News

Most of you have probably read this at http://www.backstreet.net but I just HAD to post it because it's about our Kevin! I got permission from Laura who wrote this and you may email her at Isee5stars@aol.com.

19 September 1999

Best Moment at the Charlotte BSB Concert

Source: Laura Isee5stars@aol.com

Well, I just spent the last 3 1/2 hours driving back to Atlanta from the Charlotte BSB concert....chuckling to myself every mile! Tonight I witnessed what was quite possibly the funniest event in the history of live music, courtesy of the adorable Mr. Kevin Richardson. I will submit a full concert review separately, but I want to share this with you while the whole episode is fresh in my mind!

Before "Don't Want You Back" the crew comes out and sticks five freestanding ladders into the stage. They are placed around the stage, and each Boy climbs up on his and does little stunts as he sings. Kevin was especially daring, hanging upside down and generally being very courageous.

They were wearing these oversized warm-up pants to allow for movement. Instead of a seam on the outside of each leg, it looked like they had a zipper reaching from the waistband to just above the ankle.

As Kevin came down from his ladder at the conclusion of the song it became apparent to him and everyone on our side of the stadium that he had busted his zippers. I mean wide open!!! Kevin was obviously distressed, because they were about to start "The Perfect Fan," and five mother/daughter pairs were being escorted onto the stage. To make matters worse, it is his job to intro the song and welcome everyone on stage, which he was valiantly trying to do as the spotlight turned on him in his full semi-naked glory!

By this time a costume person had rushed out on stage and was fumbling with his pants. Those big britches were just flapping in the wind. Sweet Kevin kept repeating, "I don't mean to expose myself, but my drawers are coming apart!" He finally waved her away in frustration, and just tried to roll the waistband into his underwear.

You know if this had happened to A. J. he would have just ripped off his pants and waved his bottom at the audience, but Kevin really looked embarrassed. I think he was honestly concerned that some of us would be upset at what our daughters were seeing. Of course, you and I both know there wasn't a female from age 5 to 50 who wasn't wishing that the thread holding him together would break. There was so much praying going on you would have thought it was Sunday morning.

Anyway, for Kevin the show must go on, so he went and sat with his mother/daughter pair on these little stairs so that they could start "The Perfect Fan." As he sat there clutching his "drawers" he probably thought things couldn't get worse. Wrong! About halfway through the song each Boy is supposed to take the daughter by the hand and walk her 360 degrees around the stage. This proved particularly challenging for Kevin!! He needed one hand to hold his mic, one hand to hold up his pants and one to lead the daughter. Not only that, but as he paraded around the stage everyone became aware of his dilemma! I watched as he walked, and you could see his left hand constantly jump from his pants to the girl, while he sang into the mic in his right. He kept this up all the way around. But darn it, Kevin was going to give this little girl her moment. I mean, as we sat there watching this whole thing unfold, we couldn't help but love him! He was not going to let any of us down by running off stage, even for a moment. And yes....it does get worse.

When they finally got back to where they started each daughter rejoined her mother, who was still sitting on the stairs. Each Boy was supposed to kneel in front of his pair, back to the audience, and finish the song. You could hear the quick intake of breath from everyone on our side of the Coliseum. "What will our hero do????"

Well, by God, if kneeling is required then kneel you must! At least that seemed to be Kevin's reasoning. All of our prayers were answered at that moment. As Kevin Richardson knelt down to sing, that little thread holding everything together finally gave way! PLOP! The entire back half of Kevin's britches fell to the floor, stretched out like a shadow behind him!

You have never seen a happier crowd in your life! I mean, this was truly a thing of beauty! I was laughing so hard tears were streaming down my face, but I could just make out Kevin grabbing what now were swatches of fabric and racing off stage. I wish I could tell you that Kevin was "going commando," but he had this tight pair of white spandex bicycle shorts on under his outfit. The good news is they were very short, very tight, and very sheer! The bad news is that I bet this will never happen again at any concert. Charlotte will be the only city to see the almost-full Monty. I am sure Kevin boarded the bus with a needle and thread, and sewed those "drawers" shut for good! That, and called Sears to order long johns to wear under all of his costumes!

I think my daughter summed it up for all of us when she turned to me with wide eyes and an even wider grin and said, "WOW! I sure am glad we sat on THIS SIDE!"

(P.S. On a scale of 1 to 10, Kevin's booty gets a 20!)

FROM LAURA IN ATLANTA, GA