First, let me say I am eternally grateful to the "Angels" behind the scenes who got Piper (my sister) and I into this conference! I am still amazed (and probably not making sense...but I will try). This was not a regular "Fan Conference". Aside from 3 little girls who were there from Make A Wish and their moms, Piper and I were the only people there other than the boys (and their HUGE bodyguards) who spoke English fluently! There were contest winners from France, Japan, England (OK these 2 spoke English as well…) and Israel there but none from America!
We were told the conference was to begin at 4:00 p.m. but being the overly excited duo that we were, we got there at about 2:00! This was actually a good thing because we got a great parking place and were able to leave the concert later that night without any hassle! Just as we were crossing the street to the dome a bus rounded the corner. It was silver…I don't know who was in it but of course, everyone screamed! :o) We looked at each other and rolled our eyes, trying to remain mature… We approached the first arena guard we saw and explained we were there for the fan conference and asked where we would be entering at. He was REALLY cute but he had no idea what we were talking about so he took us to the head of security. The head of security was still trying to figure out the best way to get people into the building without causing too much commotion. He said we would either be going in the exhibition entrance or the lower "B" entrance but he wasn't sure yet. He told us he would have someone find us and tell us when he knew for sure. In the mean time, we decided to just walk around and see what was going on. The radio stations were just setting up and even at 2:00 there were HOARDS of girls at the dome already! It was quite a fashion show to say the least! From Black & Blue hair to badly drawn self tattoos (note to girls who will probably never read this…Take a look in the mirror before you leave the house…Not everyone has a body to wear tight jeans, crop tops and navel tattoos. If you cannot see your feet because of your stomach, then you are probably in this category…) to the hoochies in skirts so short & so tight, they could barely walk let alone sit down! I wish I would have had a video camera…We finally decide to just park ourselves by the lower "B" entrance. There was a man there going on about how he knows "there is a conference today and if you ask a guard they will tell there isn't one but there is one and he is going to get his daughters in…" I think both Piper and I were hoping he would move to another entrance! Piper had been really sick all week so she was still pretty tired (don't worry…she wasn't contagious!). I couldn't stand still so I decided to take a short walk. The reason for this walk was because I THOUGHT I saw John Dorough walk past us! The guy was about Howard's height-a little taller, with very short yet slightly curly hair, a goatee, he had a little bit larger build than Howard. He was wearing a sweater and had an ALL ACCESS pass with the concert logos (the BK symbol & the BSB logo) and his picture on it around his neck. He walked past us 2 or 3 times in like 10 minutes and my curiosity was killing me! He went over and sat down a wall about 25 yards from where we were. I decided to walk over and just get a closer look. I honestly thought he was John until I got like 3' away from him and realized the "ALL ACCESS" pass around his neck had a very tiny symbol from one of the radio stations on it! I just kept walking past the wall and then I turned around and walked back up to Piper. When I came back she told me a guard we had talked to the earlier had found her and told her we were at the right entrance. I hadn't been back there long when a group of 3 girls and a guy came and sat down by us. They were from Israel and didn't speak much English but they were able to communicate to us that they had won a trip to see the boys. They were sweet and definitely as excited as we were! Little did we know what sort of excitement for us as well as the guys, they would provide later!
About 3:00 one of the girls bolted up from her seat and said "MICHEAL!" and ran over to this guy who had passed by us numerous times. He had press credential around his neck and a satchel over his shoulder but so did a lot of other people who coming and going from the building so I had not given him a second thought. He handed the girl some wristbands and that was when we figured out he had something to do with the conference! We went over to him and waited for him to finish talking to a news crew that had gathered. About this same time these 3 girls who were maybe 13 came sprinting up the hill toward the entrance screaming at the top of their lungs "WE TOUCHED HOWIE'S BUS!!! WE TOUCHED HOWIE'S BUS!!!" over and over and over again. They went over to the man who had been saying he was going to get his daughters into the conference. Piper and I looked at each other and it was all we could do to keep from LOAO! These girls were wearing shorts, T-shirts and tennis shoes they had customized themselves with MAGIC MARKERS. The clincher though was their socks…They had on knee socks to which they had sewn little multi-colored pom pom balls to the part near their knees. I don't know what the significance was but they looked ridiculous! I should have photographed them but they were so loud & obnoxious I just ignored them! They came over opposite to where we were standing and started talking to the news crew who were still talking to Michael at the time. The news crew ignored them as well. We waited patiently and quietly until Michael was finished giving directions to the crew and then asked him if he had a list of people going to the conference because we had been told we were on the list. He asked who we were and before I could even get more than my first name out he had his hand in his satchel and had pulled an envelope out with my name on it! He said "Oh Yes! I was told to expect you! Have a great time!" and he handed me the envelope and added we would be escorted to the pressroom at about 3:30. I think Piper and I screamed and jumped up in the air when he had passed us! So much for remaining mature! :o) We went back over to the gate where we had been and fastened our wristbands on. The guard we had talked to several times came up to us and told us either he or a lady named Cory or a man whose name I forget, would come and get us at around 3:30. The guard's name turned out to be Brian, which we thought was appropriate! At this point the man with the screaming girls picked up their stuff and headed for the radio station tents. Thank God!
