Wayne Loves Peter Tork!

My first gay crush was The Monkees' Peter Tork!

I was around 9 years old when The Monkees premiered on NBC. 

At that age I was also a big fan of music like The Beatles and Paul Revere & The Raiders.

I loved reading 16, Flip, and Tiger Beat magazines, all of them cover to cover. 

But I could never actually "see" my heroes, except in the movies.  

I remember seeing The Beatles' "Help!" in the Pascack Theatre in Westwood, NJ. All the girls in the theatre screamed the whole time!

With The Monkees, it was like I got to spend a half hour with my new "fave raves:" Davy, English and my height (LOL); Mickey, the perfect class clown; and Mike, the mature, responsible one. 

And then there was Peter. He seemed like someone I wanted to live next door, to be best friends with. 

Sometime in the summer of 1968, one of the mags printed a two-page "Body Painting" photo of Peter. There he was, no shirt, almost down to his belly.  

I grabbed my markers and started designing Peter with groovy psychedelic patterns and colors. I remember lying on our living room floor, on my stomach, drawing circles and squares around his nipples, his pecs, and felt some sort of stirring in my 11-year old loins. So I guess you could say that coloring Peter's poster induced my puberty!

Forty or so years later, I met him, and he is a super nice guy. And still cute! I didn't tell him about him being a catalyst in my becoming a man, but I certainly remembered!

Wayne - Ridgefield Park, NJ

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Dor Loves George Michael!

My first gay crush was George Michael! 
Oh, those white teeth and charming smile. 

In 1984 I was 14, and Wham! had just come into my life. Somehow Annie Lennox was also on the list as she was so damn androgynous and amazing.
And Boy George was on my list as well.

But George Michael was my main man, my young gun, and my careless whisper all rolled into one lovely Grecian God!

I used to imagine that "Club Tropicana" was a real place and I dreamed of working there. 

To this day, Wham! remains in my music mix and George remains a full blown crush, alas only figuratively.  

When George came out, I was so relieved and happy for him. With that white speedo and sparkling smile, I think we all knew it all along. 

Long live the 80's! 

Dor - Portland, Oregon 
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Kevin Loves Justin Timberlake!

My first gay crush was Justin Timberlake.

I was in 8th grade, and I had seen some scenes in movies that intrigued me. 

But JT made it very clear to me that women weren't really going to be a part of my romantic life.

I still have a very vivid memory of the Rolling Stone cover he did when his solo album came out.

And every gay guy around my age knows exactly what I'm talking about!

Much to my delight, he did a whole photo shoot inside, and it was all online for me to secretly view whenever I desired. And being age 13, that was pretty often.

Even when I see a picture of him now, I usually have to drop whatever I'm doing and take a look.

Kevin - Chicago, Illinois
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Daniel Loves John Travolta!

My first gay crush was John Travolta.

As a young gay boy in the late 1970's, television was my refuge.

And that is where I first spotted him on "Welcome Back, Kotter."

When he came on the screen, I could not look away.



He had a bright smile like a 100-watt bulb, the bluest eyes I'd ever seen, and hair that defied gravity.

It was love from the very first moment I heard the words, "Up your nose, with a rubber hose!" He was definitely the breakout star of the show.

He was gorgeous and funny, and I was convinced I would marry him. I remember telling anybody in my family that would listen, 'I'm going to marry John Travolta!' And nobody flinched. My mom would even tell me when he was going to be on TV. It was all so ridiculously normal.

Today, when the gossip rags print rumors about him, I can’t help but feel sorry for him. I don't know what's true and what isn't. Only he really knows.
I just hope he's happy and healthy in his life.

I hope he is being true to himself, and I hope he is giving his kids the message that it's okay to love whomever you choose. His smile still makes my heart go pitter patter to this day.

Daniel - Chino Hills, California
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Dave Loves Herb Alpert!

Trumpeter Herb Alpert was my
earliest gay celebrity crush.

My dad had all of his records, so it was bound to be either Herb or one of the guys from Peter, Paul & Mary. But somehow, Peter and Paul never quite did it for me. It might have been the facial hair. I was very picky even back then.

Herb Alpert was hot, and not just because he invoked visions of matadors and "The Dating Game."



Herb was so hot, that he inspired me to take up the trumpet in grade school. We had a very musical school system back then, and every student was expected to play something. Not necessarily the musical instrument played by their first celebrity crush, but something.

I ended up playing the trumpet in a talent contest, in a solo performance where I infamously flubbed the last few notes of "If I Were a Rich Man" (which I'd gotten out of the Herb Alpert songbook). I tried a couple of times more before giving up and walking off the stage humiliated, with the intention of killing myself right then and there at the tender age of 12.

Anyway, what killed my career as a star trumpeter was braces. I tried, but man, all that metal did not mix with trumpeting. Ow. I still sometimes think about taking it up once again. Now that the braces are off.

Dave - San Francisco, CA
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Craig Loves Les McKeown!

My first gay crush was on Les McKeown,
singer for The Bay City Rollers.

I was a young teen when the Bay City Rollers became the first real "boy band" in 1976.

And their sexy lead singer Les McKeown touched something inside of me that I couldn't comprehend at the time.

Seeing his open shirt with that broad smile was mesmerizing to me.



Looking back, my attraction to him was probably the first sign I was somehow "different" from other boys.

Craig - Indianapolis
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"Bay City Rollers: The Definitive Collection
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Victor Loves Mike Patton!

My first gay crush was in 1990, for 
Faith No More singer Mike Patton.

I was about 7-years old when I discovered my first real crush, because I was OBSESSED with MTV.

I remember the video for "Epic" coming out, and hearing all the controversy over the flopping fish at the end of the video.



At the time, I didn't realize what I was feeling about singer Mike Patton, so I thought about it in a very child-like way. I remember telling my mom that I wanted to look like him when I grew up. I had a major thing for his long hair and I loved the song, even as a kid.

I think it is hilarious now as an adult, that the first crush I remember is now someone I respect as a prolific musician. And I still think he's hot.

Victor - Washington, DC
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