Friday, December 31, 2010

New Years Greetings from New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys

NKOTBSB wish fans on Facebook and Cambio a Happy New Year:


Youtube video courtesy of daniiicky


Youtube video courtesy of cambioconnect

Happy Birthday to Joey McIntyre

Happy Birthday Joey!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Introducing New Kids on the Block Flashback


This is the site for all the current news and media about the New Kids on the Block, but I thought why not start a new blog dedicated to all the "old" stuff.  So check out http://nkotbflashback.blogspot.com/ and let me know what you think!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Boston Herald: Possible NKOTB and BSB show at Fenway

The Boston Herald is reporting a possible Fenway Park NKOTBSB show:

New Kids, Backstreet make play for Fenway show
Boy bands of summer
By Thomas Grillo

Reunited boy bands New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys hope to show off their choreographed dance moves and smooth harmonies at a Fenway Park [map] concert this summer, the Herald has learned.

The Boston Red Sox [team stats] applied for show permits for Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12, when the team is out of town for a series in Toronto. But the bands would have to rearrange their schedules to play the storied ballpark.

The groups have already booked and sold tickets to perform at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., on the 11th of June and the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., on the 12th. A source close to the situation said the groups would reschedule one of those shows to make the Fenway date a reality.

“The New Kids really want to play Fenway,” said a second source familiar with the plan. “They grew up here going to shows at the Boston Garden and ballgames at Fenway. This is their heritage. They’re coming home. They are willing to reroute a bit to play Fenway.”

The Fenway show would come just days after the bands’ June 4 show at Boston’s TD Garden, which quickly sold out when tickets for the “NKOTBSB” tour went on sale Dec. 11.

The Sox’ permit application does not list what band will perform. A Red Sox spokeswoman referred calls to concert promoter Live Nation, which did not return a call seeking comment yesterday. Kristen Foster, a spokeswoman for the bands, declined to comment.

Ever since John Henry and company bought the Red Sox in 2002, they’ve been seeking ways to squeeze more revenue out of the 98-year-old park through non-baseball events.

Fenway’s summer concert series started in 2003, when Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band sold out two shows. Since then, Jimmy Buffett, the Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, the Police, Neil Diamond, Phish, Paul McCartney and Aerosmith have performed at Fenway.

The New Kids, founded in the 1980s by producer Maurice Starr, broke up in 1994 but have been “Hangin’ Tough” since reuniting three years ago. The pop group’s members - brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood - hit their hometown of Boston during a 2008 tour.

The Backstreet Boys - A.J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter - formed in Orlando, Fla., in 1993 and have sold more than 130 million records.

People.com: Baby No. 3 on the Way for Joey McIntyre

Here is an article from people.com about a new baby on the way for Joey:

Baby No. 3 on the Way for Joey McIntyre
By Sarah Michaud

The block is filling up fast: Joey McIntyre and wife Barrett are expecting their third child.

The family will welcome their third child in May, his rep confirms to PEOPLE. The new addition joins big brothers Rhys Edward, 1, and Griffin Thomas, 3.

"Barrett and I are so blessed and grateful for the little one on the way," says McIntyre, 37. "We'll have our hands full. Three's the new nine!"

The New Kids on the Block singer, one of nine children himself, wed Barrett in Aug. 2003 at New York City's Plaza Hotel.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Party with Donnie Wahlberg on January 1


Donnie is hosting a party at the Ultra 88 Nightclub in Uncasville, CT on January 1, 2011. You can view details and purchase tickets here.

More details on New Years Rockin Eve Performance

New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys are scheduled to perform from 11:38 to 11:46pm on the Nivea Countdown Stage on New Years Eve.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Blue Bloods moving to new night in January

Blue Bloods will be moving to Wednesdays starting January 19. It will get a four-week trial run in the 10PM slot and if it does well, it'll most likely remain on Wednesday nights.

Source: deadline.com

Joey McIntyre on WHDH

Here's another media segment about Joey's appearance at Boston's Children's Hospital yesterday from WHDH TV:


Video courtesy of AddictedToJoeMac
 
Joey McIntyre spreads cheer at hospital

BOSTON -- A local pop icon used his voice to spread sounds of the season and all to give some kids a little holiday cheer.

"New Kid" Joey McIntyre, who hails from Jamaica Plain, put on a holiday performance at the Children's Hospital Monday in front of a crowd of kids and their parents.

Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops played holiday tunes with McIntyre.

Media Reports about Joey McIntyre at Childen's Hospital


Photo above from Boston Herald

CBS Boston has an article and audio segment about his appearance at the Children’s Hospital with Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart in which they mention Joey and Barrett are expecting their third child. Congrats to the McIntyres!

Check out more photos at Getty Images

Monday, December 20, 2010

Joey McIntyre performs at Children's Hospital

Joey made an appearance at Children's Hospital in Boston and performed "I'll Be Home for Christmas" for the kids.



Youtube video courtesy of sweetparamaniadotcom

Donnie featured in audiobook of "The Town: A Novel"


Donnie is featured in audiobook of "The Town: A Novel".

Here is the summary from Amazon.com

Four masked men—thieves, rivals, and friends from the tough streets of Charlestown—take on a Boston bank at gunpoint. Holding bank manager Claire Keesey hostage and cleaning out the vault were simple. But career criminal Doug MacRay didn’t plan on one thing: falling hard for Claire. When he tracks her down without his mask and gun, their mutual attraction is undeniable. With a tenacious FBI agent following his every move, he imagines a life away from his gritty, dangerous work—a life centered around Claire. But before that can happen, Doug and his crew learn that there may be a way to rob Boston’s venerable baseball stadium, Fenway Park. Risky yet utterly irresistible, it would be the perfect heist to end his criminal career and begin a new life. But, as it turns out, pursuing Claire may be the most dangerous act of all. Racing to an explosive climax, The Town is a brash tale of robbery in all its forms—and an unforgettable odyssey of crime, love, ambition, and dreams.

Joey McIntyre on 93.9 Lite FM

Joey was on 93.9 Lite FM in Chicago last week. You can listen to his interview below!

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2011 Promo

Tune in on December 31 at 10PM as Dick Clark is joined by Ryan Seacrest, Fergie and Jenny McCarthy to bring you performances by Drake, Jennifer Hudson, Ne-Yo, Avril Lavigne, Train, New Kids On The Block, Backstreet Boys, Ke$ha, and Taio Cruz. Watch it live on ABC!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

NKOTBSB On Dick Clark's Rockin New Years

More details about the New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys
performance in Times Square on New Years Eve have been posted at http://nkotb.com/news/19052

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Win tickets to a NKOTBSB Concert

Live Nation is giving away a chance to win tickets and meet and greet passes to a New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys contact. Click here to enter.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

NKOTB and BSB Song

Here is another video clip of the new New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys song called "Don't Turn Out the Lights!


Youtube video courtesy of nikelida1

Jordan Knight on 99.9 KTDY

Jordan was on 99.9 KTDY, you can listen at:
http://999ktdy.com/jordan-knight-interview/

Monday, December 13, 2010

Clip of the New NKOTBSB single

Backstreet Boys played a bit of a new NKOTBSB song on their cruise and a fan captured it on video:





Youtube videos courtesy of Emmmamour

Friday, December 10, 2010

Joey McIntyre on Mix 96.5

Joey was interviewed on Mix 96.5 (Houston), go here to listen!


