Actor, musician, and television game show personality Joey Fatone, who soared to fame as a member of the world-famous boy band *NSYNC, is carving some time out of his busy schedule to go green for the First Ever 15th Annual World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Though he's excited for his role as celebrity grand marshal on March 17, Fatone is unsure what all to expect.
"I've heard a little bit about (the parade), but then John Corbett (a former celebrity grand marshal) told me about it because he's done it before," Fatone said. "So he gave me a little info on it and I'm excited about it.
"I know it's the shortest parade, and I'm ready to party at 98 feet long."
Fatone first rose to fame as a member of 'NSync, and has since gone on to become a global pop culture icon finding success as an actor, host, Broadway star, voice-over artist, dancer, and media personality.
A self-proclaimed foodie, Fatone has hosted his own cooking show "My Family Recipe Rocks!" on the Live Well Network, as well as the cooking competition show "Rewrapped" on Food Network. Now he can add restaurateur to his resume, opening Fat One's Hot Dogs & Italian Ice in Orlando.
"I've been traveling around and doing some stuff with 'Impractical Jokers,' and trying to work out another season of 'Impractical Jokers: After Party,'" he said. "But I've also been dealing with hot dogs. I opened up a place called Fat One's which obviously is my last name, just separated. We've been doing that for about over a year and we just moved to doing food trucks.
"We are putting one over by a place called Point Orlando, which is kind of like a big shopping area with restaurants, stores and a couple of food trucks."
Fatone has earned numerous accolades for his acting, starring alongside Corbett in both "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2." Other credits include "On the Line," "The Cooler," "Homie Spumoni" and at the age of 7 "Once Upon a Time In America."
Fatone was in Minneapolis prior to Super Bowl LII, leaving early the morning of Feb. 4 to make it back home to Orlando and warmer weather to enjoy the game, he said.
Speculation surrounding what Justin Timberlake would do during his halftime performance led many fans to believe that 'NSync would make an appearance at the Super Bowl. Prior to the game, Fatone made a bet with a TMZ photographer on whether or not the boy-band would be a part of the game's halftime show, with Fatone emphatically predicting it would not happen.
"We actually got on the phone with Harvey (Levin) live," Fatone said. "The funny part is I never even said how much. I asked them how much and he said $1,000."
Fatone said when Levin, a TMZ producer, writes the check out to Autism Speaks, he will then write a matching check to the organization. Fatone said, through the Fatone Family Foundation, he spends a lot of his time helping with charity events benefiting nonprofit organizations, primarily those focused on helping children.
Fatone said it has been a very long time since the last time he came to Arkansas "back in the 'NSync days," but said he's looking to have a great time at this year's parade.
"I hear it's a blast and people get into it," he said. "I know Morris Day and the Time will put on a great performance and I'm just really excited to see this. I've never seen this thing in person, but have heard a lot about it."
When asked what his duties will be that day as grand marshal he said "I think they're going to push me in the right direction."
"I don't want to make a fool of myself, which sometimes I do and it ends up being entertaining," he said. "But we're going to be running around as the celebrity grand marshal and, of course, Jon Heder from 'Napoleon Dynamite' is going to be cool."
The grand marshal said this will be the first time he's ever participated in an event like this. When asked if he would grace the parade's crowd with his singing or dancing talents, he said that's all up in the air.
"I'm sure there will be a lot of dancing, but who knows where or if they'll have me singing," he said. "It all depends. It is St. Patrick's Day, so who knows?"
Though he said his favorite holiday is actually Halloween, Fatone said he would be going all out for St. Patrick's Day with that same excitement, no questions asked.
"I'll be wearing green all over the place, or maybe I'll dress up as a leprechaun," he said. "We'll figure it out."
The parade kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on March 17, one hour later than usual to allow fans of Oaklawn Racing time after the Rebel Stakes to make their way downtown for the festivities. Parade officials announced Tuesday that all entry spots for the parade have been filled.
Local on 02/11/2018