NSYNC’s Lance Bass and Joey Fatone have swapped the stage for the bar to now host E!’s newest reality competition show, ‘Cocktail Wars.’
Back in 1995, five guys from Orlando — Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, and Chris Kirkpatrick — formed a little group called *NSYNC and proceeded to take over the world.
They moved over 70 million records worldwide and defined pop music for a generation before going on hiatus in 2002. Now, over 30 years since they first started harmonizing together, two of the group’s vocalists, Lance Bass and Joey Fatone, are teaming up again — this time behind the bar instead of behind the mic.
Bass and Fatone are reuniting to host E!’s newest reality competition, Cocktail Wars, joined episode-to-episode by expert mixologist Melissa Brooke and an all-star lineup of celebrity guest judges. Appearances include Emmy-winning anchor Rachel Maddow, Emmy winner Seth Green, reality staples Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan, and Melissa Gorga, WWE’s Adam “Braun Strowman” Scherr, and pop star/actress Peppermint, best known for Survival of the Thickest and RuPaul’s Drag Race.
We spoke with Bass, Fatone, Brooke, Peppermint, and the show’s executive producer, Rick Cikowski, at the premiere in New York City. They shared a bit about what we can look forward to, their favorite moments (without any spoilers), and ideas for the future.
For Brooke, approaching the show with an expert eye, the highlight was watching the contestants’ love for the craft grow as they developed their own understanding and use of mixology, each bringing something uniquely their own to the competition — judge and contestant alike. Brooke tells us, “I am the expert judge on this show and there is always something new to learn” when discussing her favorite moments and experience with everyone. She adds that her favorite memory was when one of the “celebrity judges changed their mind in the middle of a very serious deliberation” using the education that she had given them throughout the season.
For the guys — sitting between contestants, an expert mixologist, and guest judges — they truly got a front row seat, observing and participating in nearly every aspect of the show. Fatone tells us, “It’s amazing to get a hands-on play-by-play. It was like watching football! We’re like ‘okay what’s this person is doing?’, and [Melissa Brooke] tells us what’s happening!”
Reflecting on their experience and unique perspective as hosts, Bass tells us how “refreshing” (pun intended) it is to have a show that you can binge with friends and participate with. And yes — they mixed in a special audience participation segment during show days where, as Bass explains, “we can make drinks together”!
We asked executive producer Rick Cikowski what he hopes audiences walk away with. He adds, “I want everyone watching this show to feel inspired. Feeling like, ‘I can make this too'”.
Actress, singer, model, and former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Miss Peppermint tells The Knockturnal that she thought back to her time as a contestant: “I might get up and compete!”
Miss Peppermint adds, “they just made it so much fun. The atmosphere was so comfortable, and I learned so much.”
Miss Peppermint, a former bartender herself, shared that through the show she learned that “the art of creating craft cocktails and mixology also goes along with making finely crafted mocktails.”
Emphasizing that when learning the art of making drinks, it’s clear that a good drink can come in many forms — with or without alcohol. A fitting note for a show that, according to its hosts and producers alike, is really about welcoming everyone to the bar.
Three decades after bringing millions together through their music, Bass and Fatone are proving that whether it’s harmonies or happy hour, they can still get everyone to join in — one cocktail, or mocktail, at a time.
Cocktail Wars premieres August 18 on E!.
