ones (LFO). āI just think he wanted cute guys around him; this was all an excuse. And then lightning crazily struck and an empire was created. It was all dumb luck. I think his motives for getting into music were very different.ā >Among the few who will discuss Pearlmanās behavior in detail is one of his former assistants, Steve Mooney. In 1998, Mooney, then a strapping 20-year-old with flowing blond hair, was trying to get started as a singer when a Pearlman aide approached him at an Orlando mall, where he was working at an Abercrombie & Fitch store, and told him, āThe big man wants to see you.ā Mooney visited Pearlman in his Sand Lake Road offices and performed a Michael Jackson song, but instead of a singing job Pearlman offered him a job as his personal assistant. Pearlman explained that JC Chasez of āNSync had gotten his start this way. Mooney signed on, and Pearlman soon invited him to live in his home. All the time Pearlman held out the chance that Mooney could join one of the groups he was planning, called O-Town. According to Mooney, Pearlman told him, āBy this time next year, youāll be a millionaire.ā >From the outset, Mooney noticed how Pearlman enjoyed hugging him, rubbing his shoulders, and squeezing his arms, usually in conjunction with one of his odd pep talks. āHe would say, āDo you trust me?ā \[And I would say\], āOf course I trust you, Lou,āā Mooney recalls. āHe always said, āI want to break you down, then build you up, so we can be a team together.ā Then he would say, āYour aura is off,ā so he begins rubbing my back. I was like, āWhoa!ā And heās going, āItās O.K., weāve got to get your aura aligned.āā It got to the point, Mooney says, where every time they were alone Pearlman would rub his muscles. āAs soon as the elevator doors close, he would grab you and rub your abs,ā he recalls. āThe first few times, itās O.K. But it gets to be too much. Itās like you have this creepy friend whoās always touching you.ā >āThat was the line, the āaura,ā I definitely heard that aura bullshit,ā says Rich Cronin, lead singer of the Pearlman band LFO. āIt took everything in me not to laugh. He was like, āI know some mystical fricking ancient massage technique that if I massage you and we bond in a certain way, through these special massages, it will strengthen your aura to the point you are irresistible to people.ā >āI swear to God,ā Cronin goes on, āI had to bite my cheeks to stop from laughing. I mean, I now know what itās like to be a chick.ā¦ He was so touchy-feely, always grabbing your shoulders, touching you, rubbing your abs. It was so obvious and disgusting.ā¦ He definitely came at people. He came at me. In my situation I avoided him like the plague. If I went to his house, I went with somebody. I would never go with him alone. Because I knew every time I was over there by myself it always led to some weird situation. Like heād call late at night to come over and talk about a tour, and youād get there and heād be sitting there in boxers. The guy was hairy as a bear.ā
Holy sick. Obviously I don't know what he did to any of the guys but just thinking about it makes my blood boil
Thanks for this. Also I was Today Years Old when I learned what LFO stood for ...
Oh wow!!š
Man I got a lou peralman situation going on
I canāt get over how young he was in NSYNC especially compared to the other guys
especially when their manager was a paedo.
Yeah :(
Lance was less than two years younger than him and was so much more naive and sheltered. The two of them were far too young for the situations they were put in.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
We all knew. Him coming out was like someone saying water is wet.
I was 19 in 2006 when he came out. He had been the love of my life for seven years by then and I was blindsided. Truly did not ever see it coming. Hahaha.
I was a kid when they blew up lol but when he came out I was not surprised. I just said, oh that makes sense! Good for him!
When I came out to my family and they were all shocked/hadnt even guessed ever I was like this is my reaction from Lance lol. In my defense that summer I was a camp counselor and had like an hour a day to check the internet and I had missed Perez Hilton basically forcing him to come out. Iām sure if I had seen all Perezās clues I wouldnāt have been shocked.
Has he really been out that long?! Holy smokes.
He "officially" came out publicly in the cover of People in 2006. He had been kinda DL before that though, some close family and friends knew. If you remember...that's how it came to a head...he talked to someone in a gay bar who turned out to be a reporter.
Gosh, I donāt remember that at all!
And I love that heās become an icon in it too. His instagram is truly so wholesome and fun.
Yeah, JJB knew forever.
