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Lance Bass Says a ‘Pedophile’ Touched Him While He Was in ’N Sync

Metropolitan Opera 2015-2016 Season Opening Night -
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While discussing Ashley Judd’s confession of the sexual harassment she’s endured in Hollywood, Lance Bass shared his own experiences on The Meredith Vieira Show. Bass shared a series of incidents that occurred while he was in ‘N Sync, saying, “When I was 16, 17 years old, and you know when we started, there was someone that we worked with that was inappropriately touching us.” Bass referred to the man as a “pedophile,” but also said he “never felt victimized” and said he was able to joke about it with the other members of ‘N Sync. Bass concluded that sexual harassment isn’t a “joking thing,” but he’s glad that he and the other band members were aware and didn’t feel victimized.

Bass did not name the man; however, in earlier interviews, he has gone on record about alleged sexual harassment from then-manager Lou Pearlman during his ’N Sync days. He also told The Hollywood Reporter last year, “I’d hear rumors that [Pearlman] would molest the boys before they would even get into the groups. I don’t know how much of that is true, but to me, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Bass also said, “He’d always grab our arms and feel our muscles and go: ‘Hey boys, you workin’ out? Yeahhhh!’” He told THR, ”It didn’t really bother me,” as he was sympathetic to a person he assumed was also closeted. “I knew then that I was gay, so I kind of related to him in a way.”

Lance Bass Says a ‘Pedophile’ Touched Him