Celebrity Close-Ups Magazine Interview with Howie

Source: Source: Celebrity Close-Ups Magazine Thanks to backstreet.net
Interview By Cindy Holthouser

What is new with the Foundation this year?
Howie:
Since last year, we have done so much. We went on the cruise again, a seven day cruise to Cozumel, Ocho Rio's, and the Grand Cayman Islands, which was very successful. Since then, I've done a couple other fund raisers here and there. There are a lot of fund raisers going on, that have been set up all around the United States. They raised a lot of money again this year, I don't have the number yet, we're still working on that, but we've done very well. I've partnered with CC& A again for this, Kraft-Nabisco has gotten involved this year, Nabisco has partnered up and sold to Kraft, so Kraft is the main sponsor which we are very excited about. Just putting together this show, very very pleased with the rock star talent we've got this year, it's a little bit different then last year, it's more of a rock thing then a pop thing. Why did you decide to go with older type artists then last year? Howie: You know, it just fit. Every year I think it's cool to get a different genre of music and different types. I always like to try to keep a little bit of variety just because I know that why the major age demographic of our audience is from teenagers to adults and I know REO Speedwagon and Survivor, growing up on the music their music as well. We've even opened up for REO Speedwagon back I'd say, six years ago. So, it's like I say, their great, it's cool to have. I'm very glad that they would come. The lead singer of REO Speedwagon has a family member, I think it's his stepson that has Lupus. So they are very outgoing, very encouraged. It's fun, each year it gets bigger and bigger.

Since last year, have they gotten closer to finding a cure?
Howie:
They've been working a lot! They'll be getting pretty close here pretty soon. we're talking to a lot of doctors. Last year we gave $125,000.00 to UCLA research center which they were very excited to use towards different ideas and perspectives on how to do it.

Since the 9-11 tragedy, has it been a struggle for Lupus research?
Howie:
I don't know if it has been a struggle. There has been a lot of attention put on to 9-11, which our foundation definitely supports all the victims. We've even got a lot of charity work going on, I'm actually getting ready to go to New York here in a couple days to sing on a song called "United We Sing", which is going to be a fundraiser type song, a collaboration of a bunch of different artists. All the proceeds go to the victims of 9-11. There has been a lot of light shed upon the victims and to get relief and help for them, so our foundation is very supporting and in a heartbeat, take a backstep to that, because that is a big thing as well and is something that needs immediate attention. The foundation is for Lupus, but we are getting a bunch of attention and it's not something that is going to happen overnight.

You are obviously using your celebrity to promote awareness, does it sometime sadden you that this is the only way to bring overdue attention to the disease?
Howie:
It's sad to think that Lupus hasn't really been brought out up until now. I'm happy to be able to bring a lot of attention to it, but it does sadden me that it had to be personal with artists credibility to bring it. A disease affects everybody, I realize that if I can make a difference, and I can use my celebrity power to do it, I'm going to do it. If it helps me to get out there and to bring more awareness by getting on to talking to different people, by doing interviews, by being on TV and stuff like that, it's all for a good cause. I accept that and it gives me more of a self worth going on by doing this every day.

Will there be another cruise?
Howie:
That's going to be the next focus I think after this. A lot of attention has been put on to putting this fund raiser together because it's a big event and it takes a lot of time, so probably after this the next focus will start going on doing a cruise at Christmas time again.

Will there be a website to get information?
Howie:
Yes, The Dorough Lupus Foundation.org is the website, www.doroughlupusfoundation.org, and on that it talks about everything, the different upcoming events, facts about lupus. It talks about how people can send donations and even in regards to donations, how they can receive a merchandise piece that we're selling. We have jackets out, we have the bears, we have "Pollyanna's Theme", which is the theme song for the foundation. There are different ways that people can send in a donation and at the same time get something back for a good cause.