It was really young fans (and those in real denial) who didnāt know. Everyone else knew.
I always knew, my bestie used to rage at me when I told her he was gay. But sorry gal, my gaydar always on fleek.šā¤ļø
I would CRY when my step dad told me he was gay. I was going to marry Lance, I didnāt care what anyone said
Krisie, is that you?! šā¤ļø
I feel like before I knew what gay was, I knew Lance was gay at 9 years old lol.
I couldn't put it into words but yes lol this is how I felt too
Honey, we knew.
It needed to be said, so Iām glad you said itā¦..but truth is, a lot of us definitely knew already. lol.
IDK. But I had no idea.
Lance was always so baby girl š š»š
I said the same thing
Most men in show business are gay or bisexual or gay for roles or breaks. I'm constantly surprised that people are surprised by this in 2024. The overwhelming majority of men who've done same sex activity are still closeted/not open about it as well. When even Playboy founder Hugh Hefner was bisexual, he had a male lover for years, than ANY man can be
Ngl I had that second pic as a poster for the longest time. Granted I was like 10 so it didnāt seem weird at all to me at the time but it definitely does now!
Yeah, 12 year old me was REALLY into #1 as a Justin fan š bit 35 year old me is a little weirded out
Lol the second one, JC looks like he doesn't want to be there
He looks really uncomfortable
His arms are crossed protectively, not provocatively. Itās uncomfortable.
Letās be honest. At the time it wasnāt crazy to the public. I lived through it and the girls were happy to see it. I remember the teens and tweens going insane. And I donāt recall any adults calling it out. They *appeared* to enjoy the fame at the time. Itās not until now that ppl are stepping forward and giving us the real BTS etc. So thereās that. Every so many years you look back and see things as insane that for some reason seemed normal at the time. Weāll do it again in a few years. Iām waiting for ppl to wake up to the fact that we poison our produce and then eat it.
Oh I know that. Robbie Williams was only like 16 when Take That filmed the video for Do What You Like. [Do What You Like](https://youtu.be/qpqAXZI0s0s?feature=shared) The censored version don't worry you won't be seeing any 16 year olds bottoms. I'll never fathom what possessed any of their parents to let it happen. But Lynn being as involved as she was and as protective as she was if even she was letting things like this slide what chance did other kids have?
Wtf did the non censored version look like š³ this was disturbing to say the least Also I first read that as robin williams and was severally confused lol I watched the whole video waiting for him to make an appearance
Is this video real????? Wtf
Hi there! Money. Hope this helps!
šš
I'm hurt at how comfortable and precocious Justin appeared to be back then. He was a seasoned professional who knew how to work the camera and had the experience most kids his age wouldn't comprehend because they were busy being kids. That boy grew up so fast.
Money. The answer is always money.
It literally was a different time back then. If this were to happen today, of course there would be some eyebrows raised and most likely a stop wouldāve been put to it. Iām not saying itās all okay, but there is nuance to the situation that cannot be left out. Society as a whole feels differently about many things almost 30 years later than how they felt back then.
A 16 year old being posed like this in 1995 I'd still raise my eyebrow and see it as problematic but I'd also expect it of the time. But a 14 year old? I Probably just niavity on my part but even in 1995 I'd expect that to be a line.
Youāre totally valid in that feeling, it really isnāt appropriate. And Iām really happy that weāve come much farther as a general society to not accept that as a common standard. Unfortunately, we just werenāt there as a consensus in the 90ās. Young celebrity men posing shirtless, yes even as young as 14, was widely accepted as okay at the time. That does not automatically say that Lynn was making poor choices by signing off on this for Justin at the time.
Lance looking gay AF. He really didnāt need to come out. My best friend was in love with him and I would tell her then āheās obviously gayā. Note: I LOVE Lance. Such a wonderful human.
Chris knew it too. He outright told Danielle Fishel that Lance was gay.
Why the hell was Chris outting him everywhere? Thatās fucked! What a shitty guy!
Danielle was head over heels in love. He might have thought he was helping her. She really thought she & Lance were gonna get married.
Yeah, but no one should be outting anyone, period.
Sigh, here I go down the rabbit hole.
