God could have spent a little more time on NSYNC‘s performance at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, evidently.
Joey Fatone, a core member of the iconic boy band, recently looked back on their part in the history-making awards show, which also featured Britney Spears’ legendary “I’m a Slave 4 U” performance with a Burmese python, and took place five days before the September 11 attacks.
Toward the end of performing their latest single, “Pop,” NSYNC memorably, and fittingly, brought out Michael Jackson for a dance break. But behind the scenes, the King of Pop did not go easily, leading to a “freak-out” that nearly compromised the whole affair.
Fatone explained that Jackson was actually supposed to sing a verse on “Pop” during an April 10 interview with Access Hollywood. But when “his people [called] back and said, ‘Michael’s not doing anything,'” NSYNC responded in kind.
The band was supposed to participate in the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration filmed concert at Madison Square Garden the day after the VMAs, but they figured (per Fatone), “If you’re going to say no, we’re going to say no.”
Eventually, both parties reached an agreement: NSYNC will sing with the Jackson 5 during the 30th Anniversary Celebration if Jackson joins them onstage at the VMAs — but he only agreed to dance. According to music manager Joe Mulvihill, who executive produced the new docuseries Boy Band Confidential alongside Fatone, the real chaos kicked off seconds before Jackson’s planned grand entrance to the VMAs stage.
“He’s not even there,” Mulvihill recalled. “The commercial comes, the break comes, the door opens up — he walks in. He walks in next to Joey, they hand him a microphone, and he freaks out.”
Fatone remembered that Jackson panicked, pointed to the microphone, and said, “‘Why do I have a microphone? I’m not supposed to be singing!’ I’m like, ‘Okay, somebody get the mic out of Mike’s hand! He’s not supposed to be singing!'”
In Fatone’s memory, the problem arose as quickly as it was resolved. “They go and they grab the mic. ‘Is that all right?’ And then literally, not even two seconds later, the thing opens up, he does his dance, and that was it.”
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Michael Jackson performs in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 21, 2001
Credit: Frank Micelotta/Gett
Jackson’s high energy cameo made for one of the most memorable moments of a night that still hasn’t been forgotten 20+ years later. After coming out from behind a giant Etch-A-Sketch, Jackson dips, spins, and does his famous moonwalk while the NSYNCers hype him up and beatbox behind him in a half-circle. They all share heartfelt half-hugs once Jackson busts his final move.
Elsewhere in Boy Band Confidential, Fatone reflects on his high school friend Jason Galasso briefly becoming the original fifth member of NSYNC before dropping out. After reuniting with Galasso, Fatone told Entertainment Weekly, “It was one of those things where you could genuinely see he was like, ‘Damn, I wish I would have done it, but I’m kind of happy I didn’t so I didn’t have to go through what you’re going through.'”
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