3:30 rolled around and no one had shown up yet to get us. About 3:45 a person with some sort of pass around his neck came up the stairs and took the 2 of us plus the people from Israel down the stairs to the conference room. We walked into the room and they were still testing the microphones and setting up cameras and stuff. Piper and I sat down in the first 2 seats of the second row of chairs. The head security guard came into the room and he said "Oh good! You guys made it in!" He was really nice. His name was Jeff and he talked to us later at the concert as well. We just sat there watching and listening to everyone. We both agreed it was very surreal. We said to each other "Can you believe we are here?" Since we didn't know if there was a special seating area designated to anyone, we asked one of the guys setting everything up if it was OK to be sitting where were and he said we could set anywhere we wanted except for the front row because it was reserved for some special guests. COOL! We settled in. There were only about 10 people in the audience at this point. The Israeli people were quietly setting up their cameras and talking to their delegates. The Japanese were not there yet but the French were everywhere! I am sure you have heard that the French can be rude people. I have had friends from France who were very nice. This particular group however was INCREDIBLY RUDE! They didn't care if they got in someone's way. They didn't apologize when they ran over people. They were up on stage, blocking the people trying to set up the lights. They acted like the conference was for specifically for them! They had 1 girl with them who was their contest winner and 4 photographers/video camera operators! She finally sat down in the front row in front of me. About this time, this man with no hair came in and started redirecting people. He made everyone move their cameras farther away from the stage because he said where they were, the kids would not be able to see the boys and that was the most important rule of the day. Hmmm…I think I like this guy… He looked at the girl sitting in front of me and told her she needed to move because the seats were reserved. She said, "I am with the French Press. Its alright if I sit here." He raised his eyebrows at her and replied "I don't care who you are with, these seats are reserved for special guests and I need for you to move!" I KNOW I like this guy! Piper and I smiled silently. She got up and moved to the seat opposite mine in the same row. That turned out to be a slight problem for Piper and I because the photographers then decided the floor in front of us would be the perfect place for them to sit while they photographed her! They kept climbing back and forth, stepping on our toes and never once did they say "Excuse me." or apologize! The elder of the 2 in our row finally noticed I was getting irritated and asked if he would be in the way if he sat down flat in front of my feet. He was fine as long as he stayed there & my view was not obstructed so I smiled and told him he was fine. The other guy didn't take a hint though and was practically sitting in Piper's lap at one point! She finally politely asked him to please move to which he replied, "I am with the French Press." Piper firmly, yet still politely (OK…maybe not so politely…but he was RUDE) told him she didn't care what country he was from and to get off of her foot! One of the guys in charge came over and the guy sat down! Just in case you are wondering if there was a language barrier, the guy spoke English well enough to ask the little girls from Make a Wish and their moms to scrunch down in their seats so they didn't block HIS camera angle!
Right about now there were commotions at the front entrance to the room as well as in the back of the room. 3 little girls with their moms and chaperone from the Make A Wish Foundation came in and sat down in the front row of seats. 2 of the girls were probably around 12 while the other was maybe 6. I was really glad they were the ones in the front row seats. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 Japanese fans and their translator/chaperone entered in the back of the room. They were very noisy…that should have given us an indication of events to come…
After all of the new people got settled, the man with no hair (he never introduced himself so I have no idea what else to call him) called for everyone's attention. He explained that we would be allowed to take pictures for the first 2 minutes of the conference and then again for 2 minutes at the end of the conference. He specified that when questions were asked, you were limited to 1 question each. He said you could not ask for hugs, kisses, photos with the guys or autographs and that if you had a present for the guys, to please hold it until the end of the conference and then place it on the table where the guys had been and he would see that it got delivered to them. Then he left to go get the guys. My heart started racing so fast at this point!
