Back in the early ‘70s, Donny Osmond was basically the Miley Cyrus of his day. With positively swoon-worthy songs like “Puppy Love” and “Go Away Little Girl” and later, a successful variety show with his sister Marie, it didn’t seem like there was much the squeaky-clean entertainer could do wrong.

And unlike the teen idols who show up on reality programming like VH1’s Celebrity Rehab these days, Osmond still manages to score a variety of respectable gigs including filling in for Pat O’Brien as the host of celebrity news show The Insider and a role in the new Disney family flick College Road Trip. Of course, many will remember him for his turn in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Broadway.

Now as we catch up with Osmond in the middle of a string of promotional interviews, his “4,000th of the day” he said jokingly, we discover how the father of five sons (and new grandfather) finds balance in the midst of the busyness. ...

Crosswalk.com:  So how did you end up landing the part in College Road Trip?

Donny Osmond:  It was one of those flukey things. I was doing a tour, and I had about a two-week window, and my manager called and said they really wanted me to do a small cameo. And I thought, What a great opportunity to take my little boy on a—no pun intended—road trip. Then the role ending up being far more than what I thought.

CW:  Yeah, you definitely get to sing a lot!

Osmond:  Yeah, show tunes! I’m not singing very well, mind you.

CW:  But you looked like you were having fun anyway.

Osmond:  I had an absolute blast.

CW:  You have five sons. Did you find yourself being overprotective as a father like Martin Lawrence’s character was in the movie?

Osmond:  Yeah. But after the first two, you sort of figure it out and let them grow up.

CW:  Your character in the film is this dorky dad who has no idea of how over the top he really is. Any resemblance of that in real life?

Osmond:  I really hope not! (laughs) I don’t think so.

CW:  How was it working with Martin Lawrence?

Osmond:  It was great. Oddly enough, when we rehearsed a scene, he was nowhere to be found. Then just before the scene would roll, he’d pop out and take the scene to a whole new level.