So I set you all that challenge.
You know, the one where I said,
“I want to know about your first ‘celebrity’ crush. You know, the one you fancied from that band, or that film, or who read the news, or who won Gold at the Olympics.
Did you have their pictures on your wall or in your locker?
Did you dress like them, style or colour your hair like them, follow them, meet them, marry them? (It could happen.)
Photos of THEM would be good, photos of YOU at the time you liked them would be even better.
Also, if you have time, I’d like to know whether they had any influence over your life, the person you became, or if they were just an embarrassing blip you would kind of rather forget about.”
And I bet you were all thinking, Jo must have a reeeeeally cool celebrity crush, someone like Bob Dylan, or Mark Bolan, or (tries to think of someone cool from the eighties/nineties but fails miserably), erm, somebody else who was cool.Well, I was born in 1975, and though I ‘liked’ certain pop stars as I grew up, and fancied a couple, it wasn’t until one band hit in 1988 when I was 13 and, erm, hormonal, that I finally fell in love with some.
I was one of those kids who generally followed along with her big sister. She liked Duran Duran, I liked Duran Duran. She liked Bros, I liked Bros. But in my defense, I always fancied the ones nobody else fancied, because;
a. I wanted to be different to my big sis
b. I wanted to be different
c. I had a thing for the underdog
But when THIS band arrived, I heard of them first, so they were mine.
To be honest, it wasn’t a musical thing. I still hadn’t found my music, but it was totally a teen thing, a heart throb thing, a jumping on the bandwagon and enjoying the ride thing. Even then, I knew that musically that were a bit cack, but there was something for everyone there, and the way they were marketed meant even the shy, chubby kid with the glasses and the less than cool outfits was made to feel accepted and loved.
They covered my walls and ceiling. Literally.
Their names covered my school books, along with variations; Jo Knight, Jo Whalberg, Jo McIntyre.
When a new single, album or video came out I rushed to HMV and bought them, or begged my mum and dad for them, or ‘taped’ them off my mates. When I got home I’d play them again and again till I knew every word. I’d sing along plaintively or sit glued to the TV making little excited whoops and cheers, like a large and mostly bald chi hua hua.
I saw them in concert 5 times.
In short, I loved them.
This continued for several years, in fact, basically the whole of puberty. I suppose it helped that they were a similar age to me, the oldest, Jon, was 7 years my senior, the youngest, Joe was 3 years my senior, so, you know, perfect marriage material. And I suppose they were a safe outlet for those new and confusing feelings that came with the breasts and the armpit hair.
Whatever it was, these 5 men are my embarrassing secret.
I wrote them poems, knew everything there was to know about the, and discussed them daily with my mates.
In 1991 I won a competition in Smash Hits magazine and ended up having a weekend in London with my sister. I was 16, she was 18. We had a night at the Ritz, a chauffeur driven limousine, a trip to Harrods, dinner at The Hardrock Cafe, tickets to see ‘Return to the Forbidden Planet’, and £500 to spend.
You know what I spent it on?
Mostly these…
Yes, if you hadn’t already guessed it, I was a fan of ‘New Kids on the Block’, or NKOTB,
which stands for “No kids Ought To Buy” or occasionally, Nice Knitted Octopi Try Ballet.
(But generally it’s the first).
There.
It’s out there.
For you.
Are my cheeks red?
Well that’s kind of a personal question, but yes, a little.
Thanks God I hit 17 and developed musical taste. The hormones were settling down, the ‘being my own person and actually finding music I like’ was coming to the forefront, and bands such as The Wonderstuff, Senseless Things, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and Lemonheads were in the charts.
Sighhhhh.
I got me some docs, some stripy tights, a very tiny skirt, and headed off to Rock City to find myself, and I never looked back.
Until now.
And then, I find this…
(There seems to be an annoying ad first, but it gets to them in the end.)
Can you believe it?
My celebrity crush have reformed, and have their first performance this week??
So will I be watching it??
Nahhhh.
They got me through my teenage years, but they’re just not my ‘thang’ anymore.
So, embarrassing blip?
Musically yes, but emotionally?
Well, they still hold a little corner of my heart.
Now click on the lovely list and go read everyone else’s celebrity crush stories. I know I will.
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April 6th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Nice. I know everything about NKOB, because my daughter Karina use to be a big fan of them also. I don’t even think they’re that bad.
Jo I’m sory that you had problems with your blog and I’m glad you back. By the way I’m not on your list for the Fun Monday, if you could sign me up I would apreciate. Thank you.