It seemed like an eternity before the guys came in. They stood outside of the door for quite awhile. I know they were out there because we could hear A.J. talking and Nick laughing! Finally the door opened and Kevin walked in followed by Howard, Nick, A.J. and then Brian. The guys posed for a group picture. Flashes were going off like mad but I honestly don't remember a lot of screaming taking place. As soon as the guys sat down, people lined up to ask their questions. The first question came from one of the Make A Wish girls. She spoke very slowly and was by far the most calm of everyone who asked questions. Her question was for all of the guys. She wanted to know how many cities the guys had been to in the past year. Kevin tried to count how many by listing them but finally gave up and just said "A lot!"
The next question came from one of the girls from Israel. She got up to the mike and just started jumping up and down and crying. Brian said she should be a basketball player and Nick added, "I think she should play volleyball!" Everyone laughed. Piper leaned over to me and said, "She is going to pass out!" The girl didn't get a question out to them. She said she was from Israel and then she passed out! She went stiff and then fell face first on to the floor. Kevin's hand flew to his mouth and Howard's eyes got HUGE! Nick's mouth dropped open! Brian to the rescue! As the bodyguards and security people helped her up he said, "I think she is OK. We'll talk to her later!" Everyone applauded! Howard and I made eye contact for the first time at this point! You KNOW I almost wet my pants when that happened! I knew there was NO WAY I was going to try to ask a question after that! My mind went completely blank when I saw Howard anyway!
Now came all of the Japanese fans. I guess the "Leave the presents on the table" rule didn't translate into Japanese because EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM had a gift for NICK! LOL! I don't remember all of the questions or the order they were asked in, but here are a few. Just add the phrase "Thank you and I have a gift for Nick" on to the end of each question. The BSB bodyguards did a great job of getting to the girls, taking the gifts and handing them to the guys so the line could keep moving! I will also give praise to the girls themselves as they all had their questions written down in English and they tried very hard to pronounce the words correctly. Not an easy task when there are 5 gorgeous guys sitting in front of you, 40 pairs of eyes watching your every move and you don't speak English very well to begin with. One girl asked them how they achieved their success and something about being "a flash in the pan". At least that is what Kevin & Brian thought she said so that is what they answered! Kevin detailed their rise to fame and then Brian gave Shelby Lynne winning the Grammy as Best New Artist as an example of how long people struggle to break into the business. Nick threw in "Yeah! We will be in the business for like 20 years and you'll see us up there 'Thank you for voting us Best New Artist!'"
The next lady had a question for Brian. She cried as she told him she had an autistic son and tried to detail how she and her husband have attempted to improve his speech and social skills. Her question was since Brian had started his foundation, did he know of one for autistic children. He didn't know of any so he asked the other guys as well. They all shook their heads and Kevin said something about "maybe we can check into that." I think I saw Kevin poke Howie and wake him up at this point! I don't know if he had stayed out too late the night before or if he wasn't feeling well but he just looked like he wanted to go back to sleep. He hadn't shaved, which I actually thought was incredibly sexy! It is possible he was just bored because no one was asking him questions! I felt bad because I had a question for him but I didn't think I could muster the strength to ask it!
"If you could be another band member for a day, who would you be?" I thought I heard the words "like from N'Sync" in the question but the guys must not of because Brian goes "I would want to be me. I like me." Then Howie answered, "I would have to say I want to be myself as well. I have worked hard to be myself. I don't want to be someone else." Kevin interjected at this point "That is not what she asked!" He looks at the audience and says, "Brian and Howie are obviously avoiding the question! They are weaseling out of answering!" Brian and Howie denied the accusation. Kevin said if he HAD to be another member, he would want to be Nick. "To be that young again. To toss your body around, and not wake up sore in the morning. Yeah, I'd wanna be Nick." Nick answered by saying "As I have said before, I would want to be Kevin. It would be cool to be the oldest for once." A.J. didn't answer.
The girl who had passed out came back into the room and stood behind me. Piper looked at her a few times over the course of the next couple of minutes and whispered to me "I hope she doesn't throw up on you!" She didn't, she just made these weird breathing sounds. I was more afraid of her passing out and landing on me this time than I was of her throwing up!
