Transcript of JC interview on Hot 101.9
January 28, 2010

JC : I’m good, man. How about yourself?

DJ : I’m doing pretty darn good. You guys gearing up for another season of America’s Best Dance Crew.

JC : Yes, sir.

DJ : And there have been some shake ups, some controversy on the show this season.

JC : Well, we wanted to do some new things so you know, we had to change it up.

DJ : Exactly. So who are the judges this year? We’ve got you, locked and loaded, still in place.

JC : Yes and no. I still have the lovely Lil’ Mama to my right.

Follow up:

DJ : Excellent.

JC : And to her right, now, we have a brand new judge, which I’m really excited about, which is Omarion.

DJ : Excellent. He’s gonna be good. I mean, he knows the whole, I mean he’s obviously a good singer, a good dancer, a good entertainer.

JC : Yeah, I mean, first of all, you know, he got his start in dancing. You know, then he obviously turned that skill into a profession and he ended up becoming an artist so I think he brings a great perspective to the show. The fact is that he’s been on stage and you know, he understands what the dancers are going through but he’s done it at a successful level so he knows what it takes to connect with an audience as well so I think he’s gonna bring a great perspective to the show.

DJ : What do you think about all the controversy surrounding old judge Shane Sparks? Do you, I mean, are you privy to any of that info? Or is it just a sad situation?

JC : I mean, I just think it’s, you know, an unfortunate situation. I kinda kept my nose out of it because you know, I don’t, that’s something I don’t wanna pass judgment on. I’d rather stick to the dancing and leave it at that.

DJ : Exactly. I mean, I’m in the same boat too. I mean, we obviously don’t know what happened yet, you know what I mean. He seems like a good guy but you don’t wanna defend him, not knowing what he might have done and you don’t wanna condemn him, not knowing, you know, what might have happened.

JC : That’s pretty much where it’s at. But you know, I mean, it’s, as far as the show is concerned, the show is in great shape though. The fact is we’ve got a fantastic judge in Omarion, you know, again. And the fact is that, you know, I think even better for the show is, that people know Omarion’s body of work so they’ll know where he’s coming from when he makes his judgment calls, you know. It’s not like they don’t understand what he sees because they understand him because they know who he is and what he’s done and what he’s gone through.

DJ : Yeah, that’s one of the big things with like Simon on American Idol. Simon’s a great judge but I get asked all the time, like what has Simon done? Like why is he special, you know?

JC : Simon’s been in the business for years and years and years and he’s seen talent come and go and at this point, you know, obviously, he’s cranking out some of the biggest artists in the world now, you know, because of American Idol and being attached to that and because of the X-Factor. You know, he really has essentially raised now, you know, some of the biggest stars of this generation.

DJ : Yeah, that’s definitely true but a lot of people don’t know that so that’s what’s cool about Omarion , like they see that, like you.

JC : He did it in the public eye, yeah, but, you know, for every, you gotta remember, for every artist that you see standing on the stage, there’s a team of people that have worked tirelessly to put them in that position. You know, there’s producers in the studio that, you know, some people have big producer names, you know, like a Timbaland or a Neptunes or you know, things like that but there’s also a million other producers that are low key, that have made great records, you know, that people don’t know about. So I think people understand it but I think the fact that Omarion is known will kindof clue people into what he’s looking for a little bit more.

DJ : Definitely. Is the competition, do you think, gonna be as good this year as it has been in past years? Some people are saying, you know, with the show going on as long as it has, most of the good dancers have already either been turned away or made their way through the show.

JC : I couldn’t disagree more, actually. The fact is that people have also had something to watch and something to prepare for. You know, the fact is the first season nobody knew really what the show was going to be and we cranked out the Jabbawockeez and then people didn’t know, well, you can’t beat that and all of a sudden, we end up, you know, having Super Crew which ended up having the number one B-boy in the country, you know, and so. There’s always going to be talent out there because this is something that can be reinvented, you know. The fact is that there’s a million different dance styles, there’s a million different ideas floating around out there and you can’t capture it in just a handful of episodes so and that’s why the thing lives and breathes because people see, now people are watching the show and getting inspired and saying “okay, I see that, now I have to beat that”. You know, and that’s what these kids are doing, really watching the show and going “okay, they’ve won, they’ve already seen that and now I have to do something better”. And so I think the show actually gets better as it moves forward.

DJ : I always remind people of American Idol. Look, every year they’ve got great new talent and also, like you said, there could be people out there who are on this season that might not even have been a group before the beginning and that inspired them to come together.

JC : Man, it’s kinda like, you know, I mean it’s, you know, it’s a competition, it’s a sport, you know, and the way people played football forty years ago isn’t the way they play today. And you know, the way people played basketball forty years ago isn’t the same way they play it today. You know, it’s like, before people were throwing … shots underhand, you know, all of a sudden somebody decided to switch it overhand and the game’s brand new again. So I think, you know, that’s what’s going on with this show. People see something and they go “okay, but now I have to change it. Now I have to put my mark on it and make it better”. And that’s what essentially happens every season.

DJ : We’re talking to JC Chasez about America’s Best Dance Crew. JC, what else are you up to other than judging on the show? What’s going on in life?

JC : Well, I mean, you know, it’s a brand new year so *laughs*

DJ : There’s been some …

JC : *interrupts* It’s exciting, you know. I’ve decided to, you know, work on some other projects. I mean, I’m always writing and things like that and I’ve been writing for other artists and things like that over the last couple of years but I think I might pop back in the studio and start working on some stuff for myself, which I haven’t done in quite some time but, you know, I’m just continuously working on the show, working in the studio and on whatever comes my way.

DJ : Very cool. There’s been some gossip reports that you’re broke these days. Any truth to that or is it just typical gossip stuff?

JC : Typical gossip stuff. People are bored and gotta literally make nonsense up.

DJ : Yeah, they do. It was Nick Lachey yesterday and I mean, you, last week. Somebody new every day of the week and you know, you can’t, I imagined it wasn’t true but I wondered if there was some basis for it, like your credit card got denied at the pet shop or something.

JC : No. No.

DJ : Just out of nowhere, man. Well, hey, I think what you’re doing is still awesome and I’d love to hear you back in the studio doing some of your own stuff and I love America’s Best Dance Crew and it premieres Thursday night, tonight, eight o’clock, season 5 with JC Chasez judging it all. JC, thanks again for talking to us, man and good luck this season.

JC : Thanks buddy.