Video courtesy of inkiekay

Jordan Knight Radio Interviews

Jordan did a few radio interviews this morning! Here are the links to listen:
 
Kiss 108  

Video courtesy of inkiekay
 
Virgin 953 Vancouver
Video courtesy of couthie

KOST 103.5
Video courtesy of couthie

New Kids on the Block to be on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve

The New Kids on the Block will be on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. The show airs on ABC on December 31st.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Brief Interview with Joey and AJ About Upcoming Tour

Here is another short interview with Joey McIntyre & AJ Mclean at the KIIS Jingle Ball 2010:







Youtube video courtesy of AddictedToJoeMac

The Association: Boston Celtics - Narrated by Donnie Wahlberg

Here are the video clips of the ESPN special "The Association: Boston Celtics" narrated by Donnie:









Youtube videos courtesy of southaltayfan

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Donnie Wahlberg to narrate series about Celtics

Donnie will narrate an ESPN series about Celtics and the first show will air this Friday, December 3. Here's a brief article from Yahoo:


NEW YORK (AP)—Actor and Celtics fan Donnie Wahlberg will narrate a documentary-style series about the NBA team.

The Boston native will provide the voice-overs for the five episodes of “The Association: Boston Celtics.” It premieres Dec. 3 on ESPN and airs monthly.

The former New Kids on the Block singer currently appears in the CBS series “Blue Bloods.”

The first season of “The Association” last year followed Boston’s rival, the Los Angeles Lakers.


Cara's Basement Interview with Jordan

Here is an interview with Jordan on the Cara's Basement show.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Joey on 103.5 KTU

Here is an interview with Joey from 103.5 KTU in New York...


Video courtesy of AddictedToJoeMac

NKOTBSB coming to Anaheim

NKOTBSB are coming to Anaheim and here are the details sent by NKOTB's Twitter Account:

JUST ANNOUNCED! Honda Ctr Anaheim CA 7/6/11! FC presale 12/6 3pm pt, AMEX presale 12/7 10a pt, Onsale: 12/11 noon pt!

Friday, November 26, 2010

Massachusetts Eye & Ear Fundraising Video Clip Featuring NKOTB

Here is a fundraising video for the Massachusetts Eye & Ear which features clips of the performance by NKOTB at the Sense-ation benefit.

MEEI Fundraising Video from MEEI on Vimeo.

NKOTB and Backstreet Boys Video Clips

Here are videos clip of New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys from Fox News and ShowBiz:


Video courtesy of laurina marcic


Video courtesy of AddictedToJoeMac

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Summary of Rachael Ray Interview With Donnie

Here's the summary from the Rachael Ray website of Donnie's upcoming interview which airs Dec. 2nd.

Dec 2, 2010 Rachael pulls out the slow cooker and welcomes Donnie Wahlberg with her “New Kids on the Crock” French Dip sandwich! He’s dishing up some gossip from his group’s tour with The Backstreet Boys, but could Donnie’s son be the next big thing on the music scene?

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Joey's latest blog

Joey posted a new blog on his website:

11/23/2010 - thankful for you
Here come the holidays...wow. I guess I can't say "where has the time gone?", because it has been a full year. Many many things have happened along the way. I feel though that I have grown a lot since the beginning of the year. Take for instance the 6 dates I did in January. I look back and it that feels like '99, which is nice in a way because that means I must have felt young, with something to prove. That little mini tour was alot- a lot of of fun, but a lot. I was fueled by my drive for independence after being with the "Kids" for the previous 2 years. I had something to say apart from what we were doing. I am thoroughly happy with what came out of that "drive". My CD Here We Go Again is something I love and love to catch up on from time to time. I hope you guys are still enjoying it. But after that independent streak ran its course, I was reinvigorated to get back with the guys and create another "moment". The cruise '10 and the CasiNO Tour are now part of New Kids lore. Another amazing chapter. Since then I have been working on a few things that I hope will see the light of day soon. I don't want to rush it though. Something I am working on- hurry and indecision. Staying centered and really listening to what works for me and what will bring me the most peace. Easier said than done, but "putting it out there."

Mixed in there is the pleasant surprise of me and Eman performing together again, which is a wild ride, but something we both take very seriously and of which we get so much. There is more to come from One Too Many for sure. Maybe sooner than we think.

And then we have the juggernaut that is NKOTBSB. Above all it is fun. I don't think any of us thought we, all 9 of us, would be enjoying it this much. But why shouldn't we. We are blessed. The AMA's were special. I felt very connected to you, our fans, in a way that felt different. As I mentioned in a tweet, its gotta feel good to see your boys and "Boys" up there after all these years of supporting us and have us received the way we were. The performance was fun. And objectively speaking, kind of spectacular- a sneak peak for sure. But now we have to top it. Now we have to back it up. I believe we will. We are just a bunch of guys singing songs and dancing, so I don't mean to sound more important than it is, but music, and art and dance and laughter are so very important in life and we are so very honored to play a role in that essential part of your life. This Thanksgiving I am once again thankful for you -jm

Jordan Knight on B96

Jordan did an interview with B96 (Chicago)...

Update: Interview has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Monday, November 22, 2010

NKOTB and BSB AMA TV Highlights

Here's a video of NKOTBSB on the American Music Awards!



TV Shows Tonight

NKOTB.com has posted a schedule of TV Shows featuring NKOTB:

Tune in Alert – Monday, November 22nd

CATCH NKOTBSB TONIGHT ON:

ACCESS HOLLYWOOD! Access Hollywood airs at 7:30pm ET on NBC.

E! NEWS! E! News airs at 7 and 11:30pm ET on E!

ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT! Entertainment Tonight airs at 7:30pm ET on CBS.

EXTRA! EXTRA airs at 7:00pm ET on NBC.

***PLEASE CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS***

CNN NKOTB and BSB interview

Interview with New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys at yesterday's American Music Awards from CNN



Red Carpet Interviews with NKOTB/BSB

Here's some more Red Carpet Interviews with NKOTB/BSB at the American Music Awards!




More NKOTBSB Tour Dates Announced

NKOTBSB Tour Dates Announced on nkotb.com:

CURRENT LIST OF SHOW DATES (As of November 22, 2010)

THU 2-JUN
Uncasville, CT
Mohegan Sun
ON-SALE 10am EST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 12pm EST TUESDAY, DEC 7
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am EST WEDNESDAY, DEC 8

FRI 3-JUN
Washington, DC
Verizon Center
ON-SALE 10am EST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 12pm EST THURSDAY, DEC 2
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am EST FRIDAY, DEC 3

SAT 4-JUN
Boston, MA
TD Garden
ON-SALE 10am EST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 1pm EST THURSDAY, DEC 2
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am EST FRIDAY, DEC 3

SUN 5-JUN
Philadelphia, PA
Wells Fargo Center
ON-SALE 10am EST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 2pm EST THURSDAY, DEC 2
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am EST FRIDAY, DEC 3

TUE 7-JUN
Montreal, QC
Bell Centre
ON-SALE 10am EST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES TBD
AMEX PRE-SALE TBD

WED 8-JUN (Previously Announced)
Toronto, ON
Air Canada Center
ON SALE NOW

THU 9-JUN (Previously Announced)
Toronto, ON
Air Canada Center
SOLD OUT! Second show added to meet overwhelming demand!