Another question directed at the entire group was "Why don't you sing in other languages anymore?" Howie fielded this one saying he wanted to do more Spanish songs. He mentioned Spanish Eyes from the MILLENNIUM CD and then he said "But I guess that wasn't really in Spanish, it just had a Spanish flare to it." Brian picked up the question and explained that though they want to do more songs in foreign languages, it is up to their management and there are time constraints. Thank you and I have a gift for Nick ;o)
There was a girl who asked if the guys planned on learning to speak Japanese before they come back to Japan. Kevin said they would like to try but he didn't know if they would have time. She holds up this book and a few flyers. One of the bodyguards comes over and takes them and passes them to Kevin since he was the one who answered the question. Kevin passed them down the table. The book winds up with A.J. so the girl says, "The Fan Club newsletters are for everyone but the book is for Nick." A.J. read the title to himself and then burst out laughing before he read it aloud. How to Make Out in Japanese!!! Everyone started laughing and Howie did that cute little thing where he scrunches up his nose and giggles! Nick blushed but IMMEDIATELY opened the book and started reading it! He was ADORABLE! He slouched down in his chair, stuck his feet out from under the tablecloth and started flipping through the book! The entire time he was clicking the toes of his shoes together! I looked at Piper and we both went "HE HAS GOT HUGE FEET!" LOL! A.J. leaned over his shoulder and together they found the words to say "Thank You" in Japanese.
The next girl up said something about having the same birthday as A.J. but being the same age as Kevin but she was in love with Nick! It took Brian, Kevin and A.J. asking questions to finally figure out what she was saying. Nick asked her if she wanted them to sing "Happy Birthday" to her. DUH! Who wouldn't say yes to that question! They asked one of the security guys to bring her closer to the table as they practiced saying her name-Royoko (I saw her name on a sign she was holding). I thought she was going to pass out too as they sang to her. She was wearing these 3" spikey heels and her legs were really wobbly. Luckily, the security guard never let go of her so she didn't fall! After they got done singing, Nick said "I gotta hug her!" and he climbed down off the stage and gave her a BIG hug! He was SO SWEET!
Next was a question for Howie! "Every time I see you in pictures, you have cell phone and are talking on it. Why?" Howie laughed. "AT & T loves me! Marcus (he pointed to the very large black man sitting in front of Nick, reading a Japanese Fan Club Newsletter) and I are going to start our own phone company soon!! (Marcus laughed and sort of saluted him!) "No seriously, I have 2 cell phones and I am almost always talking on one, if not both of them at the same time. I have outside business ventures but 90% of my calls are to my family because I miss them." Oooohhhh! How sweet is that??? I think I might have said that out loud because he smiled at me & we made eye contact again! I thought maybe I was imagining it but when I asked Piper she said he definitely looked at us several times! Brian added that whenever they go to Japan, they always shop around for cell phones with features not yet found in America. OK Brian…if the features aren't available in America then doesn't that defeat the purchase of a new phone????
The entire time we had been in the room, even before the boys got there, we had heard them either putting the stage together or testing the pyrotechnics or something that made a lot of noise. We didn't hear it as often during the conference but when it did happen Brian brought his hands up to his head and lowered his head to the table crying out "IN COMING! EVERYBODY DUCK!" It was hilarious! He also got bored at one point and made a pyramid using a juice bottle, his water bottle and A.J.'s water bottle. Then he knocked it over like he was bowling! TOO CUTE!
Next girl up asked Nick why he didn't dye his hair different colors like A.J. does! Nick took off his hat and said, "Well, as you can see, my hair isn't really blond anyway. I just lighten the top layer now." He put his hat back on, shrugged his shoulders and added, "I just don't think I look good with dark hair, ya know."
I think it was right about here that Michael made the majority of people in line sit down because there wasn't going to be enough time for everyone to ask questions. The next question was for all of the guys. The girl asked what their favorite brands of clothing were. Kevin put his hand on his leather jacket (the staple of his wardrobe-you know the one) and said "Well, this is vintage but I jus' like to wear whatever I feel comfortable in. Jeans, T-shirts, whatever I happen to put on." Howie was next. He said he didn't really have a preference to which A.J. replied "Howie's having an orange day today." Referring to Howie's sweater. Howie laughed and added "I like to wear whatever people give me! These clothes came from ROOTS. I got 'em yesterday!" Everyone laughed. Nick was next. He said he likes "baggy jeans and T-shirts and comfortable shoes and I don't pack anything, I just throw it all in a big bag and pull out what I want to wear at the beginning of the day!" I don't think I want to be near that bag too often… A.J. said he used to like to wear baggy jeans but since he has come to the realization he is always going to be skinny, he has decided wearing baggy clothes only makes him look even skinnier so he is trying to wear more form fitting clothes now. He mentioned "D & G" but said right now the only thing he is partial to wearing is his sandals. Marcus raised the tablecloth and sure enough…A.J. was wearing sandals! Brian said "Give me a few T-shirts, a couple pairs of jeans and good pair of basketball shoes and I am set for life!" That was exactly what he was wearing too!
