Joey McIntyre's Son Griffin Is Completely Bewildered by His Dad's Handwritten 1989 ‘Teen Beat' Questionnaire
Being a "Blockhead" was a foundational part of my tween and teen years. My bedroom walls were plastered with New Kids on the Block posters, and my daily style consisted of a steady rotation of NKOTB t-shirts, pins, and hats. So, in 2008, when NKOTB officially reunited and began touring again, my inner fangirl never felt so seen. The New Kids were all grown up-now the "New Men on the Block," if you will. They had families, wives, and acting careers. Remarkably, NKOTB's youngest member, Joey McIntyre, was a brand-new father to his barely one-year-old son, Griffin.
In a blink, NKOTB fans watched Griffin McIntyre grow up right before their eyes. At just 7 years old, he was already joining NKOTB on stage at Madison Square Garden. At 12, he was starring on Netflix's Country Comfort. Now 18, Griffin is launching a serious solo music career with the help of a classmate's mom who just happens to be producer extraordinaire Linda Perry. With his debut single "Risk It All" and his brand-new song "Type of Love" out on June 12th-both created entirely from the comfort of his own bedroom-Griffin is stepping into the pop spotlight completely on his own terms.
"Surreal" doesn't even begin to describe the feeling of interviewing the son of one of your childhood pop idols. As a lifelong NKOTB fan who grew up studying every single issue of Teen Beat and Bop before later becoming a teen magazine editor myself, I have always taken the magic of fandom seriously. There is a beautiful, full-circle moment happening right now as a new generation takes part in this massive burst of '80s and '90s nostalgia.
So, when I sat down with Griffin to talk about his solo music career for The Teen Mag Time Machine, I knew I had to put him to the ultimate pop-culture test first.
I dug up a vintage, handwritten questionnaire from a July 1989 issue of Teen Beat where a 16-year-old Joe McIntyre shared his deepest secrets with adoring fans.
I read the categories to Griffin to see how well he really knows his superstar dad.
The result? A hilarious generational disconnect that left Griffin completely blown away by his dad's late-80s choices.
Joey McIntyre's Original 1989 Teen Beat Page
Here is exactly how Griffin fared when forced to step inside a 1989 time machine:
PETS: Griffin had absolutely no idea that his dad used to have a dog named Bowe!
FIRST RECORD BOUGHT: Griffin assumed it would be Frank Sinatra, but it turns out his dad actually began his record collection with Twisted Sister's rock anthem, "We're Not Gonna Take It."
FAVORITE SPORT: Griffin guessed football, which is exactly what Joey wrote down. Some things never change!
FAVORITE BAND: Griffin confidently guessed his dad's iconic R&B peers: "New Edition!" When it was revealed that Joey had actually handwritten The Fat City Band, Griffin lost it, laughing, "What the f?"*
FAVORITE MUSIC: Once again, Griffin guessed "whatever style of music that Frank Sinatra made." But Joey actually wrote down "funk." "I don't know what he was on..." Griffin laughed.
FAVORITE MOVIE: Griffin guessed, "Some weird movie, probably?" But he nodded in instant agreement when told his dad's answer was Midnight Run. "Oh, yeah. I need to watch that," he said.
FAVORITE ACTOR: Griffin nailed this one, knowing his dad's favorite actor was-and still is-Robert DeNiro.
FAVORITE ACTRESS: This one initially stumped Griffin as he tried to recall which Hollywood starlets his dad admired back then. He was incredibly touched to find out that Joey actually wrote down "Judith McIntyre." Joey's sister (and Griffin's aunt) appeared on Guiding Light and had roles in films like Far and Away.
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Griffin hit a wall when it came to television. He guessed Full House as Joey's favorite show, only to find out his dad wrote down Monday Night Football. "That's not a TV show!" Griffin protested.
FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Griffin assumed his dad would enjoy the warmth and beaches of The Bahamas. But no, Joey answered his hometown of Boston. (One must assume that with his rigorous global tour schedule back then, just heading home felt like the ultimate vacation!)
FAVORITE COLORS: Griffin was correct in saying his dad's favorite color was blue, though technically it's a trio: Joey wrote down red, white, and blue.
FAVORITE CAR: Griffin assumed his dad's teenage dream car would be a classic Mercedes. Joey's actual answer was a total monument to late-80s luxury: A 3.25 BMW with a phone. Stunned by the era of the car phone, Griffin smiled, "I need to write this down."
FAVE TYPE OF CLOTHES: Griffin didn't know what his dad might have said, but he wasn't at all surprised to learn the answer was simply, "comfortable."
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYED: Griffin didn't think his dad played any instruments back then, guessing, "Maybe piano?" As it turned out, Joey's actual answer was close: "a little keyboard."
PASTIMES/HOBBIES: Griffin guessed "golf," which may be true today, but in the ‘80s, his dad was all about "bowling."
BIGGEST LIKE: Griffin immediately answered Boston's beloved NBA team, The Celtics. But Joey's real answer was much sweeter: "nice girls." To which Griffin replied, "Oh my God!"
BIGGEST DISLIKE: It was a logical guess for Griffin to go with "mean girls." But his dad had actually answered with something much deeper: "homelessness."
IF YOU HAD ONE WISH, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Again, it made perfect sense for Griffin to think his dad's ultimate wish was "For the Celtics to win or something?" But keeping in line with his previous answer, Joey wrote: "to end homelessness."
Related: NKOTB Members Reveal Their Favorite Songs Ahead of 2026 Las Vegas Residency: ‘I Can't Pick Just One'
PERFECT WAY TO SPEND A DATE: Griffin hilariously cringed at this category, saying, "I don't really want to know what he says!" But I made sure he knew it was a totally benign, PG answer: "movie, walk, and dinner. Alone!"
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GIRL?: Griffin was sure it would be a "nice personality," but he liked his dad's actual response: "independence, good looking and charm."
MOST PRIZED POSSESSION: Griffin guessed his dad's "car," but he was happy to hear that Joey's answer was actually "family."
FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY: Griffin thought his dad's favorite memory would involve playing football. Instead, he was genuinely touched to learn that Joey's favorite childhood memory was "taking a walk with my sister in the snow." "Oh, wow," Griffin said softly.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF? Without missing a beat, Griffin answered "funny." He got a major kick out of his dad's full response: "Funny. Somewhat of a wise guy, worried and chill." "Worried and chill. That's hilarious," Griffin laughed.
When I asked Griffin how he would describe himself today in comparison to his pop icon dad, he saw the family resemblance instantly. "Funny, sometimes a wise guy. Worried and... No, I'm not worried. I'm just a funny, wise guy, excited, and I think a lot."
While Griffin might not have inherited his dad's 1989 taste in car phones or funk bands, he has undeniably inherited the McIntyre charisma.
Editor's Note: Want to know what Griffin is listening to today, what it was like having rock icon Linda Perry push him to produce his own music, and get an exclusive scoop on his next single? Head over to Lauren's Substack, The Teen Mag Time Machine, for the full, exclusive Q&A with Griffin McIntyre and more deep dives into the vaults of teen mags and pop culture nostalgia!
Next, 18 Weird Songs That Shouldn't Have Hit No. 1 (But Did)
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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 5:03 PM.