SAT 11-JUN (Previously Announced)
Uniondale, NY
Nassau Coliseum
ON SALE NOW

SUN 12-JUN (Previously Announced)
East Rutherford, NJ
Izod Center
ON SALE NOW

WED 15-JUN
Pittsburgh, PA
Consol Energy Center
ON-SALE 10am EST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 1pm EST TUESDAY, DEC 7
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am EST WEDNESDAY, DEC 8

THU 16-JUN
Detroit, MI
The Palace of Auburn Hills
ON-SALE 10am EST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 2pm EST TUESDAY, DEC 7
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am EST WEDNESDAY, DEC 8

FRI 17-JUN (Previously Announced)
Chicago, IL
United Center
SOLD OUT! Second show added to meet overwhelming demand!

SAT 18-JUN
Chicago, IL
United Center
ON-SALE 10am CST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES TBD
AMEX PRE-SALE TBD

TUE 21-JUN
Nashville, TN
Bridgestone Arena
ON-SALE 10am CST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES TBD
AMEX PRE-SALE TBD

WED 22-JUN
Atlanta, GA
Philips Arena
ON-SALE 12pm EST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 3pm EST THURSDAY, DEC 2
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am EST FRIDAY, DEC 3

FRI 24-JUN
Lafayette, LA
Cajundome
ON-SALE 10am CST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 6pm CST TUESDAY, DEC 7
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am CST WEDNESDAY, DEC 8

SAT 25-JUN
Houston, TX
Toyota Center
ON-SALE 10am CST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 2pm CST TUESDAY, DEC 7
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am CST WEDNESDAY, DEC 8

SUN 26-JUN
Dallas, TX
American Airlines Center
ON-SALE 10am CST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 3pm CST TUESDAY, DEC 7
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am CST WEDNESDAY, DEC 8

THU 30-JUN
Phoenix, AZ
US Airways Center
ON-SALE 10am MST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES TBD
AMEX PRE-SALE TBD

FRI 1-JUL (Previously Announced)
Los Angeles, CA
Staples Center
ON SALE NOW

SAT 2-JUL
San Jose, CA
HP Pavilion
ON-SALE 10am PST SATURDAY, DEC 18
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES TBD
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am PST SATURDAY, DEC 11

SUN 3-JUL
Las Vegas, NV
Mandalay Bay Events Center
ON-SALE 12pm PST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 2pm PST TUESDAY, DEC 7
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am PST WEDNESDAY, DEC 8

FRI 8-JUL
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma Dome
ON-SALE 10am PST SATURDAY, DEC 11
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES 3pm PST TUESDAY, DEC 7
AMEX PRE-SALE 10am PST WEDNESDAY, DEC 8

SAT 9-JUL
Vancouver, BC
Rogers Arena
ON-SALE 10am PST MONDAY, DEC 13
FAN CLUB PRE-SALES TBD
AMEX PRE-SALE TBD

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Video of NKOTB and BSB AMA Performance

NKOTB and BSB AMA Performance


NKOTB and BSB on the American Music Awards Red Carpet

Here is a video clip of NKOTB and BSB on the American Music Awards Red Carpet:



AMA Rehearsal Photos

Here are a few photos from rehearsals from Getty Images:



American Music Awards Red Carpet Live

ABC interviewed members of NKOTB and BSB at the AMA's Red Carpet: 






Videos courtesy of AddictedToJoeMac

Past American Music Awards Performances

Since the guys are going to be on the AMA's tonight, here are a few clips of old AMA performances found on Youtube:



Youtube video courtesy of ChristyKG


Youtube video courtesy of kdion77


Youtube video courtesy of MiyaPark

Friday, November 19, 2010

Get a Sneak Peek at the NKOTBSB Stage

Here is a preview the unique stage design for the NKOTBSB tour from Ticketmaster.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

NKOTB And Backstreet Boys' AMA Set List According to Perez Hilton

According to Perez Hilton, here are the songs that NKOTB / BSB will be performing at the AMA's this Sunday:

Backstreet's Back

Hangin' Tough

I Want it That Way

Step by Step

Right Stuff

Larger than Life

Donnie will be on the Rachael Ray Show December 2

Donnie taped an episode of The Rachael Ray Show today and it will air on December 2. (Photo courtesy of Donnie's Twitter update.)

NKOTB and BSB to Close American Music Awards

Here are some more details about the America Music Awards appearance from a Yahoo Article: 

Closing the show will be New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys in their first-ever TV performance together. "It's like a mashup. They're throwing lyrics back and forth, trading off songs," Klein said. "It's something that no one's ever seen before."

Second Toronto Date Added

The have added a second Toronto date on June 8th. Here's the ticket details from NKOTB.com

WED 8-JUN
Toronto, CAN
Air Canada Center
ON-SALE 10am EST FRIDAY, NOV 19
BLOCK NATION FULL SERVICE PRESALE - THURSDAY NOV 18TH AT 6PM EST
BLOCK NATION PREMIUM PRESALE - THURSDAY NOV 18TH AT 6:30PM EST
BLOCK NATION FULL SERVICE ILAA PRESALE - THURSDAY NOV 18TH AT 6PM EST
BLOCK NATION PREMIUM ILAA PRESALE - THURSDAY NOV 18TH AT 6:30PM EST

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Better Connecticut interview with Donnie

Here is another Blue Bloods interview with Donnie from Better Connecticut...

Update: Video has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Some NKOTBSB updates

Don't forget the pre-sales for the first 5 shows are going on now!
Regular on-sale times are as follows:

THU 9-JUN
Toronto, CAN
Air Canada Center
ON-SALE 10am EST FRIDAY, NOV 19

SAT 11-JUN
Uniondale, NY
Nassau Coliseum
ON-SALE 10am EST FRIDAY, NOV 19

SUN 12-JUN
East Rutherford, NJ
Izod Center
ON-SALE 10am EST FRIDAY, NOV 19

FRI 17-JUN
Chicago, IL
United Center
ON-SALE 10am CST SATURDAY, NOV 20

FRI 1-JUL
Los Angeles, CA
Staples Center
ON- SALE 10am PST MONDAY, NOV 22



AJ Mclean from the Backstreet Boys posted a twitter update over the weekend saying that they were in the studio with the New Kids.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Friday, November 12, 2010

NKOTB and BSB - Entertainment Tonight Video Clip

NKOTB and BSB - Entertainment Tonight 11.12.10
 

Youtube video courtesy of yikes77

Entertainment Tonight Clip

Here is a video with NKOTB/BSB from Entertainment Tonight


Video courtesy of The Dark Side - Backstreet Boys

Ryan Seacrest Interview - Video Version

Here is video of the guys interviewing with Ryan Seacrest last Monday!





