>>The BSB video/cd promotion with Burger King will be running from Aug. 28 until Oct. 1.
>>Backstreet fans were shocked when AJ Mclean failed to show for the Backstreet Boys' first ever Party In The Park performance. Rumours had been circulating all week following his absence from recording sessions in Sweden for the band's new album.
Kevin Richardson confirmed that band mate AJ was at his grandfather's bedside in the US following a serious operation. Instead the guys introduced AJ's stand-in, EJ - none other than Elton John.
After their pre-planned duet with Elton, including a repeat of this year's Grammy performance of Friends Never Say Goodbye from the movie Road To Eldorado, he filled in for AJ on recent hits The One and I Want It That Way. Hopefully as a good omen, the sun shone for the first time all day, during crowd pleaser The One.
The Backstreet Boys also announced that they would return to the UK later this summer, to promote their new single, hopefully this time, with AJ.
>>The new BSB cd will out Oct 12th. According to A.J. it will have a little bit of rock, hip hop, R&B, and even country. Nick will drum, and Kevin will play the piano. At this time they are still writing songs.
>>The burger chain will also be distributing a Backstreet CD and video. Both the CD and video will be sold exclusively at Burger King restaurants from August to September.
The CD will feature a new Backstreet Boys single and five unreleased live recordings while the video includes footage and interviews with AJ, Nick, Howie, Brian and Kevin.
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>>How Leighanne Saved Brian
The SEXY FIANCEE of Brian Littrell has revealed she once walked out on him in a bid to keep him alive.
Actress Leighanne Wallace is the envy of millions of young girls after becoming engaged to the chart-topping star.
The couple plan to marry in front of 350 family and friends in September.
But the wedding would have been history if Leighanne had kept her promise to dump the singer when he twice postponed life-saving heart surgery to go on tour with the band.
Leighanne, who's 30 next month, gave Bri and ultimatium: "Have the surgery or lose me and your health", after he opted for a gruelling tour concert tour.
So she left and only came back AFTER BRIAN CHANGED HIS MIND and agreed to have an op to repair a hole in his heart.
She said "It was really tearing me apart to know he was risking his life.
Now he's been given a SECOND CHANCE and it's wonderful. He has a scar across his chest which reminds him every day how lucky he is to be alive.
"But there was no way I was going to let him die, even if that meant leaving him."
She added "his first few tour dates after the surgery were scary and he had oxygen at the ready backstage, but he's doing fine now."
It was after the surgery 2 years agon that LEIGHANNE realised she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Brian. After he came round from the op, Brian was too weak to talk, but he looked at LEIGHANNE, who was at his side and used the sign to tell her "I Love you."
She said: "That was the sweetest thing and I knew then that he was the man for me."
She also revealed that a fan of the Backstreet Boy Star has been stalking her.
And he was trying to steal Brian's identity by adopting his bank account details and driving licence number.
Then he followed her to the Florida set of her latest movie, Olive Juice, claiming she was his fiancee.
She said "He did some crazy things. It was scary. Brian flew out to see me and this guy found out and wanted to meet me so he came round to the house that I was staying in.
"He was on the doorstep demanding I talk to him.
"After I met him I discovered he had been following Brian and me for six months.
"We told security and we are just hoping that will be the last of it."
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>>Two tiny blond CHIHUAHUAS belonging to Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell and his actress fiancée, Leighanne Wallace, have been snatched from the couple's home near Atlanta.
At press time, a spokesperson for the band confirmed that the couple's dogs, a 4 lb. male named LIL TYK' THOMAS and a 3 lb. female named LITTY LEIGH, were still missing.
According to Littrell, who called Atlanta radio station Star 94 on Friday morning TO TALK ABOUT THE THEFT, the dogs were taken on Wednesday, apparently by two teenage girls who trespassed onto the couple's property. Littrell told the station that a "generous reward" was being offered for the dogs' safe return.
Anybody with any information with regard to the missing dogs is being asked to call Suzanne Lear or Kristi Clark at the Atlanta Police Department at 404-350-9212. (Please note that this is a toll call.)
TYK is the canine star of the soon-to-be-released movie "Olive Juice," which features Wallace in the LEAD ROLE and includes cameos from Littrell and fellow BACKSTREET BOY AJ MCLEAN. A plea for the dogs' return, along with a photo of Tyk and e-mail contacts for anyone with information about the dognapping, can be found at the movie's official Web site, www.olive-juice.com).
The movie's producer, Nick Karvounis, told MTV News that Wallace had been playing with the dogs in the couple's yard when she was summoned away by the buzzer that signaled a visitor at the PROPERTY'S GATE, No one was at the gate, but when Wallace returned to the yard, the dogs were gone. Later, a witness reportedly told Wallace that two teenage girls had put the canines in a car.
Littrell and Wallace moved into their Atlanta home just four months ago and are expected to marry in September. Tyk has been in the family for almost four years, while Litty was ADOPTED last year.
As for "Olive Juice" no release date has been set as of yet. Karvounis said that the movie's soundtrack, produced by Littrell and Wallace, has now been completed, but he declined to release any FUTHER DETAILS.
-- Sorelle Saidman
>>The dogs have been found!!
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>>Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell and fiancée Leighanne Wallace are both devastated that nobody is willing to distribute their debut movie.
Brian, who ONLY UTTERS a couple of lines in the doomed movie, was upset to learn that the film has failed to find American backers and could well end up heading STRAIGHT TO VIDEO.
SOURCES close to the boys reveal that Brian, the flick's co-producer, was 'uncomfortable and nervous' when he shot his cameo role and the setback has only compounded fears that he is 'a really bad actor.' Leighanne explains that Brian, who gets to 'drive a horse and a buggie' in the romantic comedy enjoyed the role but added 'it was really uncomfortable for him because he doesn't know what he was doing.'
The couple are still holding out for a backer and an OPTIMISTIC Leighanne says, 'Some of my friends told me ET didn't get distribution for a really long time which makes me feel better.'
On a happier front the BACKSTREET BOYS have started up their own label. The group haven't yet decided on a name for the record company but have announced their first signing Crystal Harris, It is thought the move is part of a complex businness plan driven by the group's management company, THE FIRM.
Meanwhile, Brian's band mate Howie Dorough, who has just finished recording a duet with his sister, POLLYANNA, has launched his own production company called Howie Doit. Pollyanna has signed up as his first client and hopes the duet will see the light of day on her first album scheduled for early next year.
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>>ARTISTdirect is having a 'Born on the Web' contest. Unsigned bands upload their music, and as people selected their favorites, the top choices earned the right to be voted on by big names in the music industry. 'Born on the Web' will feature a winning band from each of five categories - Pop, Rock, Urban, Country and Electronic. The top band in each genre will win a $25,000 package that includes cash, musical equipment and promotional exposure. Judging in the Pop category include NSYNC and Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys. Lance Bass of 'N Sync will also serve as a judge in the Country area.