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He can sing, dance AND Ninja.
With its massive, national audience, American Ninja Warrior appeals to all types of viewers, including celebrities. After watching the competitors on the course overcome so many types of obstacles, who can resist the urge to give it a shot themselves?
That’s what happened for singer and actor Drew Lachey, who’s probably best known as a member of the boy-band 98 Degrees. After watching the show with his kids, he got bit by the Ninja-bug. When the course set up in Cincinnati, Ohio, his home state, it was meant to be!
Drew gave the Qualifying course a solid shot. He only made it to the second obstacle, the Ring Jump, but he had some good foundational skills in place. We could see him making a return next year!
Drew spent a few minutes with us to talk about taking on a whole new challenge and why Ninja Warrior appeals to his family.
Why did you want to take on American Ninja Warrior?
DL: I’ve always been the kind of person to want to challenge myself, to do things that people say I can’t do or are too hard, or things like that. So, you talk about things that are too hard, American Ninja Warrior ranks right up there at the top of the list for everybody. So it’s a personal challenge for me. It’s a way for me to show my kids that nothing is out of reach. You can always try new things, and continue to grow, and put yourself out there, and not be afraid to succeed, or afraid to fail, and just enjoy every opportunity that’s given to you.
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How has training been going?
DL: It’s been going really well. I’m fortunate enough to have had James Wilson, the Nati Ninja, kind of guiding me. You know, so it was a lot of helping me out, just trying to understand what the course is going to be like to the best of our guess and kind of what to focus on training-wise and agility-wise and all that stuff. I’d be a lot more scared if I hadn’t had James helping me out.
What’s your favorite type of obstacle?
DL: Any one that I can do! My favorite obstacle is any one that I don’t fail on. No, I mean, in training I was able to get the Warped Wall, which was a big confidence boost. Like, all right, I can do that. Any time that you can successfully get through something on the first time, even in the gym, it’s a big confidence booster. There are still some that I’m just hoping aren’t on the course.
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Do you think your performance experience will come in handy?
DL: Yeah. No, I think a big part of it is, you have people that have been training for this for years, so I mean, their athletic ability is not in question whatsoever. I think getting up there in front of the lights and the nerves and the pressure, I think that’s going to be there for everybody. The fact that I’ve been performing for, whatever, 20 plus years on TV and stage and stuff I think will definitely help me just with the nerves. That being said, they’re doing something that is a lot more familiar to them and this is completely foreign to me. So it’s going to be a balancing act.
What do you want the audience to learn about you?
DL: I think number one, that I don’t take myself too seriously. That I’m down to try anything new and have fun and just enjoy every opportunity that life gives me. Then the second thing I would say is just that Drew Lachey is a badass.
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What does Ninja Warrior mean to your family?
DL: To me and my family, it represents strength, agility, perseverance. Not just in the physical world. You see these stories and these people, a lot of them have overcome some adversity in their lives and some of them are dealing with health issues even as they’re running the course. I remember watching a guy who had MS just come out and destroy the course and I was like, ‘That is awesome.’ I think the show does a great job of allowing people an opportunity to push themselves, to show that strength and that perseverance. I’m hoping that I can go out and just do the show and my family proud.
How far do you plan on going on the course?
DL: My expectations for it are to go out and get to the top of the wall. If I go out on the first obstacle, I mean, so be it. It won’t be for a lack of trying or a lack of effort. But some of the best athletes I’ve ever seen have gone down on the first element. You take a bad step or you just are off balance or you look up for a second and you need to be looking down, it can all change for you in an instant. So, I’m just going to go out and try to have fun, but my expectations are to get to the end.
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Is this the start of your Ninja Warrior career?
DL: This might be the start and the end. I see people walking around that have 4% body fat and just jacked beyond belief and probably 23-years-old. I’m going to be 43-years-old this year and my body fat is not quite what it once was and you know, my joints are screaming at me after every training. But it’s been a great experience so far, just the physical aspect of it, but also, like I said, challenging yourself with something new. I mean, no matter how old you get and how your life takes you in different directions, never be scared to try something new and push yourself. What’s the worst that happens?
Whether it’s the start, or the end of Drew’s Ninja career, we give him props for getting out there! It’s not easy to commit to Ninja Warrior!
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