Do you think that Lupus is under-addressed internationally and what more can be done to spread awareness throughout the U.S. and other countries?
Howie:
I think Lupus definitely is not, awareness is not promoted enough all around the world and that's why my goal is to get it around the world. That's why me and my sister went down to South America the year and a half ago and did a fund raiser down there, Argentina as well as Puerto Rico just recently. We did a benefit concert there as well, which we got $25,000.00 donated to the Foundation. So, definitely, we are trying to get out there as much as possible, not only in the States, but around the world. I think through our website and having a lot of Backstreet fans, we are starting to notice that it is getting more awareness. We have a lot of fans coming from Japan that sent us donations as well as coming to the event today. Up in Canada as well. One of our things that we really pride ourselves is when a certain country asks us for help in their country with the disease, we definitely put the money that is raised in that country, back in the country. Like, Canada, they gave us a proposal about trying to do a paleoclinic in Chatham, a small town in Ontario. We gave them 24 or 25 thousand Canadian. The reason why we did that is to show it's not all about the money coming into America, we keep it all here. I know Lupus is all around the world, it is not only here, so we are trying to let people know that they are helping their own countries as well.

This question comes from Madas who has suffered with Lupus for many years now. Her question was, "I have Lupus, and it has begun to affect my daily life and movement. It is not contagious and I have nothing to be ashamed of yet it is treated as an unmentionable disease in so many quarters. Even here in the UK, my children don't like to tell people what's wrong with Mommy. Why do you think that happens, and did your family ever experience that, too?"
Howie:
I find that on a daily occurrence people come up to me and say, "You know what? Lupus is such a hush-hush disease, nobody knows what it is about." A lot of times people feel like they'll be alienated if they talk about it because people might think they have Aids or something. Just because the knowledge is not out there amongst people about the disease. But luckily, on the same hand, people have come to me and said, "Since you've gone out there and been speaking clearly about the disease and encouraged people to get checked out by the doctors", now people I think don't feel as bad because they're like, it's something that people are starting to get to know. They may not know what Lupus is but at least they are starting to hear the word "Lupus". That to me is the biggest thing to me, just to have people say, "I didn't know what Lupus was, but I went to see my doctor and I'm all good." A lot of times I see kids that come up to me and say, "I have Lupus," or "My mom has Lupus" but "I feel so uncomfortable talking about it, but now that you brought it out to people, I don�EUR^(TM)t feel as uncomfortable." It's really good.

Can you give us an update about what is going on with Backstreet?
Howie:
Well, we're actually right now in the studio, recording for the next album. Each of us are just doing a lot of our own charity work right now for their different foundations. The guys are very supportive of them down here and very excited for me. That's about it, like I said we're just in the studio writing and recording for a new album.

We had some fans write in asking, "Are you single, or did you find that special someone in your life?"
Howie:
I am dating someone, yeah. I'm very happy about it, I always very happy that the fans are very supportive of all of us and our different life endeavors, whether it's charity work, whether it's family, whether it's getting married, whether it's eventually having kids for all of us. I'm very happy that the fans are very supporting and understanding and realizing that we do have normal lives.

The album you are recording right now, did you write any special songs that might possibly make it on the album?
Howie:
I actually was in L.A. in February for the whole month and I wrote about 20 different songs, and I think out of that I might hopefully be pretty lucky and get a couple that might go for the next album that I'm very excited about. I don't want to say which songs it is in case it doesn't get that one, I feel like a dork later on. It looks like the group has been writing a lot. We've written about ten songs already and out of that we are hoping to have at least four or five that will be the creditability. We're just experimenting right now, writing with a bunch of different writers, just working on it.

We hear the acting bug has hit you. Would you like to pursue an acting career more while Backstreet is on hiatus?
Howie:
Uh-huh, sure. Probably, we've all talked about, each of us have said we want to give each other the space to do individual stuff, especially during the down time of the group. I mean the group has to come first, before everything, before our own individual stuff foundation-wise, everything. But, during the down time, we do give each other the space to do individual endeavors, whether it's acting, singing, dancing, producing, whatever it is, or even just having normal lives, we give each other the space. So, actually, I think during my down time here, probably after the next album, if we do take a break, I'll probably definitely start getting into doing some acting.

Have you ever gone skinny dipping and have you been caught?
Howie:
[LAUGHS] Nope, I have never gone skinny dipping so since then I can't say I've ever gotten caught.

Are you going to be doing any private shows with Backstreet to do with the Lupus Foundation or anything else?
Howie:
What we've been talking about, trying to put some stuff together, whether it's a golf tournament, or possibly next tour doing a couple of charity shows where the money goes to our foundations. Last year, each ticket that was sold, 25 cents went to our foundations, as well as we had different things we sold out there for merchandise. I did a bear, Brian had healthy heart T-shirts and stuff like that. We know that the fans are very supportive of our foundations, so we like to do credible stuff that makes them feel like they can hang out with us, at the same time give to a good cause.

