A new documentary about boy bands includes an unusual claim about the early days of 98 Degrees: according to lead singer Nick Lachey, the group was given a handbook listing the age at which people in each US state can legally consent to sex while they were on their first tour in the 1990s.
Lachey makes the revelation in Boy Band Confidential, which is set to premiere on Monday at 9pm ET on Investigation Discovery. In the film, he says the band’s record label was trying to reduce the chances of legal trouble as the group began touring.
“This is going to sound super shady, but … I remember our first tour, someone at the label gave us a book, and it was the age of consent in every state in the country,” Lachey says in the documentary. “And like, we kept that book on the tour bus.”
The comment offers a glimpse into the tightly managed environment surrounding a successful pop act in the 1990s, when labels often played a major role in shaping not only a band’s image and sound, but also its day-to-day conduct while on the road. In this case, Lachey says the label’s concern was keeping the members of 98 Degrees “out of trouble” as they toured.
98 Degrees emerged during the boy band era of the late 1990s, alongside other highly visible pop groups that attracted large teen and young adult followings. The new documentary revisits that period through behind-the-scenes stories and reflections from the people involved, including Lachey.
While the documentary centers on the broader history and culture of boy bands, this detail about the tour handbook stands out for its specificity. Lachey’s account suggests the label took an unusually direct approach to legal guidance, handing the group a reference book that spelled out the age of consent state by state.
The anecdote is presented in the film as part of a wider look at the pressures and controls surrounding a touring pop group at the height of its popularity. Though brief, it points to the extent to which entertainment companies sometimes tried to anticipate problems before they happened, particularly for young acts navigating fame, travel, and public attention.
Boy Band Confidential premieres Monday at 9pm ET on Investigation Discovery.
