Aaron Carter dies; singer had attempted to revive career in Vegas
Aaron Carter was a Las Vegas headliner. Nearly.
The oft-troubled recording star and actor was found dead Saturday in his home in Lancaster, Calif. He was 34. TMZ was first to report Carter’s dead. He reportedly drowned in his bathtub.
Carter was the younger brother of Backstreet Boys co-founder Nick Carter, a Las Vegas resident. Backstreet Boys have hosted a hit residency at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort.
Nick Carter posted a statment on social media Sunday morning.
“My heart is broken. Even though my brother and I have had a complicated relationship, my love for him has never ever faded. I have always held on to the hope that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed.”
My heart is broken. Even though my brother and I have had a complicated relationship, my love for him has never ever faded. I have always held on to the hope that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed. pic.twitter.com/89lsEdX9f8
— Nick Carter (@nickcarter) November 6, 2022
Beset by substance-abuse issues throughout his life, Aaron Carter attempted to revive his career in Vegas as star of the “Naked Boys Singing” residency production at the Erotic Heritage Museum. He was announced the show’s celeb star in August 2021. The production was about to relaunch after the pandemic shutdown, and was also celebrating the 20th anniversary of its show in New York.
But Carter ended his run in the Vegas production before ever taking the stage. The show’s producers, Tom D’Angora and Nick Padgett, requested that Carter submit his letter of resignation less than a month before he was to premiere.
D’Angora said Carter had refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19, a company requirement to perform in the show at the time.
“It is so sad Aaron never got the help he needed,” D’Angora said Saturday. “Though he had a lot of issues, he had great success in New York theater and deep down he had a good heart. I hope he has finally found peace.”
D’Angora said st the time of Carter’s dismissal from the show, “We are disappointed and a bit embarrassed … Within a few days of the announcement, it became clear, for multiple reasons, that Aaron’s participation in ‘Naked Boys Singing!’ was not going to work out.”
“Naked Boys” is an hourlong musical at Jewel Box Theater where the all-male cast performs nude.
Carter was a teen recording star from the late ’90s. He appeared in “Seussical” on Broadway, “The Fantasticks” off-Broadway, and “Dancing With The Stars” on ABC.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
