That's how A.J.'s Jive Records biography begins, but A.J., who was born on January 9, 1978, loves embellishing on that first moment in McLean stage history. He even told a Scholastic magazines writer that it was his best childhood memory! "It was my first performance. I started in musical theater and it was my first role. It's kind of funny. They weren't sure I was a good speaker. I grew up with a speech impediment. I had a lisp and I stutter - I still do. I guess I think slower than my mouth speaks, but my first role was in a show called Snow White. I was Dopey. He didn't say anything. He was a little mute. I was about seven. Basically, for lack of a better word, I stole the show. I was the main squeeze. All the girls thought I was really cute. And I went out and signed autographs for all the little kids. And it was funny - back then I signed my full name, because that's what I thought you were suppose to do. But now, I just write 'A.J.' because that's who I am. But back then I wrote 'Alexander James McLean.' It would take me forever!"
By the time A.J. was in sixth grade, he had appeared in twenty-seven productions, including The Nutcracker, The King and I, and Fiddler on the Roof. When A.J.'s family moved from West Palm Beach, FL, to Kissimmee, which is right outside of Orlando, his show biz bug had really bitten! While he was in junior high, he won a part on Nickelodeon's Hi Honey, I'm Home, and he also took on some Disney channel projects. During that time, A.J. took on numerous classes in dancing, singing, and acting - he knew what he wanted to do. Of course, it all clicked when he met up with Nick and Howie.
But what about those nonBackstreet Boys times for A.J.? You might be surprised to know he loves to read the classics and poetry. Books of literary greats such as Shakespeare, T.S. Eliot, and Edgar Allan Poe fill his own personal library. He also likes to write poetry, so it's not surprising that A.J. is very interested in song writing. "I like to sit by the pool and write music," he told BOP!, "and sometimes if I have the opportunity, I'll go to our manager Johnny Wright's house and record my own ideas."
He might do something else with his poetry, too - at least that's what he told a reporter for Teen Beat and All-Stars when she asked if he thought about publishing them as a book. "Maybe," A.J. said. "I've written about seventy-five poems between when I was about fifteen and now. If I ever get the real time to sit down and go back over them, spell-check them, proof-read them, and maybe make a couple of changes, maybe I will."
