Celebrity Crushes/Obsession

Ever know a guy who seemed obsessed with say, Britney Spears? Or a gal who was really into Justin Timberlake? When I say "obsessed" or "really into," I don't mean they just say, "She/he's so hot" when they see a picture of the star in a magazine or on television. I mean, they have posters of this person all over their walls, collect everything that they've been a part of (CD's, movies, magazine covers, interviews, etc.), and talk about them like they're dating. Ever know a person like this? I have and I must say, it kind of frightens me.

When Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake supposedly broke up from their Hollywood romance, a couple male friends of mine immediately came over, smiling from cheek to cheek. They asked, me, "Craig, did you hear the news?" I thought that perhaps they were going to have a big party that weekend or an old friend was coming into town or something along those lines, but no, I was wrong. They continued on, "Britney and Justin broke up! You know what that means? We have a chance!" I patted them on their heads and smiled. We then proceeded to go bowling. The Britney talk didn't stop at the bowling alley. After each turn, they'd come back to sit down, with their eyes as wide as a child's on Christmas Day, and say things like, "Man, one night. That's all I ask. One night with her and I could die a happy man." I tried to play the nod and smile routine that afternoon, because I didn't want to bring them down from whatever cloud they were on that day. But, after a while, I couldn't help but speak out on the situation. Noticing that I wasn't ecstatic like they were about the whole predicament, they asked me, "So, Craig, would you want a piece of that? You can't say no. Who wouldn't want some of that." I shrugged my shoulders and said, "She's all yours guys. I'm not interested." They then, of course, came back with the infamous line, "What, are you gay or something?" When I said no, they just kind of rolled their eyes and went back to talking about their Britney fantasies. To this day, I will hear these fantasies, and they're both seriously involved with someone. But, they have broadened their scope some, from just solely Britney, to add the likes of Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton.

Just a couple weeks ago, I was hanging out with some friends of mine and I was asked, "Craig, if you could do one Hollywood star, who would it be?" Both my friends had no problem listing off several stars that they wouldn't find fooling around with. I just said, "I'm not really interested in that whole thing. I've never been one to have celebrity crushes." They didn't seem to believe me and went on with the deep and philosophical conversation.

I've heard these stories and fantasies countless times and once in a while, I'll butt in with a, "But, you don't even know him/her." They'll give me an odd look, because the fact of the matter is, they'd want this person for one thing and one thing only, and that's sex. It's not like they actually want to sit down, get to know the person, and try to connect with them on another level. It can put a damper on my mood sometimes, because I'd like to hope that love and sex can be connected, but when people lay out these fantasies they have of someone they don't know in the slightest bit (only their stage name), then that hope meter of mine drops down one notch from where it was previously.

I'll be the first to admit that there are physically attractive celebrities. I'd be lying if I didn't say so. But, that's where it begins and ends with me. George Clooney, Cary Grant, Denzel Washington, Sidney Poitier, Catharine Zeta-Jones, Grace Kelly, Salma Hayek, Halle Berry and many others, are all physically attractive. It's like looking at a painting. I'll look at it, appreciate it's beauty and then, walk off to see the next work of art. But, I've learned to just appreciate celebrities for their talents. That's what they're there for- to entertain. Michael Vick is there to play the role of Houdini out on the football field. Barry Sanders was there to tap dance around defenders and make them look silly in the process. The Beatles were there to revolutionize rock music. Tom Hanks is there to make any film, no matter how poorly written it is, entertaining and watchable. Celebrities make a lot of money, spend a lot of time in the make-up room, and spend more life facing the camera in one week than most people do in a lifetime. But, in the end, they're people, just like you and me. They have their good days and bad days. They make mistakes. What makes them unique and beautiful is their talent, not their appearance. I'd last a lot longer as an English professor if I were to get notoriety for my efficient teaching methods than if I was just known around the school as a hottie. Even if I was known as the hot professor, if I couldn't teach worth a lick, then I'd get canned pretty quickly. It's good to appreciate beauty. All our senses allow us to experience a new side to beauty, but, appreciating that beauty and obsessing with it are two completely different things.