I woke up early this morning and was watching KTLA morning news just because when I turned it on it was on that channel. It was just on in the background when I heard, "...and some Backstreet Boys news..." and of course I had to stay tuned! I thought it was going to be news about Nick because he broke his hand. But then when it finally came on this is what they said (I'll try to get it word for word)...
"If you are a Backstreet Boys fan you probably know them by names and if you aren't, the one you have to concentrate on is AJ McLean. (Right there I was like, "WHAT?!") McLean has checked himself into a rehab center for depression and alcholism. Here are the rest of the Backstreet Boys on TRL yesterday talking about it. [clip of TRL]"
It shows Brian, Howie, Nick, and Kevin and Nick with his broken hand sniffling and obviously was and is about to start crying. Nick says this has nothing to do with the group, just AJ and he knows he can do it. KTLA only showed a little snipet of that, but I learned Brian said that the other day he came to the boys and said that he needed help. And the only way you can help someone with a problem is for them to want it. And it's for the best that he did w/checking himself into the center. Then Nick says something like he doesn't see the group breaking up... unless one of them dies and right when he says that there's like a little pause and like laugh because I guess he, and the other guys realized how weird that sounded and Kevin gives him this look like, "what the hell!" and goes, "psH!" and Nick goes, not that that's gonna happen or something like that...it was such a Nick moment. But anyways, sorry for all my babbling, but that is how I found out. At like 8:30 something in the morning during SUMMER VACATION!
Then the last thing the KTLA people say before moving on is that the summer tour will be postponed until August 7th and the news guy, I think his name is Sam, said, "I don't think that's enough time" or something. (My concert date is the 16th. Maybe I'll be one of the first crowds to see him all better. Hopefully!)
If you are like WHAT IS THIS GIRL TALKING ABOUT because I'm still in the OHMYGOSH stage and aren't making much sense, or you want more information about it, you can go to Backstreet.net for accurate information or to MTV.com for the latest info. But basically the nitty gritty is...
AJ has said he has a problem and needs help. He has checked himself in a rehab center for depression and anxiety related to alcholism.
SIGH. AJ. When I first read in Cosmo Girl in it's 100 shocking moments in music and it said that AJ used to be so depressed after the Millennium tour, he would go to his hotel room and drink whiskey by himself, I was like WOW. I never knew. I knew he drank and was kinda crazy but I never thought he was depressed. But right now, although I know a lot of fans extremely sad like me, we should be happy that he is getting the help he needs. He will be in rehab for 30 days but it is unknown which rehab center it is. Hopefully, he will get better. I am really proud of him that he has checked himself in because it's a hard thing to do. Most people can't admit they have drinking problems and with depression, I am so glad he did this before it was too late. Like Nick said, I KNOW AJ can do it.
Us fans probably feel so helpless right now but we CAN show him our love and support. You can go to this section of Backstreet.net to express your feelings and show your love for our AJ.
Check back with me because I will be following this whole thing very closely and posting up the news and I defitnetly want to be one of the first people to post up the news that AJ is back on his feet and all better. Right now, let's make sure he is in our prayers and show him the support he has.
I'm not sure what the segment was called, something about too soon or whatever (like getting his fame too soon at so young a age and so fast) but it was the 20/20 segment where Connie Chung talked to Denise McLean, AJ's mom.
Before we even go into the interview, they showed some ADORABLE pictures of AJ. They are so darling! They are of him when he was realllly young and he has the culiest eyelashes and the sweetest smile. Also, they showed some clips of him doing acts and when he was a teenager and it was like WOW! He looks SO different but you can tell it's him cuz his voice has that.. AJ-ness to it! ANYWAYS!
The interview was basically stuff us hardcore fans know from all our research about why he is in rehab and what happened, but it was from his mother's perspective. And she was saying how she knows "Alex" and "AJ" is the one who takes the stage and how there are two sides of him: the wild, crazy, makes girls go nuts AJ and the sweet, puppy loving Alex. It was really sweet and it was so sad when his mother was tearing up.
She also talks about how he is getting better and how he sounded so relieved and everything is looking bright and all that good stuff.
I gotta say that my heart goes out to her! AJ's lucky to have a mom like that and it must be such a hard time for her. I think we should send letters and things to Denise McLean. Look at what she is going through and afterall she did bring AJ into the world so you can also thank her for that ;) hehe. So I'm sorry if this section didn't provide enough info, I'm sure you can find it all on 20/20 online and all the articles that are up here are basically everything that was said in the interview. I just wanted to say kudoS to Denise and I think she's a really goOd lady!
Well the 30 days have passed, and in a little while, AJ will be back! Our worrying can cease to only a smidge, and hopefully from here on out it will be a smooth ride! We all knew AJ could do it, and it's great to have concrete proof/evidence of it! (Pics, his mother's words...) While the tour was put on hold and fans had to wait a bit and some got a little more unfortunate (there WILL be a section about MY concert and I'll tell you allll about that), it's great to know he has dealt with his problems. And through it all, I think every decision that him, his mother, the rest of the boys have made have all been good ones. Telling the media themselves, how everything was delt with. And this is just a closing for this section and I hope I won't have to update it anymore after this month! Everyone can let out their sigh of relief!