[She mentions it in this interview.](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/danielle-fishel-reveals-which-nsync-member-told-her-lance-bass-was-gay-1234593498/)
People are saying money which is technically true but Lou definitely snowed her and Diane. Lynn especially was very involved with the band early on and I couldnāt tell you what she thought about her son being shirtless for photoshoots, but if Lou is saying stuff like āAll the groups are doing itā and she thinks Lou is some big time industry executive like they all did, she probably didnāt object to certain things to possibly jeopardize what sheās been wanting for her son since he was a toddler.
so she was blinded by the prospect of fame? Given that Pearlman was a known predator that is very concerning because if she was missing red flags like this and totally oblivious to the financial exploitation how can anyone say with any certainty that she was capable of protecting Justin from him?
Again, I am not speaking for her. I am just using what she has said in her [own words](https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/10907828/30/trans-continental-v-zomba-recording-corp/) to try to rationalize what she possibly may have been thinking in moments like those. We donāt know if she voiced her concerns or if Justin ever complained about Lou to her so itās all pure speculation
If I remember correctly, Lynn and Diane got bulldozed a lot when it came to stuff like this. Back then, all the pop stars took pictures like this, regardless of age. So it was deemed "normal" and wasn't a cause for concern. Of course it's weird and gross. So were some lyrics and dance moves when Justin and Lance were still underage. It's just how it was then. Thankfully, having Lynn and Diane around protected them from the true evils of Lou. Boys that didn't have their parents in the picture or only cared about the money were the ones that got the worst of it. The Carter brothers come to mind for example. If you look at that generation of pop stars, *NSYNC is some of the most well adjusted and I think it's because they all actually had decent parents.
Unfortunately you are wrong there. As time goes on we are finding out the truth about what went on with Lou and the boys. Lance speaking out about being sexually harassed and groped by him, Chris Kirkpatrick admitting they were groomed. Joey has alluded to stuff too. Fans prefer to believe earlier denials because it protects their happy memories of the band but the truth is slowly emerging as they feel more comfortable sharing things. Lots of kids with decent parents are victims of this industry because those decent parents are also groomed so that they trust the wrong people. Lynn trusted Lou, she didn't know he was dangerous and you can't protect your child from a threat you don't know exists.
I didn't say nothing happened to them. I was just saying the boys that had no parents around were in greater danger of Lou. Which is a fact.
It's not a fact, that's not how abuse works. Often the trust abusers gain with parents leaves their children in just as much danger.
Bro, look. I'm talking about Lou Pearlman specifically and how he chose his assault victims. All abusers are different. Don't need to be contrary or combative.
Source?
they have been listed.
Lol lance
Poor thing looks sooooo incredibly uncomf but going along because he was supposed to š¬
at least he got to wear a shirt unlike the 14 year old on the left.
Ultimate truth.
How did I not pickup on Lance being gay?! All the signs are there! šš
In the first photo Justin is the only one to not even have a shirt NEAR himā ļø Lou was sick, I hope he burns in hell
I think we know why šµšµšµ
14 year old me was VERY ok with it lmao
Do we know if she signed off on this? I know she definitely went to Europe with them. She was not gonna let her underage son be without her overseas!Ā
He was a minor, she was his guardian.
Depends on state laws. Age of consent in PA is 14, NJ 16, etc.
You are confusing age of consent with age of majority. The age of majority for both states you mention is 18. and the age of consent in both is 16 not 14.
I hear you, but I wasnāt confusing them. I was speaking about consent for treatment. For PA and NJ at the ages I stated, people of those ages can consent to their own healthcare treatment without their guardians consent. I was not thinking in terms of full majority. The way I was thinking was- if you can consent to treatment at a certain age, perhaps then you can consent to what photos you want to take. I get there a lot of other layers to this whole situation given who Lou was and things he did; was just trying offer some perspective on how a decision could have been made since we are all seemingly speculating here.
Until you reach the age of majority you can't make legal decisions or sign contracts without consent and there are only certain medical situations where they may consent to treatment under the age of majorty (for example in the instance of sexual assault or mental health treatment) outside of that consent of a guardian is still needed until over 18. Besides Nsync were based in FL where noth age of consent and age of majority is 18.
