Hit boyband ‘N-SYNC were ‘touched inappropriately’ as teens, claims Lance Bass (VIDEO)
The ex-member of a major US boyband has claimed that he and his fellow members were “touched up” as teenagers.
Lance Bass – an ex-member of hit boyband ‘N SYNC – has claimed that he and the rest of the band were “inappropriately touched” up by someone who used worked with them.
Bass – who married his husband last December – made the revelation during a panel discussion on The Meredith Viera Show today about sexual harassment in Hollywood.
“This also happens to men, too,” he said.
“It has happened to me. When I was 16, 17 years old, and we started, there was someone that we worked with that was inappropriately touching us.”
“I was even aware then, at 16, that this guy was a paedophile,” Bass continued.
“He was touching me oddly.”
However, he said that he didn’t feel “victimised” after he and his other ‘N SYNC members – including Justin Timberlake – joked about it afterwards.
“With the guys we would kind of talk about it, joke about, but it’s not a joking thing,” he said.
“I’m glad that we were aware of it, and we didn’t feel victimized at the time.”
Several men have accused the former manager of ‘N SYNC and the Backstreet Boys of sexual harassment over the years.
And although Bass did not mention Lou Pearlman by name during his recent statement, he has previously said that Pearlman touched him and other ‘N SYNC members.
Bass said Pearlman would “always grab our arms and feel our muscles and go: ‘Hey boys, you workin’ out? Yeahhhh!’”
However, he added that Pearlman had never “crossed that line”.
Earlier this year, Bass claimed that celebrity blogger Perez Hilton had “forced him to come out”.
He said: “Two years before I came out I was really bullied on the internet by bloggers.
“That’s when Perez Hilton just started and was just really malicious against me.”
Watch the full clip of Bass’ revelation below.
