Tonight on “Where are they Now?”

Oprah Winfrey smiles at the camera, the many different video monitors behind her flashing with images of different guests and different shows as she speaks.

“So you remember the massive boy band era when everywhere you looked there was a crew of boys dancing and singing for crowds of screaming and crying girls? Well it was 2004 when one of, if not the, biggest of those bands, *NSYNC, went on a hiatus that still continues to this day. Of course we all know what Justin Timberlake has been up to, but all of the other guys went on to do different things as well, such as a solo album, movies, Broadway and of course who can forget Lance and Joey on Dancing with the Stars? Anyway, until recently band member JC Chasez had seemed to be content working behind the scenes until a now very well known song ended up on Youtube and as they say, the rest is history. We caught up with JC at his home in Florida where he told us about the famous song and his new family. Check it out.”

The camera pans to JC sitting in front of a keyboard in a studio. He smiles a toothy grin at the camera and opens his arms to indicate the large room. “Hey! Welcome to my man cave.”

The camera scans the room showing off the high tech equipment, a very large soundboard and different instruments scattered about. It pans the walls where platinum records and awards are proudly displayed, as well as the glassed in sound booth and the sitting area complete with black leather couches and glass coffee tables.

“I love this place; it’s where I do most of my work. When I sold my house in LA and moved here to Florida, I was able to really make it my own and turn it into exactly what I wanted. It’s great for when I’m working with other artists or when I’m working on my own.”

Pictures of JC and different artists flash across the screen, showing them on red carpets and in different areas of the studio together.

“It’s been a pretty…hectic last few years to say the least. I had gotten used to my life being a little quieter and no so much in the public eye…but I guess that changes when you have a number one song for nine weeks on the charts!” He laughs self-consciously and scratches the back of his neck. “It had been a hot minute since one of my songs had been on the radio, so I wasn’t-“

He gets cut off by a noise and his eyes shift from the camera to something out of frame. He smiles widely and the camera pans to a small girl walking up to JC holding out a pair of bright pink headphones. She expertly climbs up his leg and settles into his lap without glancing at the camera. He chuckles softly and smiles again as he turns back to the audience. “This little one here is Melodie. She is…” He looks down at her and she grins up at him. “Tell them how old you are darlin’.” He points toward the audience and the little girl looks up, her bright blue eyes taking in the camera and apparently the camera man behind it. She smiles widely and proudly holds up two stubby fingers. “I three!”

He laughs and reaches down to curl up an extra finger. “We’re still working on that one. Meli just turned three last week.” He kisses the top of her blonde head and grabs the pink headphones, places them on her head and continues to talk as he plugs it into the keyboard and presses a few buttons, apparently having done this many, many times. “So yeah, I never expected the song to blow up that big. It was just supposed to be a nice song to sing for my wife at our wedding, but everyone just loved it. When someone’s shaky video of it made it to Youtube, I started getting calls about it.”

A few pictures of JC and Ari’s wedding flash across the screen; the happy couple dancing at their reception and exchanging their vows on the beach.

When they return to JC, the little girl is happily pressing the piano keys and grinning at the sounds only she can hear in the headphones. He shifts her on his lap. “So in the end, I figured if it was going to be out there, there better be a good version of it you know? So I went into the studio and recorded it-”

A loud giggle cuts him off and he looks down at Meli who has gotten a little excited and is banging on the keys with her little hands. He smiles again and places a large hand over her little excited ones in a calming manner. “Gently,” he tells her quietly before he then uses that hand to play out a quick little melody for her ears only. She giggles again and he kisses her cheek.

“Being in the studio behind the mic again felt good. Really good. So…one song turned into another and then another and well…the album was born.”

A few publicity pictures of him flash across the screen then a short video of him performing. As a picture of him proudly holding two Grammys comes on the screen he explains, “I couldn’t believe it when the Grammy nominations were announced and I’d been nominated three times.  Believed it even less when I got to go home with two. ”

When the pictures fade JC is standing in front of a glass cabinet and he points at the two golden gramophones. “Song of the Year and Record of the Year. I still can’t believe it.”

As the scene shifts to JC walking down a hallway holding his daughter and into a kitchen, Ari can be seen at the large kitchen island cutting up some strawberries on a wooden cutting board. Her blonde hair is long and loose and she smiles widely at the pair as they join her.

“And here is the reason for those two awards, my beautiful wife Arianna who inspired the song that started this whole craziness over.”

He sits the little girl t on the edge of the granite countertop and leans sideways to kiss Ari’s cheek.  “She’s an amazing wife and mom, and I couldn’t do all this without her support. My family has been great too; it’s so awesome to be back close to them. It’s nice for Meli to get to grow up with her cousins and especially since we have-” He stops and tugs Ari back gently so she is pulled away from the island to reveal her large rounded belly underneath her colorful maxi dress. “These little ones on the way relatively soon…we’re gonna need all the help we can get!” They both laugh and he gently runs his hand over her distended stomach.

“So now that I’m done with the tour for the album I’m just going to chill for a little while, you know write some songs…change a bunch of diapers and then we’ll see where we go from there. I look forward to what the future has in store for me, and for us.”

He pulls Ari close and hugs her to his side as he looks back at the camera. “Anyway, thanks for checking in on me and I’ll see you soon!” He grins down at his daughter still sitting on the kitchen island. “Say bye, Meli?”

With a large strawberry stained smile and crimson fingers the little girl waves at the camera. “Bye, Meli!”

Both JC and Ari laugh as the scene fades to black.

*