'N Sync 'N Sane

We've been trying to ignore 'N Sync for more than two years. (After all, who wants to read about a bunch of grown men who dance like cheerleaders and are the antithesis of cool?) But when a 19-year-old girl from the University of Wisconsin bid $1025 on eBay for a piece of Lance's half-eaten French toast, we realized the harmonic quintet has become too huge to disparage. To quote Orlando's first boy band, the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync is larger than life. For now, anyway.

The Numbers

Days it took 'N Sync to sell a record 1.1 million copies of its latest album, No Strings Attached: One.

Number of Eastern Caribbean dollars needed to purchase an 'N Sync postage stamp: One.

Awards received at 1998 Billboard Music Video Awards: Two.

Grammy nominations in 2000: Two.

MTV Video Music Award nominations for Tearin' Up My Heart: Three.

Number of stars Justin Timberlake scored when he was on Star Search (he lost): 3 1/4.

Number of guys in 'N Sync: Five.

Guys in the Backstreet Boys: Five.

Number of months it took 'N Sync to climb into the top 10: Five.

Number of 'N Sync books available on Amazon.com: 21 and counting.

Ranking of 'N Sync, according to MTV's top 25 albums of 1998: 22.

Average age of 'N Syncer: 22.8.

Number of fans 'N Sync meet and greet before every show: 30.

Minutes it took bidding on Lance's French toast to go from $1 to $800: 30.

Minutes in the pay-per-view special 'N Sync 'N Concert: 75.

'N Sync items available on eBay: 118.

EBay bid for ''Justin Timberlake Abercrombie shirt'': $177.50.

Signatures on a petition for an official 'N Sync Day in New Haven, Connecticut: 250.

Number of fans who gathered in Times Square in March 2000 to watch the band perform on MTV's Total Request Live: 8000.

Square feet of 'N Sync manager Johnny Wright's Orlando home: 32,000.

Copies of Home for Christmas sold in one week in December 1998: 153,000.

Copies of 'N Sync sold in one week in December 1998: 245,000.

Copies of No Strings Attached sold in one week in March 2000: 2.4 million.

Copies of 'N Sync sold, landing the group in the Recording Industry Association of America's diamond club: 10 million.

Gross of 1999 world tour: $44,344,476.

Amount of lawsuit filed by 'N Sync's former mentor, Louis Pearlman, leaving the band's name in limbo until both parties settled for an undisclosed amount: $150 million.

The GUYS

Chris Kirkpatrick--'N Sync's oldest member (28). Nickname: Lucky. Dream girl: Gwen Stefani. Favorite vacation spot: Cancún.

Justin Timberlake--'N Sync's youngest member (19). Nickname: Curly. Ride: BMW M Roadster convertible. Favorite shout-out: ''Love, peace, harmony!''

JC Chasez--Nickname: Big Daddy. Ride: Black Jeep Cherokee. Hates: Needles. Collects: Hard Rock Cafe menus.

Joey Fatone--Nickname: Chick magnet. Before 'N Sync: Performed in Universal Studios' Beetlejuice Graveyard Revue. Obsession: Superman.

Lance Bass--Nickname: Stealth. Close call: Was asked to be in 'N Sync only after original fifth member couldn't cut it. Ride: Black Toyota 4Runner. Accessory: What Would Jesus Do bracelet.

Ron Jeremy: Alias 'N Sync uses in hotels.

The Quotes

''I've been backstage as their opening act, and girls out in the audience are lifting their shirts up, and I'm dying. I'm like, 'Oh my goodness, I'm not believing this. This is bad.'''--Britney Spears, on Touring with 'N Sync

''We try hard to be different. Then all of a sudden somebody starts following us--you know what I'm saying?''--Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, on 'N Sync

''I feel like there's two of me: the publiceye me and the guy who brushes his teeth twice a day. They're getting along all right now. Sometimes Brush His Teeth doesn't get enough attention, but it's worth it.''--Justin

''You realize what hard work it is and that it's not glamorous. It's like going to Disney World, going into the tunnels and seeing Cinderella smoking a cigarette. The whole magic is gone.''--Lance

''He's an unscrupulous, greedy and sophisticated businessman who posed as an unselfish, loving father. While hugging us and calling us family, he was picking our pockets, robbing us of our future and even endangering our health.''--JC on former 'N Sync Impresario Louis Pearlman

''We're not puppets.''--Justin

''It's not just always onstage and big and huge. It's like chilling at home, being normal.''--JC, On life Between Tours

''I'm not going to say we're perfect, but we don't do cocaine or go, like, 'Hey, let's shoot up.' But if we want to go to a club until five in the morning, we don't care who knows about it. In the end, we answer to our families.''--Lance

''I just wanted a piece of them.''--Kathy Summers, on why she Paid more than $1000 for Lance's French Toast

''Not moldy, but hard as a rock.''--New York Z100 Radio Station Spokesperson, on the state of the French Toast