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'James Lance Bass' (born May 4 1979), known as 'Lance Bass' (IPA pronunciation: ),[1] is an American singer, actor, producer and author who is best known as the bass singer for the American pop group 'N Sync. He is also known for his 2002 attempt at space travel, for which he lived and trained in Star City, Russia and became a NASA-certified cosmonaut.[2] Shortly after his training, Bass was scheduled to be a part of the Russian Soyuz TMA-1 mission, but was denied a seat after his financial backers failed to come up with the funds necessary to board.[3] In 2006, Bass came to wider media attention after he revealed that he was gay in a front page cover story for ''People'' magazine.[4]
Biography
Early life
Bass was born to Jim Bass, a science lab technician, and Diane Bass, an elementary school teacher, in Laurel, Mississippi.[5] He has one older sister named Stacy. He moved to Clinton, Mississippi at age 10 and soon after began his musical career, singing as a chorus member for both his church and his school. While a student at Clinton High School, Bass joined Mississippi Show Stoppers, a state-wide group sponsored by the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, and was a member of Attache, a competitive show-choir group that traveled across the country.
During his time as a student, Bass's two favorite subjects were "math, then science."[6]. He developed a fascination with space as a young child, and, after attending space camp at age 12 near Titusville, Florida, his heart was set on becoming an astronaut.[7] He aspired to attend college and study engineering, with the hope that he would one day work for NASA. However, Bass's heavy touring schedule with 'N Sync forced him to complete his second half of high school through an on-the-road tutorial program; Bass has never attended college.[8]
'N Sync
In 1995, Bass joined ''Mickey Mouse Club'' alumni JC Chasez and Justin Timberlake, along with Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick, in 'N Sync, a boy band turned overnight sensation. After former member Jason Watkins decided to leave the group, the band went searching for a bass singer. Justin Timberlake recruited Bass into the group, following the recommendation of a vocal coach the two shared.5 The group toured Germany throughout 1996, before hitting it big in the United States two years later. In 2000, the group released the fastest-selling record of all time, ''No Strings Attached'',[9] and in 2001 followed it up with their ''Celebrity'' album[10], which scored the second highest first-week album sales ever. Bass was known as "The Shy One".
''On The Line''
Bass starred in the 2001 motion picture ''On the Line'', co-starring Emmanuelle Chriqui and fellow 'N Sync bandmember Joey Fatone. The film was produced by Bass's production company, Bacon & Eggs (formerly known as A Happy Place), and featured appearances by Jerry Stiller, Al Green, Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, former WWE wrestler Joanie Laurer, and Bass's bandmates Justin Timberlake and Chris Kirkpatrick (who were seen only in the end credits). Production on the film took place in Toronto and Chicago over the span of one month, as 'N Sync was in the midst of recording their ''Celebrity'' album at the time.[11]
Miramax marketed the film heavily towards 'N Sync's teen fans, and the film's soundtrack featured songs by teen pop sensations Mandy Moore and BB Mak, along with previously unreleased tracks by 'N Sync and Britney Spears. However, the film was a box-office flop, and grossed only $4.3 million domestically despite having a production budget of $10 million. Bass's acting abilities took the brunt of the film's criticisms, with one movie critic calling Bass "a pitiful actor [who] should never be put in a position where he will be expected to emote."[12] ''New York Post'' film critic Lou Lumenick also stated that Bass's acting "makes Freddie Prinze Jr. look like Al Pacino."[13]
Career as producer
In addition to film production, Bass has also dabbled in music management. He formed a management company called Free Lance Entertainment in 2000, and enlisted the help of his mother and sister as talent scouts. However, the only album released through Free Lance was ''Reach'' by Meredith Edwards, which debuted to low numbers on the Billboard charts. The company is now defunct.
Bacon & Eggs produced the 2007 film ''Lovewrecked'', which starred Amanda Bynes, Chris Carmack and Jamie-Lynn Sigler.
On May 14, 2007, Brian Graden announced that Bass will be working with the Logo network in developing a reality project about the music business.[14]
Other work
In 2000, Bass played the character Rick Palmer in the WB series ''7th Heaven''. Bass has also appeared on VH1's ''I Love the '80s'' several times as a celebrity commentator and made cameo appearances in Wes Craven's ''Cursed'' and ''Zoolander''. In the 2007 film ''I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry'', Bass makes an appearance as a wedding singer.
In March 2007, Bass announced he is releasing an autobiography entitled "Out Of Sync", which is expected to deliver "a behind-the-scenes look at the music industry, the struggle with his sexual identity as a celebrity and his decision to publicly come out".[15] The book will be released in October 2007.
On July 6, 2007, it was announced that Bass will be taking over the role of Corny Collins in the Broadway musical "Hairspray", starting August 10, 2007, just in time for the play's five year stage anniversary.[16] Of making his Broadway debut, Bass said, "I’ve always wanted to do Broadway. I think every entertainer’s dream is to eventually do some kind of theater in New York."[17]
Lance Bass, Commander Sergei Zalyotin, and Flight Engineer Frank De Winne during the familiarization training at the Johnson Space Center.