Another question for Nick…"When will you be getting more tattoos?" He kind of giggled and then he said, "I've settled down. I'm not going to be gettin' anymore tattoos for awhile." A.J. wrapped his arm around Nick's neck and pulled him over toward him. "He'll be getting another one very soon if I have anything to say about it!"
On the subject of A.J., he also came down off the stage to hug a girl at one point but I don't remember what her question was!
Michael announced there was enough time for 2 more questions so this girl gets up and introduces herself and says she is from London. Her question… "Nick will you marry me?" The room irrupted with laughter! Nick goes "Well, since all the other guys are getting married, I guess I could think about it…" This guy stands up and steps in front of her and says, "I'm her brother and she is serious!" Nick came down from the platform again and gave her hug. The guys (especially Kevin) were making catcalls "WHOA NICKY! The brother approves!" "Looks like it set in stone!" "Go Nick!" Nick just shook his head and turned the girl around so her brother could take a picture of them together. He sat down in Marcus' chair but Marcus made him go back onto the stage!
A girl from Singapore had the next question. She asked if the guys were going to be coming to Singapore on the world tour. Kevin said they wanted to but because of the way the roads are set up, it is nearly impossible for their trucks to get through so they don't have a way to get the stage to a venue. He said they were trying to work something out and that HOPEFULLY they will be able to do a show in Manila. Brian corrected his geographical error saying Manila is in the Philippines and Singapore is in Japan and that they are 2 different places. Kevin was like "OH OK!"
The final question was from the girl from France. Her name was Melissa. Kevin tried to talk to her in French but all he knew how to say was "Bonjour!" (Hello) and Comment ce vas?" (How are you) so he said those 2 phrase at least 3 or 4 times! She asked why the guys had not recorded a song in French. Kevin took the question and basically repeated what they had said earlier adding that not all languages work well in translation and that there are too many languages for them to try to sing in the native language of all of their fans.
At this point the bald man announced the conference was over. FLASHES EVERYWHERE! Brian came down off of the stage first. One of the Make a Wish girls had a Kentucky hat for him so he stopped and took it from her. He started to turn away when something came over me. I remembered what a friend had said about a girl we both know being given an opportunity at the Atlanta show and what she had made of the opportunity and I suddenly got bold! I had a letter for Howard in my hand that I was going to place on the table. I called out Brian's name (Howard and A.J. had already been ushered out by now) and he came over to me. I handed him the letter and said "THANK YOU!!!" when he took it. He looked at the envelope and in that same voice he used to say "CENSORED" in ALL ACCESS he goes "HOW-WARD!" I thanked him again and he looked at me and smiled! That was when I noticed Kevin was standing right in front of us! We reached out our hands to shake his. He was INCREDIBLE! He took each of our hands in his and I mean IN HIS HAND, shook them and NEVER broke eye contact while he was doing it! I was totally in awe of his technique! I had read he does this but to SEE it, to experience it…OH MY GOD! THOSE EYES! After he had left Piper looked at me and said, "I am never washing my hand again!" :o)
After the guys had cleared out and we were getting our stuff back together, Piper looked up and she literally jumped over me and sprinted to the table where the guys had been. Everyone had picked up their water bottles and taken them with them except A.J.! He had come in with a can of RED BULL, drank part of it and then started drinking his water. When he left, he took his water bottle but he left the partially consumed can of RED BULL! Piper snagged the can before anyone else could! WE DID NOT DRINK FROM IT! Let me stress that point! We poured out what was left and the can is now proudly displayed on my TV cabinet! I think he must have spilled some of it because there are sticky fingerprints all over it and Piper and I didn't put there! :o)
Overall, I was very proud of Piper and I. We didn't shriek, scream, cry or pass out! I refrained from yelling my website address to Howard…and I know we both had the time of our lives!
©2001 Kendra sweetdsgirl@cosmickismet.net ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.