These are hectic times for the Backstreet Boys. The boy band is currently the hottest thing going among the under-18 female crowd, making demand high and supply low on their time.
However, the band is currently being scrutinized by the media for not meeting with a five-year old Michigan girl named Morgan Zalewski who is undergoing chemotherapy for leukemia. With the pop act headed to the Detroit area to perform at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the girl's father contacted a local newspaper (the "Macomb Daily News") to reveal that the group denied her request to meet BSB via the Rainbow Connection (an organization that tries to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses).
The Rainbow Connection says that Zalewski was one of a number of children in the area who had requested a chance to meet the group, and the organization said in a statement that "due to the overwhelming popularity of these young men and the uncountable requests, our requests were denied."
After the "Macomb Daily News" carried the story, the Associated Press picked it up, flagging it with the headline "Pop Group Refuses To Meet Ill Child."
"We are hurt by these reports that we deliberately did not see an ailing child in Detroit," the group said in a statement addressing the issue. "We are committed to our fans and whenever possible make every effort to meet as many as possible. Due to our current tour schedule and the amount of requests we receive, we're unfortunately unable to meet everyone. We offer our regrets to the Zalewski family and send our best wishes to Morgan."
Addressing the matter, the Rainbow Connection noted, "This story developed out of one father's love for his little girl.... At no time was it the father's intent to bring negative publicity to the Backstreet Boys or the Rainbow Connection. He only wanted to make his very sick little girl happy."
The Boys have done a good deal of work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation (which also grants the wishes of ill children) and were recently named 1999 Celebrity Wish Grantors of the Year by the organization.
"As one of today's most popular music groups, the Backstreet Boys are extremely busy, but they make a special effort whenever they can to fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening illness."
While Zalewski's request will remain unfulfilled, the local paper reports that she still plans on seeing the Boys in concert this weekend.
