How Joey Fatone became first member of *NSYNC to learn Lance Bass is gay

Lance Bass is recalling the relief he felt when his *NSYNC bandmate Joey Fatone accidentally learned that he was gay — after discovering Bass and his boyfriend in a private moment.

Bass, now 46, is one of several stars who sat for Fatone’s ID’s docuseries, “Boy Band Confidential,” which explores the challenges faced by such boy band alumni as Boyz II Men's Wanyá Morris and Shawn Stockman, Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean, 98 Degrees' Nick Lachey and Jeff Timmons and O-Town's Ashley Parker Angel and Erik-Michael Estrada. The docuseries premieres Monday, April 13 and concludes April 14 (9 ET/PT).

In a clip from the premiere, exclusive to USA TODAY, Fatone, 49, says he was the first to learn Bass’ secret, before bandmates Chris Kirkpatrick, Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez.

“We go out one night,” Fatone says. “We all go back to Lance’s house. I pass out in one of his guest bedrooms. I wake up at, like, 3:00 in the morning. I’m like, ‘Ah, I got to leave.’ I go to his bedroom, open up the door. There’s nobody in there.”

Fatone then went to check Bass’ office. “And I open the door,” Fatone says, “and he’s sitting there, and there’s a guy straddling (him) on top of him.”

“I was at my computer,” Bass elaborates, “and my boyfriend at the time − my very, very first boyfriend − was sitting on my lap.”

Fatone “got quiet,” he says. And apologized for walking in, Bass remembers. But Bass encouraged Fatone to come in.

“I was like, ‘Surprise,’” Bass says. “He’s like, ‘Oh, please. I don’t care.’”

“I knew he wouldn’t care,” Bass adds, “but it was just so nice to hear those words, and finally (have) one of the members of your group know and be like, ‘I don’t care.’”

Bass requested Fatone keep this newly acquired information to himself for the time being, Fatone says.

“I go, ‘Lance, I love you.’ I said, ‘You’re my brother. You let me know when it’s right for you to tell. I’m not saying nothing to the guys.’”

Bass came out in a 2006 cover story for People magazine.

“I knew that I was in this popular band and I had four other guys’ careers in my hand, and I knew that if I ever acted on it or even (revealed it), it would overpower everything,” Bass told the outlet. “I didn’t know: Could that be the end of *NSYNC? So I had that weight on me of like, ‘Wow, if I ever let anyone know, it’s bad.’ So I just never did.”

Bass and actor Michael Turchin wed in 2014 at Los Angeles’ historic Park Plaza Hotel. They welcomed twins Alexander James and Violet Betty in 2021.