Skip navigation

Lance Bass reveals that he's gay

Singer tells People that he's in relationship with ‘Amazing Race’ winner

FREE VIDEO
Lance Bass goes public
Former 'N Sync star reveals he is gay. MSNBC.com's Dara Brown reports.

msnbc.com

  Celebrity video
Madonna pays tribute to Jackson
  July 5: One pop idol recognized another as Madonna led a special performance to honor Michael Jackson in London. The Material Girl was joined by a Jackson impersonator who was welcomed by the crowd. Video courtesy of Warner Brothers

updated 4:19 p.m. ET July 26, 2006

NEW YORK - Lance Bass, band member of ’N Sync, says he’s gay and in a “very stable” relationship with a reality show star.

Bass, who formed ’N Sync with Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick, tells People magazine that he didn’t earlier disclose his sexuality because he didn’t want to affect the group’s popularity.

“I knew that I was in this popular band and I had four other guys’ careers in my hand, and I knew that if I ever acted on it or even said (that I was gay), it would overpower everything,” he tells the magazine.

Story continues below ↓
advertisement | your ad here

’N Sync is known for a string of hits including “Bye Bye Bye” and “It’s Gonna Be Me.” The band went on hiatus in 2002. Bass has also found headlines for undertaking astronaut training and failing to raise money for a trip into space.

Bass says he wondered if his coming out could prompt “the end of ’N Sync.” He explains, “So I had that weight on me of like, ‘Wow, if I ever let anyone know, it’s bad.’ So I just never did.”

The singer says he’s in a “very stable” relationship with 32-year-old actor Reichen Lehmkuhl, winner of season four of CBS’ “Amazing Race.”

Bass and Fatone, 29, are developing a sitcom pilot inspired by the screwball comedy “The Odd Couple,” in which his character will be gay.

“The thing is, I’m not ashamed — that’s the one thing I want to say,” Bass says. “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.”

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sponsored links

Resource guide