Netflix’s Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam is a shocking limited series that examines Lou Pearlman’s crimes as manager of NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. ’90s kids were blissfully unaware of the truth behind all those perfectly choreographed dance moves, baggy outfits, and, um, memorable hairstyles. The show has reminded us of our BSB fandom from the ’90s and 2000s but has also forced us to confront some serious topics.
Dirty Pop served as a reminder that two Backstreet Boys members are actually related to each other. Even more wild and disturbing: one of them is a huge fan of Donald Trump and may even be part of a wild conspiracy theory. Needless to say, we’re shaking our heads and wondering what’s going on, so let’s talk about it.
Which Backstreet Boys are cousins and which one supports Trump and, possibly, a conspiracy theory?
Netflix’s Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam provided us with three reminders above all else: Every Backstreet Boys and NSYNC song is catchy, Lou Pearlman was responsible for not only the careers of the aforementioned boy bands but also O-Town, and Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson are cousins. Maybe we knew this last part and forgot it, or maybe we had no idea since we were kids when we first listened to hits like “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” and “I Want It That Way.” (Those songs will probably get stuck in your head now, sorry not sorry).
As it turns out, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson were the subject of a political controversy a few years ago. In 2021, Buzzfeed reported that Littrell tweeted about his Parler account 48 hours following the January 6 Capitol Riots. Since people knew that many Parler users were QAnon supporters, they began putting the puzzle pieces of what could be a horrifying story together.
Here’s the kicker: Richardson tweeted a Cosmopolitan story called “I Lost My Best Friend to QAnon” and wrote, “Interesting read,” possibly in reference to his cousin, Littrell. Littrell, we know, was a big Trump supporter, based on some comments he made to a TMZ cameraman in 2017. According to The Huffington Post, Littrell said he hoped the Backstreet Boys could have sung at Trump’s 2016 inauguration, but due to a Vegas residency, he was forced to miss it. “I would’ve been there if I could’ve, ” he said.
Littrell talked about how he thought Trump was going to “do so many great things for this nation, and even for the people who disapprove of him.” He also added that, “Hollywood needs to chill out, all right?” and that people should “respect” Trump as “the commander-in-chief…”
Littrell hasn’t admitted to this, and Richardson hasn’t addressed it, either. While fans think there are enough clues here, it’s just speculation. Then again, it seems unlikely that a boy band member — or any celebrity, really — would be willing to oust themselves as a member of a conspiracy theory as controversial as QAnon. If that were the case, it would be harrowing.
According to iHeartRadio.com, fans wondered if Richardson and Littrell were fighting and if Littrell’s political views had changed their relationship. As many people know too well, it can be hard to stay friends with someone when you hold completely opposite beliefs. Once you find out who a relative votes for — or which social media posts they like — it’s hard not to feel differently about them.
As far as we know, though, Richardson and Littrell seem okay now, and they’ve never said that their relationship has been ruined.
BSB is pretty famous for sharing how much they care about each other while also being honest about the low moments. We wouldn’t expect anything less from the guys who sing such sweet, corny, and romantic lyrics (remember “Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely”?). In a 2019 interview with CBS News, they admitted to having tension within the band, with Richardson explaining, “We love hard, but we also fight hard. I mean, there’s been fistfights in this group.”
It would have been interesting if Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam addressed Littrell’s political beliefs along with the tension the band has experienced over the years, but the limited series was more about Pearlman’s influence in the pop music industry and how he convinced people to invest money in his company (and took it all for himself). Thankfully, more of BSB’s dynamics are explained in the great 2015 documentary Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of, although the band’s political views aren’t the focal point. We may never hear the Backstreet Boys talk about Littrell and Richardson’s tweets, so for now, this remains a strange part of their history.
Published: Jul 26, 2024 01:31 pm