As promised, check out high-quality videos of the New Kids’ performance on NBC’s Today earlier today. Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, and brothers Jonathan Knight and Jordan Knight sang and danced through a medley of their older hits, as well as the 1990 throwback “Tonight,” and they sang one new tune, a very mellow track called “Summertime.” The last is available for purchase on iTunes right now.

Up first, the old-school medley, followed by “Tonight” (preceded by a little chit chat with show hosts Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, who I bet were screaming somewhere offstage, too — Ha ha!) and the new single “Summertime” after the jump.

The extravaganza ends with yet another video of the group dishing with Lauer and Vieira about their forthcoming tour. There may be more footage later because MSNBC added videos as I was writing this post. I’ll check the site again later today for additional clips to publish.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

The guys — Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood, and brothers Jonathan Knight and Jordan Knight — were in New York to make their first public appearance together in 14 years, and aside from Mother Nature’s refusal to play along, the reunion went off without a hitch.

Each member of the band looked pretty good given the passage of time, and as co-host Hoda Kotb noted at one point, even they seemed overwhelmed by the rapturous reaction of the crowd. If anyone thinks today was something, just wait until the group returns exactly six weeks from now, on May 16, to perform live with one another again for the first time in nearly 15 years.

Like many people, I assumed that would happen this morning. But, it didn’t. Instead, at precisely 9:39am EST (a little clock keeps time throughout the show in a corner of the screen), NKOTB participated in a brief interview with enthusiastic co-host Natalie Morales and then answered a couple of fan emails. The first asked if the group will continue to dance during their performances and the second wondered if they plan to remove “Kids” from their name since they’re not exactly young’uns anymore.

Take a look at the four-and-a-half minute clip of the Today show appearance after the jump. If you listen closely, you’ll also get a quick preview of NKOTB’s new track “Summertime,” which is on the forthcoming album it sounds like they group has already completed.

NOTE: If you require closed captions, you can enable that feature on the video player by clicking the CC symbol in the top right-hand corner.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

That’s this Friday, fans, just in time for the weekend. The Boston Traveler will have footage of that appearance right after it happens. But for now, get psyched and then enjoy a couple of classic New Kids videos after the jump: “Hangin’ Tough” and “Step by Step.”

Incidentally, nkotb.com has been updated with highlight footage of the reunion news spreading from website to magazine to television. Take a peek if you haven’t seen the new content yet.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

In the Globe Magazine piece titled “No Pants? No Problem,” the writer makes a persuasive argument for more depantsing in the public sphere. Why relegate the daring disrobing act to just one day per year when you can repeatedly free yourself and amuse or infuriate clueless onlookers all at the same time?

After noting that rampant public pantslessness is not likely to become a serious threat anytime soon (too true), Pierce’s open letter to Adam Sablich, the local organizer of Boston’s inaugural No Pants 2K8 event, suggests that the no-pants concept be applied to other situations:

Let’s have a Pantsless Day at the State House. On second thought, OK, let’s not. But Logan Airport could go pantsless. Given what goes on at security these days, most people are halfway there already.

Well, it seemed funny to me when I read it this weekend.

Charlie Todd, the founder of the public-prank group Improv Everywhere that started the original No Pants! Subway Rides in New York City some seven years ago, appeared on NBC’s morning show Today this very day. Honestly — Todd looks like the last dude in the world you’d expect to drop his pants in public in front of strangers. Take a look at the Talk of the Town segment after the jump to see for yourself.

Post from: The Boston Traveler