April 6th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
great post Jo…glad to see you up and running. I hope to get my post up soon…I have to write it now…I forgot what the assignment was so I was hoping you would have it up!!
April 6th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Alison, thanks, and your post is fab, he was very cute.
April 6th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Was I too young [I'm 23] or was I just out of touch?
I didn’t get into them…
April 6th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Maria, you were too youg sweetie. Be glad. Be very, very glad.
April 6th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I’d bet money you’re gonna watch them Jo! It’s fun reading this because I realize “we” all kinda suffered a similar malady–although it might’ve come in different shapes and colors
.
Soooo sorry for your techie difficulties. What wretched timing for YOU! Hope you don’t have too much of a headache when all is said and done.
Thanks, too, for hosting with this theme! I’ve been wanting to write “this” story for two years, and you finally provided the kick in the behind to get it done! (Mine’s posted early.)
April 6th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Great Crush Jo! I was just a touch to the left of the crushing on NKOTB… I was majorly crushing on Richard Marx at the time, but I did see them in concert once. My college roomie and I took her then 13 year old sister and her friend. I have yet to be amongst soo many tweenagers squealing their lungs out.
)
I’m gonna actually try to get my FM posted ON TIME this week, so please add me to the list.
Have a Great Monday!
April 6th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I got mine up – and I must say, when I saw who yours was, I felt very, very old…. You probably never even HEARD of mine!
April 6th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I still have a crush on Joey. *swoon*
I taped them on the today show on Friday. Oh yes, I did. And I have my email set to remind me when they do their concert on May 16th. Oh, yes, I do.
My Dad was totally making fun of me at Christmas because I searched ebay for all their albums on CD (I have them all on cassette, but I don’t own a cassette deck anymore). I said ‘oh, Dad. I bet they’ll be a reunion soon, it’s been almost 20 years.’
Can I call it or what?!
April 6th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
OMG! I’m sending my youngest daughter over here just as soon as I fly away.
She and her friends are planning to go see them if they do get together for a concert anywhere close to Oklahoma.
There’s not enough cotton in the world for me to get close to those boys ee-r-r young men again.
I remember at one of the concerts, digging in my purse looking for anything to stuff in my ears to keep my brain from rattling out of my head. All I could find was the cotton in the Advil bottle. I stuffed all the cotton in my ears and took the Advil.
Thanks for hosting this week. It was Fun !
April 6th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
like Thalia’s child above I still have a little crush on Joe. I loved them back then but grew up or so I thought. I still like certain songs and really I’m excited to see them coming back just curious to see what they do now that they aren’t kids anymore.
April 6th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
I like the NKOTB, but I never got really, really into them like some of my friends did. Stop by mine to see who my crushes were.
April 6th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
OMG The new kids
Jo said “Whatever it was, these 5 men are my embarrassing secret.”
Not so secret any more.
Thanks for the laugh and Double Thanks for being the Host.
April 6th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Thanks for hosting such a fun challenge!
I was a little before NKOTB. My crushes from the 70’s are truly awful though.
April 6th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Lovely. I’m getting ready to go to bed and now I have OH-OH-OH-OH-OH…OH-OH-OH-OH, stuck in my brain.
Donnie’s brother wants me, he just doesn’t know it.
April 6th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Thanks for hosting this Fun Monday.. I went back to when I was 14 years old and posted my celebrity crush. The year 1955….. James Dean….
April 6th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
At least you behaved like a “normal” teenager ! I never had a spiritual idol I only looked if they were handsome or not and then looked around to find a copy, lol !
April 6th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I feel so old.
April 6th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
That’s a great post, I enjoyed it!
I loved the video , looks like you were not the only one with that crush, huh?
Anyway, mine is up too, and I’m looking forward to read the rest of the crushes!
April 7th, 2008 at 12:06 am
LOL – I guess you could now call them, the Old Guys On The Block. ;-D
Great post and I must admit, the look quite cool these days.
April 7th, 2008 at 2:53 am
I think my head was stuck in the sand when these guys came out.
April 7th, 2008 at 3:05 am
I’m in this week. Please add me to the Lovely List!
(I’m off to pick up Spud from Playschool and will give an explanation of my first crush later!)
April 7th, 2008 at 4:00 am
Like some others before me, your guys made me feel old! I was never into them. Too little for me and not my music at all, but I know they attracted ALOT of young girls!!
This was a FUN Monday. Good idea you came up with! Fun to read what everyone else says.
April 7th, 2008 at 4:35 am
Please add me to your list. Mine isn’t too exciting, but it’s true.