Video courtesy of On Air With Ryan Seacrest

Video from NKOTB & BSB Ustream Chat

Here are video from NKOTBSB Ustream Chat

Video courtesy of BSBFangirls

Donnie on Kidd Kraddick show

Donnie and Howie from the BSB did an interview with Kidd Kraddick! Listen to it below: 

Donnie interviews with CBS affiliates

Here are some interviews that Donnie did with CBS affiliates yesterday:

Cleveland's CBS-19

Youtube video courtesy of: cvv2007

WJZ news in Baltimore

Youtube video courtesy of: imdonniesgal

Access Hollywood Talks with NKOTBSB

Here is a Q & A with NKOTB and BSB from Access Hollywood/OMG Yahoo:


Video courtesy of The Dark Side - Backstreet Boys

Donnie interviewed on KMOV (St Louis)

Donnie interviewed on KMOV (St Louis):

Update: Video has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Monday, November 8, 2010

First 5 NKOTBSB tour dates announced

Here are some tour dates for the joint NKOTB and BSB tour:

CURRENT LIST OF SHOW DATES (As of November 8, 2010)

THU 9-JUN
Toronto, CAN
Air Canada Center
ON-SALE 10am ET FRIDAY, NOV 19

SAT 11-JUN
Uniondale, NY
Nassau Coliseum
ON-SALE 10am ET FRIDAY, NOV 19

SUN 12-JUN
East Rutherford, NJ
Izod Center
ON-SALE 10am ET FRIDAY, NOV 19

FRI 17-JUN
Rosemont, IL
United Center
ON-SALE 10am CT SATURDAY, NOV 20

FRI 1-JUL
Los Angeles, CA
Staples Center
ON- SALE 10am PT MONDAY, NOV 22

Ryan Seacrest Interview

New Kids On The Block and the Backstreet Boys joined "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" and announced the tour dates for their much talked about Summer 2011 concert tour!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Danny to star in reality show "Knock On Wood"

Here is a Sizzle Reel of the "Knock On Wood" reality show, starring Danny Wood & family:



Youtube video courtesy of lovemetrinity

LIVE video Q&A on Monday

NKOTB and BSB will have an an exclusive LIVE video Q&A with UStream.tv on Mon 11/8 @ 5:30pm PST

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

NKOTB and BSB announce joint tour

NKOTB and BSB (Back Street Boys) have announced a joint tour starting in the summer of 2011. They have set up a website and Twitter page for the tour. 

Your first opportunity to see the two groups perform live together will be November 21st on the American Music Awards on ABC. 

Also, both groups will be on the Ryan Seacrest Show on Monday morning (November 8) at 6AM (PST)

Monday, October 18, 2010

Articles on Mass. Eye and Ear benefit & Blue Bloods

Here are some articles on Mass. Eye and Ear Benefit & Blue Bloods 

Boston Herald article - "All eyes, and ears, on New Kid"

All eyes, and ears, on New Kid

While one Boston rock ’n’ roll institution battles with its flamboyant frontman, the New Kids on the Block say the vintage boy band is closer than ever.

“When we get together in a room it’s always the same,’’ Donnie Wahlberg told the Track before the band performed at a sold-out benefit for Mass. Eye & Ear Infirmary the other night. “It’s a nice treat to be here because I haven’t laughed like this in weeks.’’

Donnie took the stage at the “Sense-ations!’’ soiree with Jonathan and Jordan Knight and Danny Wood at the behest of bandmate Joey McIntyre, whose 10-month-old son, Rhys, was born with severe hearing loss.

“Just seeing Joey’s maturity and how he’s handled himself (with his son), it’s been profound to share in this,’’ said Wahlberg, who came to Boston from New York where he shoots the CBS cop drama “Blue Bloods.”

“We’ve shared a lot of great nights together, but we haven’t have had to come together for one of our kids,” Donnie continued. “There’s something to be said, after all these years, that we love each other more than ever before.’’

Jonathan Knight, who is a real estate developer by day, chimed in “Minus (Jordan), I’m closer to these three guys than my own brothers.’’

The New Kids wouldn’t say if they would head out on tour again, but they did seem rather excited about their sold-out Caribbean cruise with 250 female fans — and, maybe, a few husbands!

“It’s special,” said Wahlberg, who then took to talking in the third person. “I mean, it’s not like Donnie’s going to grab 15 women and bring them to his room and the rest of the guys will bring girls to their rooms. Maybe when we were 20. But it is a beautiful experience.’’

Before NKOTB did their thing, McIntyre, wife Barrett and sons Griffin, 3, and Rhys took to the stage to talk about Baby Mac’s hearing loss, which was discovered when he was 10 days old.

“Because of the technology and options, Rhys will attend the same school as his brother and will be able to communicate with people he meets,’’ Barrett said.

Her husband reminded the group that the hearing test was developed at Mass. Eye & Ear.

“We have to shine some light on this amazing institution,’’ said Joey Mac, who helped raise $1 million for the cause.

Later, an emotional Joey had to compose himself before belting out his hit single “Stay the Same,’’ backed by a choir.

“I might have to get Jordan to sing this for me,’’ he said.

File Under: The Right Stuff.


Donnie interview with Jim Halterman 

INTERVIEW: Donnie Wahlberg talks tonight’s BLUE BLOODS, cop killers and life in NYC
By Jim On October 15, 2010

Donnie Wahlberg as Detective Danny Reagan in BLUE BLOODS

One of the bright spots of the new fall season has been the CBS family crime drama Blue Bloods, which may be stationed on one of the more low-rated nights of the week but has managed to pull in strong ratings during its first few weeks out of the gate. Following the Reagan family, patriarch Frank (the ever-dashing Tom Selleck) is the Police Commissioner with son Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) an NYPD detective, daughter Erin (Bridget Monyahan) as an Assistant DA and son Jamie (Will Estes) newly graduated from the police academy. Len Cariou also plays Frank’s father, a retired cop from the NYPD force who still manages to get involved in the goings-on from time to time.

In tonight’s episode, “Officer Down,” Commissioner Reagan (Selleck) mobilizes the entire NYPD to find the killer of an off-duty police officer who was murdered during a diamond heist while Danny hunts down the killer by any means necessary.  Wahlberg took time from his busy shooting schedule to talk to journalists earlier this week and I was on the call to field questions.

Jim Halterman:  Now that the show is off and running, more or less pressure?

Donnie Wahlberg: If I think about it, it only adds pressure so I try not to think about because the reality is I control none of that. I only control what I do. For actors [and] for anybody dealing with numbers and polls and things like that, the more you look, the more pressure you put on yourself. If you get 20 million viewers on day one and if you look at the numbers on day two and they’re down to 19 million then you start going what happened? The reality of it is that we have a couple more million viewers than anyone thought we’d get and that’s good news but what we do off set and what the cast talks about it is really trying to control what we can control and that’s finding the right mix of what works for our audience, identifying what they are and servicing what they want and also servicing our characters as best we can. It’s tricky but the pressure never goes away. There are so many things at stake with every episode and we treat every episode very important.

Tom Selleck, Wahlberg, Bridget Monyahan and Len Cariou in BLUE BLOODS

JH: How has it been shooting the show in New York as opposed to a soundstage in Hollywood or a Vancouver area that might double for New York?

DW:  I’m sitting right now on a building that I live in that was built in 1885, I think, and looking out a window at the Williamsburg Bridge and a cool breeze is coming in and I just feel lucky everyday. In the ‘Officer Down’ episode, we’re shooting under the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO and all these guys are up there working on the bridge and in between every take they’d yell down ‘Donnie, we love you’ and it was so much fun and it was so great. I don’t know how anyone can hear in DUMBO. It’s the loudest place I’ve ever been on Earth but those guys cut through the noise and the traffic and the welding and there’s nothing like playing a New Yorker and being on the streets of New York and having people on the street in New York give you a pat on the back and it’s been happening everyday. A couple of guys doing construction on a brownstone and they say ‘Way to go, Wahlberg.’ For a Bostonian, we live in the shadow of New York is really the greatest felling.