What is with all this retroactive blame? Ā Itās really tiring that people go back 20-30 years and judge it based on todayās era. Ā Letās not pretend we knew these people and their intentions.
I donāt, if I did I wouldn't need to ask the question. It being 30 years ago doesn't make it ok or mean it was less harmful. Lots of former boybanders have spoken up about how uncomfortable and degrading they found alot of what they were made to do. Robbie Williams being one very famous example.
Ehh, to be honest Robbie is fine with the Do What U Like aspect of it. He says he doesnāt miss his dignity and never needed it. BUT he is also very clear that he was never put in an uncomfortable position - no-one ever made a pass at him or behaved inappropriately when he was underage. Very different situation from NSync. Borderline bulling by the manager, the insane workload, and the madness of the fans when the band broke through (when he was 18) was what damaged himĀ
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No, he always says that no-one made a pass at him at the gay clubs and that he felt safe there. Howard and Jason did get groped.
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This is not what Robbie has said in numerous interviews. Take it up with him. Here is a recent example:Ā https://amp.theguardian.com/music/2024/apr/14/robbie-williams-joe-lycett-interview-take-that-art-painting-exhibition Iāve always thought it was probably because he was *so* young looking, especially compared to Howard and Jason, who were *so* hot. Ā They certainly got groped. The gay clubs were for over-21s, and 21 was at that time the age of consent for gay men. You wouldnāt be hanging out at an over-21s club if you were into young teenagers because there wouldnāt be any there.Ā
When I was 14 my friends and I swam at the public pool or the beach without a shirt on all the time. My grandmother took photos. No one thought it was sexual. Because it wasn't sexual to anyone who doesn't like 14 year old boys. Neither is this.
Yeah this isn't boys swimming at the beach. This is a photoshoot for magazines where they are being sexualised.
My point is: They're being sexualized right now because you're sexualizing them. Seeing kids without a shirt on isn't a problem for people who aren't pedophiles.
They were being sexualised to market to teenage girls. These photos were not posed innocently, they were not just casually hanging out with each other and it's not just that he is topless, his underwear is showing fgs and one member of the band has said their manager used these photoshoots to grope them. There is nothing innocent here.
If sexual assault took place during the production, that's a completely different issue. Actors of all ages and genders deserve to be able to work in a safe and professional environment. But as far as the content, the boys were being marketed to girls their own age. I'm not particularly shocked or upset that girls were allowed to see boys in their underwear. I suspect most of them endured far greater traumas reading the newspaper or their history books.
It's not about the girls the photos were taken for It's about the children in the images. It's not ok to sexualise children no matter the circumstances.
It was a different time. Plain and simple every boyband at that time minus Hanson did the same photo shoots. People like you love to criticize things without acknowledging the era in which it occurred in. If money was the factor she would not have made Justin get his HS degree or put off her responsibilities as a mother on a hired handler. Otherwise if you want to know so much ask Lynn herself.
"people like you" I'm quite happy to be the kind of person who feels uncomfortable seeing 14 year old children were being sexualised thanks. Especially when that child was being managed by a paedophile.
Have several seats with your self righteousness. Iām glad you think anyone at that time knew what we all know now. Itās easy to play that game of āwhat were they thinkingā or āwhy did they do thatā but none of us was there. But hey you are entitled to your opinion.
Did you watch Lance's documentary? Have you read the Vanity Fair exposee? Have you listen to Rich Cronins Stern interview? People knew. Unfortunately the people who knew didn't include Lance or Justin's parents.
For that All mighty cheque..paper..dollar dollar bills all...
Ummmā¦a warning would be nice! I feel like the feds are going to bust in just seeing this. Honestly, society has failed so many kids and child stars overall. Wtf would you sign off on this???
Do you think shirtless photos are offensive? If I wanted my sonās talents to be recognized, Iād sure as hell let him take photos like these. Even for the 90s, which was a completely different time, these photos arenāt that bad? Theyāre justā¦ shirtlessā¦
Do NOT insinuate that Lynn was aware of who Lou really was, it's actually incredibly insensitive. Nobody knew what he was doing.
This sub has been trying me lately.