Have you thought about changing the event to a different state?
Howie:
Not so much about changing to another state, but we're talking about possibly adding it to some other states. That's all up in the works. To put together something like this is a lot of work, it takes a lot of time and it takes a lot of effort to try to get artists to give up their time, to fly into another town, give up their days off. But we are definitely talking about the idea of possibly taking it to another state as well.

Is there one thing that you have not done in your lifetime that you still want to do?
Howie:
Hmmm...

Get married?
Howie:
Eventually get married, eventually, not anytime soon. I'm, uh, actually, I'm enjoying life the way it is right now, with me and the group and I just feel like marriage is a matter of timing. I think marriage and having a family, starting a family, is definitely something that to me I believe is you definitely have to make sure it's the right timing for you. I think right now with the busy schedule for the group and everything, it's just not the right time. It wouldn't be fair to my loved one or to if I had kids, it wouldn't be fair to put them through all this craziness.

Finish the sentence: I get scared when I...?
Howie:
I get scared when I have to take shots.

If I can't sleep I...?
Howie:
If I can't sleep I make myself sleep because I don't have a problem, knock on wood.

The most funniest thing I've ever done was...?
Howie:
The most funniest thing that I've ever done was, good lordy, a lot of things I don't think are funny, a lot of other people think are funny, on a daily occurrence. But, I think it was maybe when I was younger with my sister Angie, we were over my neighbors in Indiana. A friend of ours told us that the traditions is to run out in your long johns in the hallway. For what reason I don't know why and I don't know why I was stupid enough to believe him, but I did it. And I ran from one room into the next room. I thought it was pretty funny, I didn't think it was that funny actually, but when I thought about it. Now that I look at it, I definitely don't think it was that funny.

I want everyone to know about...?
Howie:
My Dorough Lupus Foundation.

And when I look into the sky, I think of...?
Howie:
Peace, God, and my sister Caroline.

Do you think that DLF has a hard enough profile that if you suddenly or unexpectedly leave the foundation, that it could continue to be successful without you?
Howie:
I hope so. I hope the Foundation carries on a life of it's own. I at least try to dedicate as much time as I can to it, but unfortunately, I'm only one person and that's why I thank God it's a family foundation, it's not the "Howie" foundation, that's why I have my sister, all my family works for the foundation. That's why I'm very thankful that we have a lot of fans our there that create a lot of events to bring awareness to the foundation on it's own.

I, myself, have a sister with Lupus in the family. My older sister suffers from Lupus and I had an uncle that died suddenly without any warning that he had Lupus. Do you have any advice for friends and family who are learning to understand the disease?
Howie:
I would just tell them to try to educate themselves as much as possible about it. Talk to your doctor. There is definitely several doctors that specialize in Lupus. There are a lot of great doctors that we work out in the West Coast. There is actually books out there on Lupus. Try to take care of yourself. If you do have Lupus, definitely take your medications. Make sure you protect yourself when going out in the sun. Do what you can.

Have you changed in any way due to the 9-11 attacks, and what has changed about you?
Howie:
I definitely have changed by now having to go to the airport definitely early. Being on time, that's for sure, I can't no longer just go the airport. In the past I'd be there fifteen minutes before the plane takes off and hurry up and get on it. I think I've learned as well, I've changed...I don't know. You know, we lost a member of our crew that was on the plane.

It makes you more nervous to get on the plane?
Howie:
It definitely makes me more nervous now, but I think now our airports are the safest they've ever been, because there is heightened security. I can't even go with fingernail clippers in my bags anymore. So, I think, I'm not as scared, but you never know.

Do you have a message for the fans?
Howie:
Just once again, thank you for all the support, especially with my foundation. It's definitely been brought all around the world, making them aware, as well as they have been making other people aware of the disease. Once again, thanks for all the support with the Backstreet Boys as well. I'm definitely looking forward to them hearing our new album, which will be out hopefully sometime before the end of this year. And just KEEP THE BACKSTREET PRIDE ALIVE!

Brian's Articles | Boys Articles
main page

Brian Thomas Littrell ~ The Golden Voiced Backstreet Boy
- Established Jan 1999 -