Question: You guys seem like you’re having fun from everything on Twitter and the interaction between the cast members. Do you find that you have taken on those familial characteristics like on the show?

DW: Yeah, it’s ironic how things usually turn out right at least when people do a good job of casting. Bridget and I have a very, very great relationship and while she’s, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met, there’s a very, very trusting brotherly/sisterly kind or relationship. We’re both single parents and we talk about all kinds of stuff off camera and we help each other a lot off camera and it flows very naturally on screen when we work together. I look at Will and it’s like looking at myself ten years ago on Boomtown. I see him wanting to explore certain elements of his character’s story the way I did on Boomtown. I remember walking around for the first 11 episodes saying ‘When am I going to get to talk about my suicidal wife?’ and carrying that with me into every scene that I did and I see Will doing that. Like an older brother, I’m able to sort of identify it, see it and recognize it and sometimes help and sometimes encourage it depending on what the situation calls for. With Tom, he sort of it like everyone’s Dad. I’m the nutty kid on set but Tom knows that I come to play hard every day and that’s how Danny is; he’s nutty. Frank puts up with Danny putting heads in a toilet the way Tom puts up with Donnie tweeting in between takes and letting fans know to watch the show.

Brotherly/Sisterly affection both on-and-off screen with Monyahan and Wahlberg

Question: Can you talk a little bit about going forward in future episodes. Do we get to find out more about Danny’s time in Iraq?

DW: Like I said in using Will as a reference, when I was Will’s age, I wanted every single part of my character’s story to come out in the very first episode after the pilot and ever subsequent script I would say ‘When are we going to get to it?’ and the reality of it is with age and experience I’ve become a little more patient. Of course I want to get to it but I’m not desperate to get to it. In a perfect world, Will has a couple of seasons to explore all this stuff…the more we can come up with new stuff like Friday’s episode ‘Officer Down’ the more we can save that for when it’s really needed. Obviously, I want to go into a lot of the stuff that’s going on with a lot of these characters, not just Danny. I want to know what’s going on Will and see if he’s going to investigate the Blue Templar…I want to see how it all goes. I want to see where a lot of this goes and fortunately things are going great and hopefully we’ll have a chance to get to explore a lot of that stuff. It’s definitely what we all want – the writers and the cast.

Question: This show has such respect for the police, particularly this episode, but, Donnie, what did you think of the police from Boston when you were growing up and in your rock years?

DW: When I was in Boston growing up I pretty much knew all the cops in my neighborhood because they had all arrested my brothers. When you grow up in a city like Boston where I grew up a lot of kids become criminals or cops. I never really had a bad take on cops other than when there’s one behind me on the highway I generally feel like I robbed a bank even though I did nothing and I don’t know why that feeling comes over me. While I think I’ve always had a lot of respect for cops in general it’s grown over the years and that part that there are always some people who break the rules and do things that aren’t right. I think a lot of times certain guys make the mistake and the cops as a whole pay for it and I think 99 out of 100 guys and women are out there trying to do the very best they can in very scary, very dangerous circumstances. Sometimes they make judgments calls and most times they want to do the right thing and every now and again it goes awry. Unfortunately, all the times they do make a proper judgment call are very rarely recognized as opposed to a bad judgment call. For me, I get to explore that kind of stuff and my character makes bad judgments call sometimes but I think a lot of the cops that watch the show respect it because they know that it can happen. I don’t think they want to go around sticking people’s heads in toilets but maybe they sometimes wish maybe they could in the right circumstance. When the character all but admits in the pilot that he has that little girl every person in the world – the parents of the victim, the cops, the friends of the victim – would all love to be able to take the law into their own hands and do something to save a child and unfortunately we can’t always do that. Fortunately in the pilot it worked out for Danny and the little girl but it’s a tough spot to be in. Imagine the burden of having to save a little girl’s life but having so many restrictions where you can’t do what it takes but it’s tough. Everybody has to have rights and that’s just how it is.

Jennifer Esposito is in several BLUE BLOODS episodes as Danny's partner

Question: Is Jennifer Esposito going to be back for more episodes as your partner?

DW:  She’s shooting her fourth episode now. Jennifer Esposito, who I’m having so much fun with and she’s so great, she is bringing a lot to the show and she’s really giving me room to play. The episode after ‘Officer Down’ there’s an episode where I get to bring a lot of levity to my character and to the situation and it’s not as intense of a crime that we’re investigating. I get to have a lot of fun with Jennifer. I’ve been telling Will Estes that you don’t’ know what you have with Nick Tuturro. You have gold! Every day you show up to work you have the potential for magic with an actor of his caliber and I feel that I have that with Jennifer Esposito.

Question: Can you talk about playing a cop that is looking for a cop killer?

DW: The struggle and challenge for me in playing Danny in this episode is sometimes the writer and the story has its own purpose and that’s to get from point A to point C in an entertaining and dramatic way with information to keep the audience informed. For me in playing Danny, I looked at every single person connected to the case as a cop killer. I think if an officer does go down in the real world that anybody associated with it is involved with the cop being killed and I think that raises the stakes for everything so when I showed up in an early scene when the electrician guy is being interrogated then, to me, he’s in cahoots and I thought that Danny’s take is that they’re all guilty and they’re all involved and therefore they’re all cop killers. I think the challenge then became how to bring that spirit into every scene even if the page didn’t suggest that.  If what is on the page is about, look, this guy will connect us to this guy, who will connect us to the actual guy who pulled the trigger. I wanted to bring a sense to Danny that every guy involved might as well have pulled the trigger because this young officer is gone because of all their choices. I think for me, it’s trying to take that challenge and respecting what’s on the page but also respecting the character and where he comes from and what his choices may be in a situation like this and finding the balance without going too far. I’m sort of going rogue…Donnie the actor is going rogue on the script but certainly pushing the boundaries and Danny is doing everything to make sure justice is done in his eyes.

While we wait for Danny Reagan's past to unfold, here's a piece of Donnie Wahlbergs - NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK!

Question: What’s your favorite part of playing Danny?

DW: I think the freedom that I have with him. A great day playing Danny is when I remember to be free and try something different. Every day I might be doing something that feels redundant or sometimes scenes are written a certain way where you have to go down a certain road and my favorite days are the days that even though I’m being guided down a certain road by the script and make discoveries and be completely free and off the cuff. Say on set today I did a quasi-Columbo moment. It was really fun and didn’t feel false and it felt in the realm of Danny and it’s what attracted me to this role. There were a few other opportunities to work on other shows and do other things but the fact is I love the cast. I love Tom and I loved the pilot script and I love the freedom that this character presents to me.

Question: What is it about this cop drama that sets it apart from others?

DW:  I think the audience is going to have their own opinion of what makes it stand out. For me, personally, what attracted to me is I think it’s what I just mentioned – the cast, the pilot script was amazing and my character is one I don’t get to play very often. I can play an emotional beat if I want with a suspect. I can play an angry beat, a fun beat. I can really explore different colors of this character and the family stuff is a big part of what is working for the audience and what’s working for the cast as well. When I read the pilot, I could see my sister sitting across the table from me in real life saying these lines to me. Some of the arguments that Bridget and I have gotten to play are like my sister and I in real life. I knew when I did that dinner scene I knew I was going to have a good time doing it and I knew it would be fun and I knew I would be live. When you’re doing television, it’s a grind working five days a week and I look for something that’s going to make me feel alive. The family scenes have a lot of truth in them and that makes me feel alive.

