Many folks grow up huge fans of celebrities. One of my sisters had the New Kids on the Block all over her room. 
We (her seven siblings) were forced to listen to NKOTB on all long car trips (actually preferable to my father’s choice of Johnny Horton).
Big Brother was torn between crushing on the red-headed neighbor girls and Princess Leia.
My Hollywood crush was Data from Star Trek TNG, because what’s better than a super strong, super smart, emotionally unavailable dude? In sports, I will always be a fan of Ed McCaffrey from the Denver Broncos.
Judgmental Genius Older Sister appeared immune to the allure of sports stars, movie stars, and rock stars. She was too busy graduating magna cum laude and crushing it in medical school to have time for crushes. At holiday gatherings, she had no idea who the celebrities de jour were, and she generally she fell asleep by 8:45 PM (sitting straight up, in the middle of the couch).
Then she was busy with her residency, surgery, oncology, a terrible pregnancy, and her first daughter. I’m pretty sure she has only just learned of the existence of the Kardashians (from her second daughter).
So I was a little shocked when this recently showed up in a family group text:
Dr. Sis: Guess who is in our hospital!
No one had any guesses.
Dr. Sis: Love this man!
Now we really had no guesses.
Dr. Sis: He is the Michael Jordan of medicine!
Still lost.
Dr. Sis: DR. FAUCI!!!!
Me: Oooo…how exciting!
Dr. Sis: Are you being sarcastic?! You’d better not be being sarcastic.
UNC Alum Relative: Nobody can be as good as Jordan.
Foolish Sibling: Is he the guy Brad Pitt played on SNL?
Dr. Sis: This is not basketball! This is not movies! This man SAVES LIVES!
UNC Alum Relative: Was I meant to be put on this chat?
Dr. Sis: YES YOU WERE NOW PAY ATTENTION, IT’S DR. FAUCI!
We were properly cowed. Dr. Sis sent us links to Dr. Fauci and his visit (apparently he was doing something called “grand rounds”). She instructed us to show them to all our children.
Hopefully there’s no test during Zoom Thanksgiving.
Because ain’t no fangirl scarier than fangirl with a scalpel.
*In case you aren’t familiar with “We Stan,” or “K-pop stans,” here’s the best definition:
That’s HILARIOUS!
Also, as PSCS can tell you, I stan David Crosby, exhaustively and at great lengths. Not sure what this says about me as a person, given Croz’ less than stellar personal life, but there it is.
Thank you! A very nice comment to read.
We all have problematic favs.
I’d be thrilled to know that Dr. Fauci was nearby. That’s cool beans. The only celebrity crush from my childhood that I can think of is John Ritter [Jack Tripper on Three’s Company]. I thought he was so funny and kind and cute. I wanted him to be my boyfriend. That didn’t happen, though.
He was a worthy crush. I remember him giving an amazing performance on “Scrubs.”
Thanks for the excellent definition. I’d never heard “we stan” before. I’m trying to think of some crushes from my distant past. Zorro maybe. There was a Zorro series. Every week he rode in with his cape and his mask and saved the day. And then, many years later, Antonio Banderas was cool in The Mask of Zorro with Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Fauci’s a good choice.
Zorro, seems worthy of standing for sure. And Catherine Zeta-Jones was stunning in the Mask of Zorro.
You can tell I’m getting older because I think Dr. Fauci is a great choice. I’ve phased out of looks and into intelligence or at least common sense. What was I thinking when I admired Fabian and Frankie Avalon.
Oh, I always liked the more nerdy types myself. I get Dr. Fauci, I just had no idea Dr. Sis stanned anyone!
That is pretty exciting.
It is, actually!
The fact that you Stan Ed McCaffrey earns you mad respect in my world! And I’m with Big Brother on the whole Princess Leia stanning. What impressionable young adolescent didn’t fantasize about that metal bikini?
Dr. Fauci, though: way cool!
Ed was clutch. SO. CLUTCH.
His mustard was tasty, too. 🙂
I never tried his mustard, and I freakin’ LOVE mustard.
And you call yourself a fan.
Had three good years with the Giants first, too.
I had never heard this stan expression, hahaha. That Eminem song went far!
When I was a teenager, I liked the Backstreet Boys. But I never even managed to go to one of their concerts, as I lived in the ass of the world…
Concerts are exhausting and the bands never sound as good. You just missed being squished and sloshed by beer. 🙂
Haha, I love that “data” from Star Trek was your celebrity crush — First Generation for the win!
I would be pretty star struck if Dr. Fauci was in my hospital! He’s the only public figure who has given us hope and useful advice during Trump’s awful response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
When I was growing up the girls went crazy for Backstreetboy sand Nsync. I wonder what it is now? Bieber and BTS? lol
BTS for sure. Korean is becoming one of the most popular languages to learn at the local high school.