The former boy bander is apparently ready to give it a try, however, telling a Florida radio station Friday that he'd like to join the next season of Dancing with the Stars, considering "it's kind of popular now."
Fatone finally arrived at that astute observation after turning down three previous requests to take part in the ABC competition series, he told Orlando's Real Radio 104.1 FM
With dreams of becoming the next Drew Lachey dancing in his head, Fatone, who showed that he was pretty light on his feet in videos for the 'N Sync tunes "It's Gonna Be Me," "Bye Bye Bye" and "I Want You Back," said that he "[likes] doing it because it's challenging."
But "can you imagine me wearing those stupid tuxes?" he said.
Hey, it worked for Emmitt Smith.
Since parting ways with Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick and JC Chasez, Fatone has worked out his musical chops in Rent and Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway and appeared in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Cooler and Red Riding Hood. He's currently working on an Odd Couple-like "reality sitcom" pairing him and Bass as mismatched roommates.
The 29-year-old Brooklyn native also had a stint hosting the talent competition Fame on NBC in 2003, one of the network's multiple attempts that year to capitalize on the American Idol phenomenon. Season three Dancing with the Stars runner-up Mario Lopez emceed another one, America's Most Talented Kid.
Fatone has a chance to win back his reality show cred with a stint on Dancing, which attracted an average of 20.7 million viewers on Tuesdays and 19.1 million on Wednesdays this fall, helping ABC win the 18-49 demo each week the series aired.
All ABC has said about the matter is that Dancing's complete season four lineup will be announced at a later date. The next installment of the hit show is scheduled to premiere in March.
So, Fatone joins Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson on the list of maybes.
The original Fergie said last month that she would "quite like to go on," and while ABC told the New York Post that recent reports saying the ex-royal was a sure thing were "fabricated," the network didn't comment on whether Ferguson was on board.
Last week Access Hollywood attempted to crack the Dancing code of silence, as well, speculating on the twinkle-toe status of Melissa Joan Hart, Regis Philbin, Kelly Ripa, Star Jones Reynolds, Leeza Gibbons, soap stars Lorenzo Lamas and Joshua Morrow and former baseball star Jose Canseco.
Hart told AH that she was asked but had to turn down the last two seasons because she was pregnant both times. "But I want to do it!" she said Friday.
Canseco said that he was offered the requisite sports star role, but wouldn't say if he'll be stepping up to the plate or not.
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