Donnie interview with Deadbolt 

Throughout his acting career on TV, Donnie Wahlberg has played both sides of the law. In the new CBS series, "Blue Bloods", Donnie Wahlberg steps back on the side of the law as Detective Danny Reagan, a top, hard-nosed cop in an NYPD family headed by Tom Selleck.

Ahead of the October 15 episode of Blue Bloods called "Officer Down", which sees Danny go on the hunt for a cop killer after an undercover officer is killed, TheDeadbolt caught up with Donnie Wahlberg to learn more about playing a Blue Blood on the hunt for a cop killer and how Wahlberg views the line between duty and vengeance in real life.

THE DEADBOLT: Can you talk about the challenge of playing a cop hunting for a cop killer? How is that unique for you?

DONNIE WAHLBERG: Well, the struggle and the challenge for me playing Danny in this episode, dealing with a cop killer, sometimes the script, the writer and the story, has its own purpose to get from point A to point Z in an entertaining and dramatic way with information to keep the audience informed. But for me playing Danny, I looked at every single person connected to the case as a cop killer. I think there's an element of truth to that. I think if an officer does go down in the real world, anybody associated with it is involved in a cop being killed, and I think that raises the stakes for everything.

So when I showed up, for example, in an early scene in the episode, there is an electrician being interrogated. To me, he was in cahoots with those guys. So I thought Danny's take is that they're all guilty. They're all guilty and they're all involved, so that's why they're all cop killers.

I think the challenge then became how to bring that spirit into every scene, even if the page didn't suggest that. What was on the page was really about, look, this guy will connect us to this guy who will connect us to the actual guy who pulled the trigger. I wanted to bring a sense to Danny that every guy involved may as well have pulled the trigger, because a young officer is gone because of all of their choices. If one of them stepped up, maybe it wouldn't have happened.

So, for me, it's trying to respect what's on the page but also respecting the character, where he comes from and what his choices may be in a situation like this and finding the balance. Not going too far that I'm sort of going rogue and Donnie's character is going rogue on the script and playing his own movie, but certainly pushing the boundaries enough that Danny is doing everything he can to see that justice is done in his eyes.

THE DEADBOLT: Beyond the show, how do you view the real line between duty and vengeance for a police officer when one of their own is killed? Is that the line between good cop and bad cop?

WAHLBERG: Well, that's really sort of an impossible question to answer. I mean, because I'm not really a cop in real life. I can tell you that if someone in my family was killed and what that would feel like. I can probably answer better if somebody violated somebody who is very close to me what I would feel like and what I may want to do. But I'm just Donnie, I'm playing Danny, and Danny's want for justice is bigger than he even understands. I don't think he knows really what's pushing him. I don't know if Donnie knows what's pushing Danny at this point.

There's a lot more to be discovered with these characters and there's a lot of curiosity as to what happened to Danny's brother in the show and what happened to the other son, Joe. I mean, he was killed in the line of duty investigating the Blue Templar, which Danny may be a part of, so there's a lot of mystery to that. I don't know what exactly is driving Danny. I know that in this particular episode, based on how I played it the way I think Danny should, he will not stop. He will not sleep until he gets the guy who did it. As far as he's concerned, if you're involved, you did it. So they all need to be stopped.

So, in real life, would I take vengeance on somebody? I don't know. I like to think I'm a little bit more of a forgiving person. If I were out there on the streets everyday risking my life and somebody carelessly mowed down somebody who was doing the same, I'm sure I'd be driven to do all I can to get that person off of the street.

Blue Bloods airs Fridays at 10:00-11:00PM ET/PT on CBS.

NKOTB on WBZ Boston

They guys talk about their appearance at the Mass and Eye and Ear benefit and supporting each other through the tough times!

Youtube video courtesy of yikes77

Joey and Barrett talk to WBZ Boston about Rhys
Video courtesy of kleinerspatz30

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Donnie Talks About Blue Bloods

Donnie Talks Blue Bloods And This Week's Episode on Television Blend:

Fans of CBS’ new cop (and family) drama Blue Bloods won’t want to miss this Friday’s episode. It’s an intense one! Donnie Wahlberg spoke to us tonight about the series, working in New York, working with Tom Selleck and more, including this week’s very suspenseful episode.

Blue Bloods follows a family of cops in various stages of their careers, ranging form chief of police to rookie cop. Donnie Wahlberg plays Danny Raegan, the oldest son in the Raegen family and a fairly seasoned detective. On this week’s episode, he works with the other cops to track down a cop-killer.

Without going into too much detail about the episode (we don’t want to spoil it for you!), I can tell you that it becomes clear early on that Danny treats everyone involved in the officer’s death as a guilty party. Wahlberg talked a little bit about this in terms of how he handled that mindset.

“I wanted to bring a sense to Danny that every guy involved might as well have pulled the trigger. An officer is gone because of all their choices. Had one of them stepped up, maybe it wouldn’t have happened.”

You’ll definitely see Danny push the boundaries when it comes to tracking down the killer in this episode.

The episode features Jennifer Esposito (Samantha Who?), who’s partnered up with Danny on the case. Esposito and Wahlberg have a great chemistry and according to Wahlberg, she’ll be back! She’s currently shooting her fourth episode for the series.

Esposito isn’t the only one who has great chemistry with him. If you’ve been watching the show, you may have noticed how well Wahlberg and Bridget Moynahan do on screen together. She plays his sister Erin on the series. Of his off-screen relationship with Moynahan, Wahlberg had good things to say…

“Bridget and I have a very great relationship. She’s, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met. It’s a very trusting, brotherly/sisterly kind of relationship. We’re both single parents. We talk about all kinds of stuff off camera and we help each other a lot off camera and it flows very naturally on screen when we work together.”

As for his relationship with Tom Selleck, from the sound of it, Danny and Frank’s relationship is fairly comparable to Donnie and Toms.

“Tom sort of is like everyone’s dad. Frank puts up with Danny sticking heads in the toilet the way Tom puts up with Donnie tweeting between takes and letting fans know to watch the show.”

Wahlberg went into even more detail on his relationship with Tom when he talked about his own leadership tendencies and finding a connection with Tom, whose age and level of experience plays a factor in how they work together.

“I like being a leader in real life. I’m very much a leader in a lot of the work that I do or that I’ve done in my career. At the same time very now and again, I have to deal with other leaders who have a little bit more authority than me and I think that is somewhere where I connect with Danny. It’s fun, interesting and sort of electric playing Danny and having to deal with his dad, Frank. And at the same time, it’s fun being Donnie and being on set every day with Tom.

Tom is a leader himself. He’s a very experienced, very smart guy. Very dedicated, much like myself. There are times when we both see the end game and we both want the same thing but we have very different ideas of how to do it. Knowing when to step up, that this might be the time that Tom could really use my input, or knowing when to step back and say, you know what? This is the time to trust Tom. It’s very truthful off screen as it in on screen for Danny and Frank.

I gotta say, it’s fun and it really makes the job great for me. It’s fun coming to work everyday and working out scenes with Tom and working out ideas. Knowing who I am and knowing how I like to work, and also knowing and respecting who he is. We do have a great mutual respect, but much like the characters, there’s an experience difference. There’s an age difference. There’s differences that ring true in every scene that we do on screen and off. It’s a treat to explore that and it makes it very real for me.”

