First Posted: 7/1/2013

After test screenings, producers decided that the movie “This Is The End” needed a better ending. So, at the suggestion of Seth Rogan’s wife, the Backstreet Boys were called in.

“We didn’t really tell anybody except our wives or like family,” AJ McLean said about the cameo. He, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson stopped by “The Ralphie Show” on Tuesday. “I’ve been getting texts almost every other day from friends going, ‘Dude! Wow, that was awesome! I had no idea; you guys rocked!’”

McLean also cited the positive online reviews of the film and it’s ending, when he and the guys talked about their involvement in it

“I wanted to see the script, to see what context we were going to be in,” said Richardson of the band’s only request before agreeing to the appearance. “We found out that Seth and Jay (Baruchel) are from Canada, and that’s where we first broke in North America.”

With a quick rehearsal and a solid amount of editing, McLean revealed that BSB’s total time investment for the shoot was a mere four hours. The timing of the cameo itself couldn’t have worked out better, with the band prepping its first independent record label album for this July. The title track, “In A World Like This,” serves as the lead single, and was just released on iTunes.

“I think the fans will hopefully have a deeper connection because this is really, truly coming from the five of us,” McLean noted about the project, “as opposed to the label ciphering through music, sending us songs, saying ‘Go do this, go do that; sing this, sing that.’ We had complete, 100 percent creative control from start to finish, and wanted to make a more personal record.”

The album is mastered after about a year of work. It will be available on July 30. Backstreet Boys kick off a tour to support it and commemorate its 20th anniversary on the day of the release. The North American trek continues through the beginning of September with supporting acts Jesse McCartney and DJ Pauly D.

LOVATO TALKS ABOUT HER PEERS

Demi Lovato and her friends are all experiencing a great amount of success in the entertainment business, and she couldn’t be happier for them.

“I’m really, really excited for her,” Lovato responded when asked about Selena Gomez taking over radio airwaves with the hit “Come and Get It.” “I’m excited for all of the people I’ve grown up with. Everyone that I’ve grown up with, we all have our own path now and it’s really, really great to watch everyone come in to their own.”

The “Heart Attack” singer mentioned Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers by name. Of course, she and Gomez go way back.

“I’ve known (Selena) since I was seven years old,” Lovato said. “It’s funny, we went from being in the back seat of a car with her parents driving us to a radio show to listen to our favorite artists that were on the radio at the time, to having songs on the radio.”

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