BACKSTREET BOY MEETS ESTRANGED FATHER

Heartwarming beginning of the new year for Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean — he’s ended a long estrangement from his father, who split from his mom when A.J. was just 4 years old. The star invited dad Bob McLean to LA for a visit over the holidays, and afterward Bob wrote on the BB’s fan Web site: “Alex and I have worked through all our problems and have started anew.”