John Norris: You guys have been to the MTV studios many times, but I think it's safe to say never under circumstances like this. Can you tell me why you are here today?

Kevin Richardson: We recently decided to postpone some of [our tour] dates, due to, firstly, Nick['s] broken hand. ... This gave [us] time [to think about] something else we've been going through, which is A.J. Since the loss of his grandmother, [and] even before that, he's been going through some depression, some anxiety. He's been burning the candle at both ends and partying quite a bit to escape it. His alcoholism is pretty bad. We're worried about him, and ... [when] we were thinking about postponing some dates, he said, "I can't do this out on the road, I need some real help." We've had counselors come out on the road and talk to us and talk to him. We've been trying to help him overcome this without taking the tour down.

Norris: How long has this been going on?

Brian Littrell: We assessed it initially in Orlando [on June 8] when this leg of the U.S. tour started. We were having meetings about postponing dates even then, just for his well-being. That's when [we talked about getting] counselors, someone he could talk to, someone that could be there for him. His mother was going to come out to support him, and we were all gonna take the necessary precautions for him to be better. Over time, we realized he was lying to himself to think that he could get better on his own. ... It was affecting the show and it really took him a while to be man enough to come to us and say, "Listen guys, I've got a problem and I just need to take care of it." ... [With] alcoholism, your defenses are down. He's our brother. We live and die by what each other does, and that's why we postponed the dates. It's important to us to know that our fans can be there to support us as well as to support him. We're taking a step here and saying we're not the group without him, and we don't want to perform. [RealVideo]

Norris: Was there any consideration given to continuing on the tour without A.J.?

Howie Dorough: We had been advised that that would have been the easiest way, to hide ... it under the blanket. [To] let A.J. go off and take care of himself and let the tour continue. But we didn't feel that was the honest way of approaching this situation. It's just putting a bandage over it. We felt A.J. really needed our support, and he needs the support of the fans. He's gonna be gone about 30 days, so we're gonna take that month of July [dates] and put them back into September.

Kevin: We could have said he broke his leg or something.

Brian: It's not about getting by, it's about his health. If he's not healthy, we cannot have a healthy career, and he's part of this whole thing.

Kevin: We are put on a pedestal as role models, and we felt the best way to be role models is to step up to the plate and be honest. This happens every day in homes across America and the world. Maybe this could help somebody.

Brian: A.J. was born and bred for this business ... he thrives on it. He has such a passion for performing and being in front of people. All the Backstreet Boys fans know that.