New Kids Exclusive - Jordan Knight
1991
In the final part of our exclusive interview series with the New Kids, Steve Korte collars
Jordan and asks him about ladies, drugs and stumpy fingers...
SK: ARE YOU TIRED OF YOUR YOUNGER FANS?
JK: Well, I said in People Magazine once that I wish older
fans would come to the shows. That's all that it means. I wish older fans would come also.
That doesn't mean that I don't want the younger fans to come. I mean, our younger fans
made us, really. I don't want to push them aside for anything. I love our younger fans. I
think it's incredible that people our age are drawing such young kids. I love kids, man. I
would never want to see our younger fans leave.
SK: WHAT IF YOU COULD WRITE A RULES BOOK FOR YOUR FANS WITH THE RIGHTS AND WRONGS. WHAT
WOULD YOU WRITE?
JK: If you're in the audience, you're not gonna get our
attention by bouncing your lipstick off my head or throwing a quarter at me. They throw
everything at us. Maybe they just want to hit us with something to get a reaction. I don't
know what it is. But don't throw heavy things!
SK: EXCEPT PAPER MONEY, PERHAPS?
JK: Oh yeah (laughs). Throw bills!
SK: WHAT'S THE CRAZIEST THING ANYONE EVER DID TO GET TO MEET YOU?
JK: Some girls have tried to hide in our dressing room. We'd
go in and they'd be in the corner, like under a plant or something. Another time, these
other girls called our hotel and rearranged our floors and our rooms. They changed them to
their own floor. And it worked!
SK: WHAT'S THE STRANGEST GIFT YOU'VE RECEIVED FROM A FAN?
JK: The fans are crazy man. This one threw some underwear on
stage at me, but there was a lead attached to it so she could throw it! That's probably
the strangest thing.
SK: DO YOU KEEP A DIARY OR PERSONAL JOURNAL?
JK: No. But I think I should.
SK: WHAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST DAYS OF YOUR LIFE IN THE PAST YEAR?
JK: Oh man. I think one of the best was when we performed in
Chile before 80,000 people. It was incredible, man. It felt so good. All these people
didn't know how to speak English, and yet they were all singing the words to our songs. It
was like we were worlds apart but we joined through music. Everyone was so happy. I wish
the whole world could feel that.
SK: WHAT'S THE FEELING LIKE WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING A CONCERT IN FRONT OF 80,000 PEOPLE? CAN
YOU COMPARE IT TO ANYTHING?
JK: Yeah, but I don't think you'd be allowed to print it.
(Oo-er! - Ed)
SK: WHAT IS THE PRICE OF FAME?
JK: Almost your whole self. You're just total public
property. You lose almost every private aspect of your life. Not every private aspect, but
nearly. That's the price.
SK: WHO'S THE PERFECT WOMAN FOR YOU?
JK: A perfect girl for me is someone who can inspire me. She
doesn't need to be the greatest looking girl in the world. Just a girl who will inspire me
and make me strive for the best. Who'll have my best interests in mind and not just hers.
And vice versa, of course.
SK: ARE YOU SEEING ANYONE NOW?
JK: No, I haven't found the time. I don’t know if it's
possible to find the time. I guess I’ll find out if I find the girl.
SK: SAY YOU'VE GOT A NIGHT OFF, YOU GO OUT AND SEE SOMEONE YOU WANT TO MEET. HOW DO YOU
BREAK THE ICE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE?
JK: That's hard. Especially if it's in a bar or dance club
'cause everyone's whispering "That's him, that's him!" So a lot of the times I'm
not even gonna try.
SK: WHAT'S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU EVER DID TO GET A GIRL'S ATTENTION?
JK: Probably just showing off. Dancing or something. You know
what I mean?
SK: WHAT DID YOU DO ON YOUR PROM NIGHT?
JK: I went along with my old girlfriend. I still call her up
sometimes. I ain't gonna say her name 'cause I don't want her to get bothered by fans.
SK: WHAT'S THE MOST TROUBLE YOU GOT INTO IN YOUR SENIOR YEAR?
JK: In school, like? I didn't get in any real, real trouble.
I always clowned around. The clown gang. The gang that wasn't bad but wasn't good. We
liked to mess with the teacher, goof around and talk while she was trying to teach class.
SK: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO ONE YOUR FANS WHO'S BEEN OFFERED DRUGS FOR THE FIRST TIME?
JK: It's true it might not hurt the first time. But drugs
don't work like that. Drugs ain't around to mess with people just one time. Drugs are out
to kill. They're addictive. It's so easy to fall into the abyss of drugs. You gotta stay
away from them. I mean, one time's not gonna kill you, but that once could cost you your
life. You're gonna say. "Man that was great. That made me feel good. Let me do it
again. And again. And again. And again." Pretty soon you're gonna start slacking off
and you start doin' nothing. Then your health gets bad. And so many problems stem from
drugs. Crime. AIDS. Homelessness. Murder. So much bad stuff stems from drug-use. Wars come
from drug-use.
SK: IF YOU COULD ASK YOUR FAVOURITE CELEBRITY ONE QUESTION, WHO WOULD YOU ASK? WHAT WOULD
YOU ASK THEM?
JK: I'd ask Michael Jackson "How did you do it?"
Not how did you do it as in being a star, but how he got through all the bad press and the
lack of privacy and all that stuff.
SK: WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SING WITH?
JK: Luther Vandross
SK: DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTE YOU'D CHANGE?
JK: Yeah, my feet. My hands too. My fingers are funny looking
- they're stumpy. There's a lot of stuff I'd change!