Spaceflight plans
In August 2002, Bass entered cosmonaut training in Star City, Russia. Of the opportunity to go to space, he said,
In order to participate in the training, Bass had to undergo heart surgery to correct cardiac arrythmia, which was discovered in 1999 when he collapsed after a concert.[18] After several months of living and training in Russia, Bass received cosmonaut certification and was scheduled to fly into space on the Soyuz TMA-1 mission in October 2002.3 However, after his sponsorship funds failed to materialize, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov and an empty container ended up taking his place.[19]
I am completely overwhelmed at the invitation. I'm looking forward to completing this lifelong dream. I am honored and privileged to represent my country in this history-making mission.
Bass's failed space attempt landed him on People magazine's list of "2002's Losers", coming in fourth place behind Michael Jackson, George Michael, and Trent Lott.[20] On September 26, 2002, rumors surfaced that Bass was "depressed and suicidal" after his attempts at space travel had failed. Bass's camp denied reports, with one Jive Records executive saying, "Lance is a very happy person and I'm sure he's got more in his life than this trip, so I'd be very surprised if he got that upset about it all."[21]
In October 2004, during World Space Week, Bass was formally inducted as a member of the National Space Society's Board of Governors. Serving in an advisory and public outreach capacity, Bass has joined astronauts and prominent individuals who have made a lasting, positive impact on human space exploration, including actor Tom Hanks, journalist Hugh Downs and author and futurist Sir Arthur C. Clarke, among many others.[22]
In May 2007, Bass told ''The New York Post'' that he plans to renew his efforts to go to space after his memoir is published.[23]
Image and personal life
Bass was raised as a Southern Baptist and still considers himself a practicing Christian, having mentioned in several interviews that he regularly attends church.[24] During a 2001 interview with Larry King, Bass proclaimed, "I'm very religious."[25] When asked if he thinks God is watching over him, he replied, "Definitely. Definitely."25 The most vocally Christian member of 'N Sync, Bass's album liner notes often included extended writings on his faith, God, and Jesus Christ.[26] Subsequently, Bass has said that he was able to dodge questions about his sexuality during the height of 'N Sync's popularity because of his image as a "good Christian boy".24
Bass was reported to have had a nose job in June 2004, after paparazzi pictures emerged of him with two black eyes and a significantly smaller looking nose, with a reduced bridge and tip.[27][28] However, when asked, Bass's representatives refused to confirm or deny the rumors.[29]
An animal lover, Bass has had myriad pets, ranging from a ferret named Dirk, a cat named Orbit (who he adopted in Russia), a Yorkshire Terrier named Jackson, a Cocker Spaniel named Lexi, and, currently, two Australian Shepherds named Dingo and Foster.
Bass has said that he would like to have kids of his own as well as adopt other children.[30] He is the godfather of bandmate Joey Fatone's daughter, Briahna.[31]
Bass is the youngest person ever inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame.[32]
Lance Bass on the cover of 'People Magazine'
Coming out
Bass announced that he is gay in a front page cover story for ''People'' magazine4 on July 26, 2006, after having publicly denied rumors and tabloid reports since at least 2002. There had been considerable speculation about his sexuality due to numerous paparazzi snapshots of him at gay bars and nightclubs, most notably during the preceding July 4th weekend in Provincetown, Massachusetts.[33]
Celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton had consistently posted items on his website about Bass's sexuality beginning in September 2005.[34] However, Bass and his friends have claimed that it was not Hilton who outed him, but instead a blurb that ran in the Page Six gossip column on July 12, 2006. Bass's mother read the blurb, and immediately went on the internet to discover various gossip sites reporting on her son's sexuality. "The worst part about it was my mom found out not from me," said Bass. "She found out on the Internet, and that's what just killed me. ... It destroyed her for a little bit."[35]
When asked how long he knew he was gay, Bass replied, "[My] whole life... from childhood on."35
The announcement received a large amount of media attention, and the American public's reaction was generally positive. One gossip blog even went on to say it was "a sign of the times, that someone so apple-pie American can come out on the cover of People."[36]
Of his decision to come out, Bass said,
"The thing is, I’m not ashamed – that’s the one thing I want to say. 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."
In his ''People'' interview, Bass referred to himself and his friends as straight acting. "I call them the SAGs — the straight-acting gays," Bass said. "We're just normal, typical guys. I love to watch football and drink beer."35 Bass received much heat from the gay community over the statement, which many believed implied that effeminate gay men were not 'normal'.[37] Bass later apologized on his MySpace blog, where he wrote, "I am very new to all this and I feel like even if I said the word "Dog" I would get letters of concern. So I apologize to anyone offended by terms I use."