Danny isn’t Wahlberg’s first cop role, however from the way he puts it, the police have been a part of his life since he was a kid.

“When I was in Boston growing up, I pretty much knew all the cops in my neighborhood because they’d all arrested my brothers. They knew me, I knew them. We knew a lot of cops anyway. When you grow up in a city like Boston, where I grew up, a lot of kids became criminals or cops. I never really had a bad take on cops other than I hate when there’s one behind me on the highway.”

His childhood experience aside, numerous cop roles appear to have given Wahlberg a positive perspective on the police.

“I think throughout the years, I’ve gotten to work with so many of them, while I think I always had a certain level of respect for cops in general, its grown so much over the years. “

As for his feelings on working in New York, Wahlberg talked a little bit about the positive reactions he’s gotten from New Yorkers while shooting in the city.

"There’s nothing like playing a New Yorker and being on the streets of New York and having New Yorkers give you a pat on the back and it’s been happening every day."

"For a Bostonian… we live in the shadow of New York and to be acknowledged by New Yorkers is really the greatest feeling."

Finally, Wahlberg expressed a lot of enthusiasm about the cast, the writing and especially the family aspect of the show, which is really what sets Blue Bloods apart from a lot of other cop shows. In this Friday’s episode, Frank (Tom Selleck) mentions that the NYPD is like a family. Blue Bloods is a series that’s about an actual family working within the family that is the NYPD. In that sense, this is a family drama as much as it is a cop drama. On the subject of family, Wahlberg said he thinks the family scenes have a lot of truth in them. While only a few episodes have aired, I think it’s safe to say he’s right as the family aspect of the show stands out and is what’s driving the series forward between the case-of-the-week plot.

Whether or not you’ve seen the show, you should check it out this Friday. I think “Officer Down” may be the best episode yet.

Boston News Stations Interview the McIntyre's

Joey and Barrett did some interviews for Boston media. 


McIntyre Family Copes With Son's Hearing Loss - Video & article from WBZ: Update: Video has been deleted, but here is the article:

As a teenager, New Kids on the Block singer Joey McIntyre had to deal with the deafening screams of young girls in the audience. As an adult, he's dealing with the fact his son may never hear him speak.

"You just feel like there's a huge rock that was dropped on you and you can't breathe very deeply," said McIntyre.

McIntyre remembers the moment he and his wife, Barrett, were told their newborn son Rhys had severe hearing loss. It took some time for the news to sink in.

"For me it was very much a process going through the emotions," said Barrett McIntyre.

Things were going well for the singer. He had just wrapped up a successful reunion tour with the NKOTB and had recently released new music. But then his world changed. Things they took for granted with their first son Griffin, they couldn't with Rhys.

"We're just so in tuned to what a baby says and does," said McIntyre.  "Stuff that you normally would take for granted and wouldn't think about."

And that's why on Tuesday, McIntyre was at Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, to meet patients and other parents like him.

Seven-year-old Jack Fish of Leominster was there for eye surgery after being bitten by a dog.

His mother, Kara, was thrilled to meet McIntyre.

"That was awesome," she said.  "I've seen them a bunch of times growing up."

Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck is also chairman of the MEEI board of directors. 

He's used to dealing with a child with a disability. His 18-year-old son is blind.

He gave the McIntyre's advice on how to deal with it.

"It's much better probably than you fear it might be," said Grousbeck.  "It can be really fantastic but it's always a little bit of hard work." He added, "Hang in there."

Joey and Barrett had their son's hearing tested the day after he was born which is mandatory in most states. Doctors say early detection is the key.

"This is important because those are critical times for developmental speech and language," said Dr Donald Keamy, pediatric otolaryngologist at MEEI.  "Without your hearing you can't develop speech and language."

Rhys is ten-months-old and doing well with hearing aids.

His father doesn't worry he'll never hear him sing, in fact he jokes about it.

"Yeah, it's a shame with my voice for him not to hear me. I mean Frank Sinatra (not a problem)...but me…" (He laughs).

In the end he knows one thing for sure.

"He's going to be ok, no matter what."

The New Kids on the Block will reunite Wednesday in Boston. They'll perform at a benefit for the MEEI Cures for Kids Fund.


Joey McIntyre Teams Up With Local Hospital To Help Children - Video & article from TheBostonChannel.com: Update: Video has been deleted, but here is the article:

BOSTON -- New Kids on the Block singer Joey McIntyre and his wife, Barrett, got an early Christmas present last December when their youngest son Rhys Edward McIntyre was born.
The baby seemed happy and healthy, but then 10 days later a newborn hearing screening revealed a problem. Rhys was born with profound hearing loss.
"I think we both were obviously incredibly shocked," said Barrett McIntyre.
"You’re in shock," said the pop singer. "We just don't know how to react."
With no known cause, the couple ran through the gamut of emotions.
"How do we even wrap our heads around this?" said Barrett McIntyre. "And I think, you know, as days went by, your emotions and your feelings about the situation change drastically."
"These kinds of experiences -- they open your heart up, your mind up, your life up," Joey McIntyre said.
The experience has also given the family new purpose: To help other families like them.
They decided to team up with Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary to get the word out about newborn hearing screening and to help launch the new Cures for Kids Fund.
"It's just helping out and making sure that people in the field have what they need to keep going and keep doing their work," said Joey McIntyre.
"It's important to screen children when they are first born for hearing because something can actually be done about it," said Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Dr. Donald Keamy. "Hearing plays a large role in development in children."
The McIntyres are thankful for the technology that diagnosed Rhys' condition early. That technology originated at the Eye and Ear Infirmary, too, and has helped improved Rhys' condition.
"He's a normal 10-month-old kid," said Joey McIntyre. "He's climbing around and getting into everything, and he's happy."
The McIntyres hope telling their story will produce similar outcomes for other children born with disabilities.
"To be here in my hometown and to be able to help an institution like this is really special," Joey McIntyre added.
McIntyre, along with the other New Kids on the Block, will be performing Wednesday at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary's Sense-sation Gala. It benefits the Cures for Kids Fund.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Boston.com: Joey McIntyre now an advocate for deaf

Here's an article from Boston.com. Thanks to Mary for the link.




A song of hope, dedicated to his son
Joey McIntyre now an advocate for deaf
By Mark Shanahan, Globe Staff | October 9, 2010

Joey McIntyre and his wife, Barrett, were in an office at UCLA Medical Center when a grim-faced technician walked in with the results of their son’s hearing test and told them that 10-day-old Rhys Edward McIntyre had severe hearing loss.

“She started talking about sign language and schools for the deaf,’’ said McIntyre, a member of the Boston-bred boy band New Kids on the Block who has been singing on stage since the third grade. “We were like, ‘Huh?’ We just wanted to get out of there and go home.’’

The irony of having a baby who might never hear him sing didn’t register right away with McIntyre. Instead, he and his wife were in shock, overwhelmed by what they didn’t know and their son’s prospects for a normal life.