I was born a few years before you and I was not into the NKOTB but my little sister was, she is your age. I had to take her to one of their concerts and I wouldn’t admit it then, but I had fun. I am just not adding them to my iPod. 
April 7th, 2008 at 5:09 am
I don’t remember them, but would like to see the perform after all these years. I went and checked some of their videos on you tube and they were very good. Not my type of music at that time, but now I’m more flexible.
April 7th, 2008 at 6:02 am
I would like to say that my wife had a crush on that boy band when she was a pre teen, and yes she like Joey. Yes, my name is Joe and yes, I am boy band cute.
LMAO. I am too ashamed to post my celebrity crush…Winona Ryder.
April 7th, 2008 at 6:12 am
I was a bit too old to get into NK but I had a major crush on Shawn Cassidy when I was in elementary school. OMG did I just admit that to the world? Hiding in shame now.
April 7th, 2008 at 6:13 am
NKOTB!!! I was a Jonathan girl.
April 7th, 2008 at 6:33 am
I think I’m old enough to be your mother if this group was your teen heart throb
Fun post and hope all your blog woes disappear soon…
April 7th, 2008 at 6:58 am
I’m with ellen b, I’m sure it’s a generational thing. I’m really too old to have ever “gotten” NKOTB, but my daughters DID. This is a great post. Thank you.
April 7th, 2008 at 7:08 am
oh oh oh oohhhoh I bet you’ll be watching it- a bit. You know while flipping through the channels you pause a little longer on them then continue flipping!
April 7th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Thank you for hosting this week’s Fun Monday. I am looking forward to reading all about the celebrity crushes of the participants. So the New Kids on the Block reformed. I wonder how many of their old fans will be enthusiastic. I would guess like you the fans have moved on to other more refined interests.
April 7th, 2008 at 7:33 am
I’m late but I’m UP! This is such a challenge for me! LOL
Happy Fun Monday everyone!
April 7th, 2008 at 7:38 am
You post made me chuckle and I can so relate to you!!! LOL
April 7th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Well, I am a PROUD NKOTB fan and have no shame in admitting my crush still lingers after all these years…hahaha…Donnie is my pick for today’s Fun Monday in fact.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:14 am
You saw them in concert 5 TIMES! Hek Jo, that’s not a crush, that’s obsessed!!
(I downloaded Firefox by the way on your advice – it’s great!)
April 7th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Alrighty….Ya, I liked their singing!!!
Thanks for the visit today.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:45 am
The Beatles were my crush in particular Paul McCartney. When I see him now I think -WTF?
April 7th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Please tell me that your collage is an original from the crush years. If so, how great to have kept it. And what a concert night to remember.
My celebrity post is finally up. Come see me!
April 7th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Oh Yeah! I had a crush on NKOTB, especially Joe!! Those were some real fun times!
My celebrity crush post is up!
Happy fun Monday!
April 7th, 2008 at 10:08 am
I know every dang song on that album.
How embarrassing.
I mean, not as embarrassing as you with the dolls…but still.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:29 am
My secret crush was The Nolan Sisters. Not.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Hahaha – I loved reading this! I missed the initial question, but it’s a great one!
When I lived in Boston, we’d go to a recording studio in Dorcester, and that is where the NKOTB were from. I only knew that because the corner store we went to for beer and cigs was called New Store on the Block. They were veeeery proud of their boys!!!
I’m going to have to take a trip down memory lane for my first band crush, or whatever….
April 7th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Andy Gibb. I wore out a record.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
What a great post, Jo – and what a way to experience stardom as a teenager.
Thanks for your comment – yes, a few people told me about Wordpress’s feature enabling pre-scheduled posts. I’m delighted that Blogger has introduced it for our benefit at last!
April 7th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Oh, don’t lie – you were screaming right along with all those fans in the video, right?
Thanks for being such a great hostess!
April 7th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Hanging tough…wow. Blast from the past.
I had crushes on the entire boy band, Menudo. Richard Marx and of course, George Michael before the world knew he was gay..now that is embarrassing.
April 7th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
thanks again for the great fun monday!!! I had a blast reading all of them…what a wonderful trip down memory lane!!
April 7th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
My first celebrity crush was David Cassidy—or actually his character, keith partridge, on the Partridge Family TV show. I kissed a poster of him every night before going to bed—I was only 6!!!!
April 7th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
My first celebrity crush was Rob Lowe when I saw him in Thursday’s Child – and here we are decades later and he still looks as good (or better) than he did then. I sure wish I had that man’s genes!