The term "lanced", which means "to be outed by someone in the public media", began to be used after Bass's 2006 decision to come out of the closet. In recent months, this term was applied to actors T.R. Knight and Neil Patrick Harris, both of whom were "lanced" after facing similar media scrutiny regarding their sexualities. The catchphrase was coined by Bass's ex-boyfriend, Reichen Lehmkuhl.[38]
On October 6, 2006, the Human Rights Campaign awarded Bass its 2006 Visibility Award.32
On July 26, 2007, Lance Bass celebrated the one year anniversary of his coming out with a letter to his fans on his MySpace page, in which he stated that coming out was "the best thing I have ever done."[39]
Relationships
During his time in 'N Sync, Bass was in a year-long relationship with actress Danielle Fishel of TV's ''Boy Meets World'', whose high school (Calabasas High School) prom he attended.[40]
After coming out, Bass had a highly visible relationship with reality TV personality Reichen Lehmkuhl. The couple split in January 2007. Bass's relationships continue to be reported by the tabloids.
Philanthropy
In 2003, Bass donated $30,000 to establish the Amber Pulliam Special Education Endowment at the University of Southern Mississippi. The endowment is in honor of his younger cousin, Amber Pulliam, who has Down's Syndrome, and was established to financially aid students from Mississippi's Pine Belt who plan a career in special education.[41]
On October 16, 2005, Bass appeared on an episode of '' where he wrote a check for $50,000 and presented it to a Russian woman with Cerebral Palsy who started a camp for disabled Russian children.[42]
Bass in pop culture
Professional skateboarder Bam Margera owns a painted mural of Bass that he hangs in his Pennsylvania home. The portrait features Bass in an astronaut uniform, with a NASA shuttle in the background, ascending to space on a giant rainbow.[43]
Canadian comedian Will Sasso's impersonation of Bass is considered by fans to be one of his best characters. Sasso's impersonation, which he regularly performed on the American sketch-comedy show "Mad TV", depicts Bass as a "perma-grinned and doe eyed" singer who seems too dumb to comprehend the situations going on around him.[44] Sasso's character always wears a large cross around his neck, which Bass was known to do during his days in 'N Sync.
In the 2007 parody film ''Epic Movie'', a picture of Bass (with ex-boyfriend Lehmkuhl) is shown when one character reports that gay marriage is banned in the land of Gnarnia.[45]
Massachusetts deathcore band The Texas Chainsaw Mascara has a song entitled "An Announcement That Stunned Millions Around The World" about Bass coming out of the closet.
Trivia
★ Lance Bass voices Sephiroth in the succesfull collaboration between SquareEnix and Disney, Kingdom Hearts. He did not reprise his role in the sequel, Kingdom Hearts 2.
References
1. Lance Bass. Hollywood.com biography. Hollywood Media Corp. Retrieved on May 8 2007.
2. Hairspray Cast Bios - Lance Bass
3. "Lance Bass Named Youth Spokesperson for World Space Week"
4. Lance Bass: I'm Gay
5. 'N Sync Discusses Their Rise to Stardom
6. Space Explorers Chat Hosted by Lance Bass
7. Lance Bass ... Plans to Travel Into Space
8. "Lance Bass Celebrity Profile"
9. N
★ Sync, ''Celebrity'' Review
10. 'N Sync Artist Biography
11. Greg's Preview of On The Line (2001)
12. On The Line Review
13. IMDB On The Line Reviews
14. Logo's In Sync With Bass John Clarke Jr.
15. Lance Bass Out of Sync
16. Lance Bass In Orbit Over Broadway Gig
17. Lance Bass Opens Up About Broadway
18. Lance Bass Has Heart Surgery
19. Pop star finishes his space training
20. Michael Jackson Tops "2002's Losers"
21. 'N Sync Chronology
22. Lance Bass Brings Excitement of Spaceflight During World Space Week 2004
23. Flight of Fancy
24. 'N Sync Members Suspected Lance Bass Was Gay
25. Celebrity Faiths
26. Re-Dreaming Christianity through Non-Christian Dialogue
27. NSYNC Star's Nose Job Mystery
28. Cosmetic Celebrities
29. Lance Bass In Surgery Riddle
30. Pop Singer Lance Bass Comes Out of The Closet
31. Lance Bass: Gay Celebrity Profile
32. Lance Bass Bio
33. No Privacy for Lance Bass at Gay Bar
34. Did gossip blogger out Lance Bass?
35. 'NSYNC's Lance Bass Reveals He's Gay
36. Lance Bass, Welcome To Reality. You Were The Last To Know?
37. The myth of "straight acting" Christopher Rice
38. Lehmkuhl Says Harris Was 'lanced'
39. Lance Bass Says Coming Out Has Been Amazing
40. Danielle Fishel
41. Northeast Jones High Senior Makes Mark on Southern Miss
42. Episode recap of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
43. Bam Makes Room for Bass
44. WorldOfJustin.com October Archives
45. Epic Movie
External links
★
★ Spacefacts biography of Lance Bass
★ Lance Bass's official MySpace
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