Most tour stops consist of little more than driving up, looking, and taking off. But during one of Nicki's tours, Joey McIntyre's father spotted the gang hovering outside -- and, instead of calling the police, he invited them inside. They shot the breeze about the weather and MTV. He showed them videotapes of Joey and his family performing at the Footlight Club, in Jamaica Plain. To prove it, Nicki produces a photograph of the elder McIntyre squished between beaming twentysomethings. "He's awesome," says Nicki, who in one of the pictures sports a broken ankle encased in a blue cast. "He signed my cast."
Nicki and Julianna say they are careful not to cross the line. After all, youthful obsession is one thing; stalking is another. "There's a group of girls who have coined the term 'lawn dogs,' " Nicki says. "These are girls who go to the [New Kids'] houses and just sit on their lawns and wait for the guys to come out. But I'd never do that. We know Joe's schedule, we know when he's home. Once I knew he was sick, and I was like, 'I could go and bring him some chicken noodle soup.' But I'm not going to go sit on his lawn." (For the purposes of a Phoenix photo shoot, however, Nicki and Julianna are more than happy to pretend they're lawn dogs outside Chez McIntyre in Brookline.)
A healthier outlet for fanatics may be the NKOTB 2000 convention. Set for June 23 through 25 at the Framingham Sheraton Tara, the convention will feature a DJ dance, video clips, memorabilia, a New Kids version of Jeopardy!, an awards ceremony, and a Saturday-night surprise that Nicki will describe only as "big." There is already a convention committee of 60 people, a NKOTB 2000 Convention Web site, and convention business cards and fliers, the latter of which have been distributed outside Joey and Jordan's shows. "We're expecting anywhere between 100 and 400 people," Nicki says.
But right now, the focus is Joey, who's coming back to town. When September 5 rolls around, the hairspray will be broken out. The tunes will be cranked. And since everyone's 21, the pre-show libations may be a little more potent than Dr Pepper.
"We got a hotel on the Cape, in Hyannis," says Nicki. "We were going to get a limo, but it didn't work out. We're all staying together -- [our friend] Debbie and Jules and I and Debbie's two cousins, or cousin, whatever. When we get ready, we'll be sitting there primping like it's the prom."
"You guys are going to take your time, right?" Julianna asks Nicki. "Because I was worried about this. Like, today, I'm taking a shower and I'm like, 'I'm not too looking forward to next week, because I'm going to get ready. I'm curling my hair.' "
Nicki laughs. "You would think it's a big date or something," she says to me. "You want to look good for them."
"You have to!" says Julianna. "Because what if?"
How long is this New Kids flame going to burn? One imagines women in their 50s attending an NKOTB reunion tour in 2025. Think of all the New Kids paraphernalia that Julianna has stockpiled back in Jersey -- dolls, posters, buttons, marbles, beach towels, paper tablecloths, and a phone. It's not just junk. That stuff is worth something to someone.