Nine months later, that is changing. The couple understands that a diagnosis of deafness is not a disaster, and they’re learning about treatment options, which have improved greatly over the past 25 years. McIntyre and his wife have also made a commitment to help others facing the same uncertain future. The singer will be at a gala in New York for The Center for Hearing and Communication, and New Kids on the Block are performing Wednesday at a fund-raiser for Massachusetts Eye and Ear, which developed the test used to screen infants — including Rhys — for hearing loss. McIntyre says it is just the beginning of his efforts for the cause.

“It’s nice to be asked,’’ McIntyre, 38, said on the phone from Los Angeles. “I’m happy to be of service whatever way I can.’’

The invitation was extended by Wyc Grousbeck, the Celtics CEO who is chairman of the Mass. Eye and Ear board of directors. The father of a student at Perkins School for the Blind, Grousbeck has devoted years — and millions of dollars — to research related to blindness. He knows what McIntyre and his wife are grappling with, but he also knows there is reason for hope.

“My son is 17, plays in a rock band, studies physics, and has a girlfriend. He’s amazing,’’ said Grousbeck. “I’m sure Joey and I will be talking father to father.’’

Advocate is a new role for McIntyre but one he’s well suited to: He knows how to get people’s attention.

With eight older siblings, he was rarely without an audience as a child growing up in Jamaica Plain. Encouraged by his mother, Katherine, he made his musical theater debut at the age of 8, singing “Gary, Indiana’’ from “The Music Man’’ at the Footlight Club in JP.

“When Joseph finished his little song, the audience wouldn’t stop clapping,’’ said his sister Carol Gallagher, who has performed at the venerable Footlight for years.

Less than a decade later, McIntyre was in New Kids on the Block, the youngest of five pinups who performed to stadiums of screaming girls. Between 1988 and 1994, the teen sensations — forbearers of Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, and 98 Degrees — sold more than 35 million records and even more tchotchkes, from beach towels to marbles.

Life after NKOTB included stints on and off-Broadway, TV appearances on “Boston Public’’ and “Dancing with the Stars,’’ a couple of movies, six solo CDs, and, in 2003, a wedding. McIntyre met his wife — a Princeton graduate who moved to Los Angeles with a vague plan of becoming a producer — while she was working as a real estate agent.

“Joe was my first client. They told me he was in New Kids on the Block, so I thought he was going to be, like, ‘Yo, let’s find a crib,’ ’’ said Barrett, laughing. “He wasn’t. Joe is really smart and funny and sweet, but he wasn’t my type. I kept telling my mom he’s the nicest guy. I knew if I didn’t go for it, I’d regret it.’’

The couple’s first child, Griffin, was born healthy three years ago. Then came Rhys. The results of a hearing test done the day after he was born raised red flags, so more tests were ordered. Last December, two days before Christmas, the couple was summoned to UCLA Medical Center.

“It was awful. I’ll go right out and say it,’’ Barrett said. “I was caught up in ‘What happened?’ I’d made him. He was in my belly. I was looking for reasons.’’

The couple didn’t tell their families immediately, taking a few days to digest the news. They quickly discovered that Rhys’s condition isn’t that uncommon — about 1 in 1,000 babies are born with hearing loss — and advances in technology have made it possible for even severely impaired children to hear. Cochlear implants, for example, a surgically implanted electronic device, can help profoundly deaf people to perceive sound.

“I think Joseph and Barrett realized, in the scheme of things, it could be much worse,’’ said Gallagher, McIntyre’s sister. “We also joked that our family is so loud it might not be an issue at all.’’

Because his hearing loss was detected early, Rhys began working with an audio verbal therapist when he was 2 months old. Today he has hearing aids and is making progress. Cochlear implants are an option but may not be necessary.

“What I do is guide and teach parents so they’re doing what they need to do with their child 24/7,’’ said Rhys’s therapist, Sylvia Rotfleisch. “His parents are proactive and delightful. They’re down on the floor playing with their son and they adore him. He’s making lovely, age-appropriate progress, and that’s very exciting.’’

McIntyre said it’s not easy raising a child with hearing loss, but it isn’t a tragedy either. He and his wife have a dance party at home every night, and Rhys is right there, moving to the music with his older brother.

“He’s the cutest, chubbiest 9-month-old baby you’ll ever see, the greatest kid in the world,’’ McIntyre said. “It’s, like, the more you know, the easier this becomes.’’

That’s why he’s happy to be speaking and performing at Wednesday’s event for Mass. Eye and Ear, the 186-year-old hospital and world-renowned research center. The sold-out event at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel is a fund-raiser for Mass. Eye and Ear’s new Cures for Kids Fund.

“Frankly, we have our hands full at the moment,’’ McIntyre said. “But look at Wyc [Grousbeck]. When your children are born with this kind of challenge, everything else is out the window.’’

Thursday, September 30, 2010

New Kids at to play benefit on Oct 13 & more updates

Been busy lately, but here's some updates!

From Boston.com

New Kids at benefit Mark Shanahan & Meredith Goldstein, Globe Staff / Sep 29, 2010 When Wyc Grousbeck said he wanted to energize Mass. Eye and Ear, he wasn’t kidding. The Celtics owner has enlisted New Kids on the Block to perform at the hospital’s inaugural gala, which takes place Oct. 13 at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. Why? New Kid Joey McIntyre’s 9-month-old son, Rhys, was born with severe hearing loss, and the boy band star wants to support Mass. Eye and Ear’s new Cures for Kids Fund.

Here is a new interview Donnie on Kiss 108:


Video courtesy of couthie

Donnie was interviewed on Eric and Kathy's show on Mix 101.9 in Chicago


Video courtesy of couthie

Donnie on 104.5 Chum FM from 9/29:


Video courtesy of couthie

Donnie on WBLI - Update: Interview has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Donnie on Mix 104.1 - Update: Interview has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Blue Bloods starts tomorrow

Don't forget, Donnie's new show, Blue Bloods starts tomorrow night on CBS. Donnie will also be on the CBS morning show tomorrow as well!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

NKOTB 2011 Cruise Info

Here's the latest info on the 2011 cruise from nkotb.com:

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

NKOTB CRUISE 2011!We listened to your feedback. We’ve heard your calls! NKOTB cordially announce the NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK CRUISE 2011 aboard the CARNIVAL DESTINY - sailing from the Port of Miami, FL to Half Moon Cay and Nassau, May 12 – 16, 2011.

Next year’s cruise promises to be everything you loved about 2010…and more…

IMPROVED TICKETING! NEW EVENTS! MORE FACE TIME!

ALL CATEGORIES WILL GO ON SALE: FRIDAY AUGUST 13th @ 3PM EST
PRE SALE FOR PAST CRUISERS FRIDAY AUGUST 13th @ 10AM EST (info to follow)

DON’T. MISS. THE. BOAT!
CABINS STARTING AT $699!

ACT FAST AND BOOK EARLY!
CRUISERS THAT BOOK IN THE FIRST 24 HOURS WILL RECEIVE A MYSTERY ITEM!

***When making your reservation, please have all names, addresses, birth dates and credit card information for each passenger in your cabin. This way each passenger can be charged separately. If you put in just one (1) credit card, that card will be charged the deposit for everyone in the cabin. If multiple reservations are made for the same passengers, e.g. each person makes their own reservation, this will be considered double bookings and all reservations will be canceled.***


Thursday, July 22, 2010

Monday, July 19, 2010

Daily Fix in Barbados part 2

Here is a part of the "Daily Fix" that was not in the other set of videos posted a few days ago:

Youtube video courtesy of yikes77