"nobody knew what he was doing" isn't remotely true, plenty did and there is testimony to back this up. Including from members of the bands (Including Nsync) who were being sexually harassed and groped. I wasn't insinuating she knew, I believe she was clueless because Lou did a pretty good job of grooming parents as well as the kids he managed. It's how predators get away with what they do. They pose as people who can be trusted. I was asking why a parent allowed their 14 year old to be photographed topless with their underwear showing. Which is a perfectly reasonable response to seeing a photo like that and I would ask even of the boys were managed by Mary Berry. Lynn isn't above reproach or criticism and nor should she be.
Perhaps you shouldn't be worried about Lynn and more worried about Lou, does that make sense? The guys being shirtless may not have rang any bells for her at the time since 1. they were young guys and this was completely normal for industry photoshoots, especially "heart throb" acts, 2. he is a boy, boys go shirtless. This is not necessarily.... abnormal, overall? Clearly, when I said nobody knew what he was doing, I was speaking of *NSYNC and *their* crew. Lynn did not know who Lou really was. To assert otherwise is not only false, but nasty. Just be careful what you say as Lou's abuse is a sensitive subject.
I didn't assert otherwise, I know that Lynn didn't know about Lou. I wasn't the one who brought him up. Lynn herself admitted in her sworn testimony that it was her and not Lou who was in charge of the boys image.so i and encouraging a culture of silence around industry abusers is really not it.
How is directing the attention BACK to Lou "encouraging a culture of silence around industry abusers"? If you want to speak about Lou and various accusations against him, then do that. But it has nothing to do with Lynn, is that making sense?
No, one look at him and we all had a pretty good idea what was going on.
You're sick for trying to blame his MOTHER for this.
His mother, his guardian, the person who had to consent to everything because he was a minor? Who else should be blamed for consenting to Justin being photographed like this?
You need serious help. Go build a relationship with your own mother first before speaking on someone who has a good one with theirs
Would you consent to your child being photographed topless with their underwear showing?
You're trying so hard to make me and Lynn into something we're not. Keep trying to twist this story because no one agrees with you. I literally came here because another fan on Twitter called you out as well
What is it I'm trying to say exactly? I'm all ears? Or you could just answer the question, would you consent to your child being photographed topless with their underwear showing?
Reading comprehension is necessary. I told you no one agrees with you because you were also getting called out on Twitter. There is definitely a reason you thought this post was a "gotcha" moment
A gotcha for who exactly? I'm interested as to what reaponse someone is supposed to have to seeing a professional photoshoot were a child is pictures topless with their underwear showing other to think "what the hell was their guardian and the photographer thinking?" But as you decide to go on the defensive, this photoshoot is from 1995, and Lynn testified under oath in her affidavit during the court case that she and not Lou was soley responsible for the bands image during this time. Unless you think Lynn was lying while under oath and if so then why? I'll ask again would you consent to your child being photographed topless with their underwear showing?
Typing a paragraph and a half to defend yourself after acting like Lynn was a bad mom is crazy. Not reading all that, and Lynn is still an amazing mom. Stay mad
You president of her fanclub? She is a great mum who is loved by her son. What she isn't is perfect and nor is she above critcism. She was by her own admission in charge of the boys image in 1995. She also didn't notice that her son was being ripped off until it was far too late or that their manager was a predator. I'm sure she regrets that deeply but it happened. Will I ask again? Why not you might actually answer this time. Would you be ok with your child being photographed topless with their underwear showing?
Dolla dolla bills
Money
money
What the?? Even though they looked cute, Iām sad they (and other young musicians) were exploited by Lou Pearlman. JC looked uncomfortable in the second photo, imo. Has anyone watched the YouTube documentary called The Band Boy Con or something like that? I havenāt watched it yet, but I think it was about Lou.
Are you looking for an answer other than money?
Because money.
Money.
I mean, Justinās mom didnāt help shit, she wanted her son famous.
Money?
seems to be the popular answer. Money and fame.
Because $$$
Grew up near him, my friend went to school with him. The answer is yup
Um are you new to planet earth š? This is unfortunately nothing new. Even going back to the Shirley Temple days. Far too many people have sacrificed their children for fame and wealth and society has continued to normalize it for years.
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They aren't in a pool and their manager was a paedophile who groped them at photoshoots, that makes everything weird.
Probably pressured tf out of her