6/1/16: I Met The New Kids On the Block Rock This Boat Premieres

There are times in life when you get to do things that even you don't believe you are doing.  Recently I had that experience when I got to interview the New Kids on the Block Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, and Danny Wood then go on a Boston Cruise with them!!!  Yes you read that right!  My 14 year old self was screaming inside.  Did you know they have Season 2 of "Rock This Boat" is premiering on June 1st at 8:30 pm EST/7:30 CT on Pop TV?  The show goes on an extremely popular NKOTB fan cruise.

I got to sit down with them and interview them with only a couple other Boston Bloggers.   The guys were really down to earth and I was impressed that Jordan even asked me by blog name when we sat down to talk.  They explained to us that this season will allow viewers to see their point of view during as they prepare for the cruise with their fans and then on the cruise.  You get to see a "day in the life" of a New Kid on the Block preparing for the cruise and on the cruise.  The show gives you the perspective from each of the band members including going through an airport taking selfies with fans and then their experience throughout the cruise.  Joey explained his experience with one fan who had guilt for leaving her kids to go on the cruise and how he could identify with that having his own family now.  I love that this a band that I totally grew up with.  They are the same age as me now and have families but still get to reunite and have a lot of fun on this yearly cruise with their fans.

We talked about what they would do if they were not in the band, Joey explained he would have stayed in theater.  Danny explained that he had a four year scholarship to Boston University but also said he didn't feel like he missed out by joining the band.  It was really amusing hearing them talk about Jonathan Knight and how he is a farmer complete with his own bees.

To further immerse viewers in the NKOTB experience, Pop has teamed up with Littlstar, a premier global network dedicated to virtual reality (VR) and 360 degree video, to launch immersive content on web, mobile, headset and Apple TV platforms.  The dedicated VR and 360 degree experiences will include live performances with the band, selfies with Donnie, surf lessons with Joey and Jonathan, and more.  They explained to us that everyone wants a selfie with them and they are happy to accommodate.  I must say Danny is a pro with selfies, he grabbed my phone right away to take this photo.

Of course who wouldn't want a selfie with these handsome guys?

They really do focus on the fans and they talked about the theme nights they have on the cruise and how creative fans can be.  One specific theme they talked about was a Cowboy night and they laughed at how they were split at first if they wanted to do it but then they agreed and it turned out awesome.  

They also talked about the impact they had on the music industry and Joey joked that they had the most sung O's on an album - Hangin' Tough.  They are excited that they were a part of pop history.  They were influenced by New Edition and Jackson Five.  Joey explained how he felt Jordan's voice influenced N' Sync and Justin Timberlake.

They had a very comical commentary about Justin Bieber and how he is a star and how much pressure he is under.  Joey explained how he went through the pressure himself but had four other guys to lean on.  Danny spoke of how his mother would not have tolerated some of the things that Justin B. does.  Joey even stated that he is a talented kid and that you don't have the most talented writers and producers working with you unless you are really talented.  In addition to the social media coverage that stars get these days.  They do enjoy social media themselves and use it to share their experiences with their fans.

  The NKOTB have sold more than 80 million albums worldwide!  The band's annual party cruise has sold out eight years in a row which is a true tribute to the band and how beloved they are.  While on the boat the band members were enjoying the entertainment by the "Sing It On" members and meeting media.

After we completed the interview we headed over to the Boston Harbor for a Cruise with the band.

This was the lovely boat we got to go on.

Here is Sing It On performing on the boat.

Here they are with "The Right Stuff".  They were very relieved when the band members clapped and liked their rendition of the song.

We had lovely views of Boston on the boat.

The guys had a blast on the cruise and so did we!  I couldn't believe how close I was to them the whole night!

Here I am with my Boston Blogger friends on the boat.

Get ready to get up close and personal with these guys!

Here is a little preview!  Get ready to "Rock This Boat"!

Tune in weekly and watch "Rock This Boat" on Wednesdays at 8 pm ET/7 pm CT on PopTV!

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Disclosure:  I was invited to interview the New Kids on the Block members and take a private cruise with them for promotional purposes.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.