Deep thinking on a hot afternoon
Gawker asks a question that has my brain churning on this hot Fresno afternoon: Who is your 80s crush?
Perhaps it's the heat making me dull, but I've been sitting here for a good ten minutes trying to answer that question. Do they mean, who did I have a crush on while growing up in the 1980s, or who do I have a retroactive crush on now that embodies the 80s? If it's the latter, then the answer is easy: Jake Ryan from "Sixteen Candles."
Gawker answers its own question with a clip from 1987's "Raising Arizona," but I can't tell if their crush is Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, the Coen Brothers, or just fantastic, incredibly hilarious 80s films in general. Each is acceptable in my eyes, as "Raising Arizona" was one of the best things to come out of the decade overall.
And now the worst. I'll assume Gawker's asking who my crush was while I was still in the 80s, so, as reluctant as I am to face the truth, here goes. It was this guy:
He was adorable as "Lucas." I stand by my choice. Who you got?
Comments:
Now, looking back: definitely Ally Sheedy. "High Art" anyone?
Then, like every other boy on the block: Alyssa Milano. Also then, like my fellow nerds: Soleil Moon Frye.
Posted by: Jeffresno at June 14, 2008 7:06 PM
Confession time. My 1st 80's crush was Alex P. Keaton. Not Michael J Fox(That came later) but Alex P. Keaton;).
Posted by: NerdMom at June 14, 2008 7:59 PM
Jeffresno, I think Alyssa Milano is definitely a common 80s crush.
NerdMom: No need to feel embarrassed; APK was the hotness, for sure.
Posted by: Heather at June 14, 2008 8:23 PM
Miss Elizabeth
Posted by: Mike Oz at June 14, 2008 9:36 PM
"Heathers" (1989) got the Winona Ryder freight train going for me and every other Gen-X wanna be hipster.
Posted by: John at June 14, 2008 9:55 PM
I've narrowed it down to two:
Diane Franklin (the French Foreign Exchange Student from 'Better Off Dead.')
Ione Skye (Say Anything.)
Posted by: wet towel at June 15, 2008 12:55 AM
Kristy McNichols. Oops, that's the 70's.
Elisabeth Shue! Oh, wait, that's the 90's.
Just kidding y'all. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Fast Times.
My 2000 crush? HMac. Natch.
Posted by: Stephen at June 15, 2008 2:24 AM
I never much cared for the Tiger Beat boys, I guess I had an older man complex as a Manchester GATEr in the 80's...
Loved me some Pierce Brosnan as "Remington Steele" (kudos, HMac for your gratuitous pic of him) and Bruce Boxleitner as Scarecrow on "Scarecrow and Mrs. King"). Yummy!
Posted by: Erin D at June 15, 2008 2:42 PM
Double props, Erin D., for being the first person to ever mention Bruce Boxleitner on the Beehive. I loved "Scarecrow and Mrs. King."
Posted by: Heather at June 15, 2008 2:51 PM
My 80s crush? A cross between Sammy Hagar's Yellow Jump suit from the 55 video. And David Lee Roth's Assless Chaps from, well, Dave's everyday-wear.
The Sammy vs. Dave debate will never die.
Posted by: The Fresnan at June 15, 2008 3:06 PM
magnum p.i. no doubt about it.
Posted by: timidvenus at June 15, 2008 4:46 PM
Oh, I can't believe I forgot about River Phoenix. I guess because he's not alive to embarrass himself (like Corey Haim is), I tend to forget that my number one crush for awhile in the 80s was River Phoenix, and that he, and not Harrison Ford, is why I went to see "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" with my friends in 1989.
It came out in 1992, but I recommend the movie Sneakers to anyone who hasn't seen it. Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier and River Phoenix all in the same movie - hot guy paradise.
Posted by: Heather at June 15, 2008 6:25 PM
Erin, I said first crush;). I totally loved Remington Steele but Scarecrow and Mrs. King was my favorite. My husband and I joked around that I wanted to be Laura Ingels Wilder and grow up to marry Scarecrow. Who knew how close that prediction was;). Alas, I also had an older man thing (and Alex P Keaton was older for me too;).
And Heather, you didn't have a thing for Harrison Ford. Thats it! You no call him Indy, you call him Mr. Jones;).
I am very winky tonight.
Posted by: NerdMom at June 15, 2008 8:38 PM
and this is why you went and saw indiana jones and the temple of doom.
Posted by: ed at June 15, 2008 9:51 PM
I've thought about this.--and dang, but the 80's were a long time ago now---and, i think it was a particularly longggg decade in my life...like *nearly* 11 years long I think.
Ok, ....Natasha Kinski and Michelle Pfeiffer
(Does anyone remember "Married to the Mob"? [great music, even David Byrne doing the incidental music ])
Posted by: blake at June 16, 2008 1:15 PM
Oh...and one more...Uma Thurman in Dangerous Liaisons (1988). YOWZA.
Posted by: John at June 16, 2008 11:18 PM
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