Is that a foreign concept?

Have you ever gone out to dinner with you family? Maybe a night out with your friends? Can you imagine how it would be if those little outings, that we take for granted, were taken away from us? Imagine sitting down in a restaraunt, just trying to enjoy a simple meal, when a throng of people walk up to you, asking for your autograph, grabbing at your clothes, screaming in your ear. How would we cope? Imagine trying to go out on a simple date, and having it be the top story in some cheesy tabloid the next day.

This is exactly what Nsync goes through day in and day out. Do we ever stop and think about their feelings? How WE would feel, if put in that position? How would we manage? COULD we manage? I (Julie) know I couldn't. Yes, we're their fans, and they appreciate us whole heartedly.. but how would you feel if you couldn't even walk out of your house without being approached by someone? Here's an article someone sent me that Justin wrote.. an article that inspired this section:

Note: Ok, I recently found out Justin didn't write this. A fan did. But still, it makes you think, so I'm leaving it up.

I'm not perfect. In fact, I am nowhere near it. Yet, thousands of girls see me as this perfect being who can do no wrong. The moment I make a mistake, the minute I act human, I could lose that.I've spent my life in the spotlight. I gave up my childhood to have a taste of fame. The years I should've been hanging with my friends, dating, and going to school dances, I spent touring, singing, making people scream.I know that my face graces the walls of many american teenage girls bedrooms. I know that there are girls out there who make websites devoted to me, who write fiction about me. I've never read it, and I never will. The thought scares me. The fact that people use me as a character, write stories about me. I could never read it, it's something I find impossible to fathom.

Barely a day goes by when someone's not taking a picture of me, or shoving a pen and paper into my hand, begging for an autograph, proclaiming their undying love and devotion. Those girls don't know the first thing about love. Hell, I don't know the first thing about love. I haven't been given the chance to fall in love. I've dated, and dated often, miraculously hiding it from the public. There was a time when I thought I was in love, but I've come to realize that I was nothing more than a stupid kid. When you're me, there's no room in your life for love. I guess you could say that finding love is my biggest wish.

We've gotten so famous that, now, I can't meet a single person who doesn't know who I am. I've been burned before, had girls who I thought could be someone very special, only to find that they were only dating me because of who I was to the public, not who I really am. In some ways, the face you see on television, the face you see in the magazines, he's not me. He's always happy, always laughing and smiling. I don't always laugh and smile, I'm not always happy. I get depressed just like everyother teenager. But no one can know that, because then I would lose the perfect image. I would become more human.

When I was younger, I used to play the 'what if?' game. What if I hadn't joined the group? What if I had gone to high school in Memphis and had a normal life? I've since stopped doing that. It doesn't change anything. I'm on this course, and there's no way to take back my past and make different choices.I watch the fans sometimes. I watch them and I wonder; why? What is so special about me? I'm not that much different from the guy who sits behind you in chemistry class and plays basketball. The only real difference is that his face isn't plastered all over the world. Sometimes I wish that I could just have a day of no fame. Just one day where I could go out and do as I pleased, not have to worry about which security guard is willing to accompany me, not have to worry about being mobbed. I know I should be careful with what I wish for, because, one day, this will all come to an end. This industry, the pop market especially, is extremely fickle. I'm constantly amazed that we've lasted this long, and, by the looks of things, how long we will end up lasting in the long run. But no matter how popular we are, how big our fan base is, there will come a day when we just can't do it anymore.

It's so hard, sometimes, not to feel contempt for my fans. They made me who I am, but at the same time, they've made my life impossible. When I'm in Orlando, I barely leave my home. Not even a hat and sunglasses works as a disguise anymore. More often than not, if one girls sees me, she'll scream and start a mad rush. That happened to me, a mad rush, when I was, for once, alone and free of security. It was the scariest experience of my life. They literally had me backed into a corner, and damned if I wasn't afraid for my life. Maybe because I'm the youngest the younger fans feel more connected me, maybe it's just because I'm a pretty face. I know for a fact that I have fans who stare at my pictures but rarely ever pop in a compact disc and listen to my voice. It makes me wonder. If I didn't have this face, would they still listen to my voice? Or do the looks outweigh the talent? If something happened to me, if I had a disfiguring accident, would they just stop being there? So what if I'm 'hot'? Without true talent, I would never be where I am today.

I live in a constant fear that I will do something wrong, that I will upset someone, do or say something I shouldn't. I'm not allowed to have a bad day, I'm not allowed to show when I'm feeling emotional stress. That's when they turn on me, call me names, say I'm arrogant, full of myself. I'm not arrogant. I have stayed amazingly grounded through all of this. Do you know how hard it is to keep your ego in check when thousands of girls scream practically every time you breathe? God forbid I show an emotion other than happiness. God forbid I act like a person, and not a Stepford boy band member. God forbid I be me. But that's what I am. I am not perfect, I am just me.I'm Justin Timberlake, and that's all I am.

Now.. after reading that, can you honestly say Justin has it easy? Can you HONESTLY say that JC, Chris, Lance, and Joey have it any easier? They're one of the hottest acts out there right now, and they've handled their fame amazingly well. But enough is ENOUGH. Nsync doesn't owe you anything. Their purpose is to make great music for all of us to enjoy. Their personal life is none of your concern. As for approaching them in public, when they're trying to enjoy a simple meal, hanging out with friends, WHATEVER.. They have set times for things like that. Thats what the meet-and-greets are for. Thats why they have concerts. Thats why they have autograph signings. THATS their time to show you their appreciation. THATS the time to talk to them, ask them questions, take a couple pictures. But when they're out trying to live a normal life for a couple of hours.. who are WE to take that away from them? How would WE feel, put in that position? Think about it. Just sit down and think about it for a minute. Yeah, you can say they asked for it by becoming famous, but EVERYONE deserves a little privacy.. EVERYONE deserves to have a little time to themselves. They're human, just like everyone else. They break down sometimes, just like us. They have their bad days.. their good days.. their up and down days. They are not perfect. So, remember that if you're fortunate enough to see them when they're out acting like normal people. Walk by them, give them a polite wave.. maybe a "Hello." And then maybe you'll be lucky enough to talk to them. They'll see you as a respectful person that realizes they need their own down time. Take everything I've said into consideration.. realize that they're not flawless Gods.. they're people too. Just like you and me.