Backstage Interview: Lance Bass

Many people know and love Lance Bass as one-fifth of the pop group *NSYNC, which was formed in Orlando and can boast record sales of over 50 million from the group's heyday in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Ten years ago this past summer, Bass came out in a very public cover story in People Magazine, becoming one of the most visible gay celebrities in the United States. He has used his celebrity status for good, advocating heavily for LGBT rights and even participating in the Democratic National Convention this year in Philadelphia.

I had a chance to talk to Lance Bass about his appearance at the Democratic National Convention, about his visits to Parliament House Orlando and Pulse in July, and what The City Beautiful means to him as a former resident in this exclusive Backstage interview for Hotspots Central.

What was it like to be at the Democratic National Convention? Was this your first time participating in a national convention?

It was the first time, and the first time I was compelled to participate at this level. Looking at both of the platforms the Republicans and Democrats have offered, it's obviously a no-brainer for me to support the Democratic platform wholeheartedly. I volunteered to come out here, and the organizers were kind enough to make me a surrogate whip on the convention floor. I met quite a few amazing delegates from all over the country and I heard a lot of ways that the Bernie [Sanders] faction and the Hillary faction can unite together under one banner. When I looked at all the faces at the convention, there's every culture and every ethnicity... that's the America I love and the one I want to see.

Some people have voiced their intent to vote third-party instead of voting for Hillary Clinton. What would you say to those people, especially knowing that Florida is a swing state?

I have two words: Ralph Nader. I lived in Florida, I voted in Florida...I was one of the absentee votes in Florida during the 2000 Bush/Gore election, so I know how important those swing votes are in deciding an election. My advice would be to go with the party at this point. It's so important to get Hillary into office, and that's coming from me as someone who was originally a Bernie Sanders supporter. I'm just using common sense... if Bernie wasn't going to get in the White House, it has to be Hillary. There's no way in Hell that Donald Trump can get into the White House. It's evident that he doesn't know what he's doing and he isn't giving us real policies to work with. That and he isn't presidential enough to represent our country. The things he says... it's scary sometimes.

You were at Parliament House Orlando this past weekend. How was that experience for you, meeting all of your fans as well as guest host Ginger Minj?

I've met Ginger before actually. She's incredible and I love her. Parliament House was the first gay bar I ever went to, years and years ago, so it was nice to have the chance to come back and hang out with my Orlando peeps and all my LGBT peeps. This trip to Orlando of course meant a lot more to me because of what happened at Pulse nightclub... I wanted to show my face, hold their hands, and show them that I am with them because Orlando is still a very big part of me, and my life.

After you were at Parliament House, I saw you and your husband had visited the Pulse memorial site. How has this tragedy and its aftermath impacted you?

When I got the call the morning that the tragedy happened, I just started bawling immediately. The feeling overcame me. The same happened when I stepped out of my car at Pulse. I don't know what it is... everything was just overwhelming.

When I visited Pulse, it was overwhelming to see how much support the victims and the LGBT community has had from all walks of life. Seeing the memorial and seeing people placing flowers there, I was struck by how many people were straight, and how many people were tourists passing through. It just shows you that the LGBT community here is loved by the vast majority of people and no one person will destroy the path and progress we have made.

What's ahead for you in the next couple of months?

I just finished taping the Logo game show "Finding Prince Charming," which is like a gay "Bachelor."

I remember ten years ago when "Flavor of Love" was on the air and I thought to myself, "It would be so cool if Lance Bass hosted a gay version... like 'Gayvor of Love.' "

You willed it to happen! That's funny. You know, I don't know why it's taken so long for another all-gay dating show to be produced and put out there for consumption, but for as silly as a gay reality dating show is, it just shows that we're getting to the point that there's equality on television. If straights can get it, we can have it too. I know when I was a small gay kid in Mississippi, who never knew a gay person, I would have loved to see a show in which gay men fell in love, because it would have encouraged me to know that I could fall in love myself.

For more information on Lance Bass, visit his website at LanceBass.com