Celebrity Crushes Decoded: Unraveling Reasons for the Fandom

Have you ever had a celebrity crush? Have you ever wondered why we like these celebrities? You are not alone! I have had my share of celebrity crushes through the years, and it is always amusing to look back on who they were. Join me as I try to figure out why we have celebrity crushes. Let's figure out how these people have found a special place in our hearts!

Why Do We Have Celebrity Crushes? 

Theory #1: Relatability

One reason I have a celebrity crush is because that person reminds me so much of myself. In my case, this person is a male version of myself. He is someone I can relate to and understand better compared to others.

Out of all the celebrities, I could zero in on one person because it is the person who has the most in common with me. I like the idea that someone like me can have this great life. That someone I can relate to has achieved these great things, and yet still be someone like me. If he was an ordinary person and we met in real life, he would be the type of person that I would gravitate towards. 

This is one of the reasons why our celebrity crushes can change over time. We grow and change and in the same way, the person we can relate to the most can become different as well. I can only cringe at the fact that some of my celebrity crushes from my childhood have been embarrassing. It reminds me of how cringeworthy I sometimes was during those times too. 

Theory #2: Looks and Image

This theory is a no-brainer. We like our celebrity crushes due to their status. They have the looks and the image that portray them in a way that makes them appealing to many people. Celebrities are often packaged to appear perfect to their fans. It is this perfection that makes them more appealing to the public. It’s not only about the looks but also about the personalities that they project or show to everyone. 

This intentional packaging to attract people is more evident in boy bands or girl groups. These groups are always a mix of different personalities or images. That would make them have at least one member who would appeal to a certain group or type of person. That way the group can attract many people because they have something for everyone.  

Theory #3: Accessibility

The accessibility factor is double-edged. It’s human nature for people to often want what they can’t have. The reason for our attraction is that it feels safer to fall for someone unattainable. Someone we will never encounter in real life. But, at the same time, these celebrities appeal to us because of all the access we have to them. Not only do we see them on TV or in films, but we have access to them on social media. This makes us think we know them better than other people in our reality. We may feel like we have a relationship with them via these forms of media. It makes us feel a connection to them even if we have never met them in real life. 

Theory #4: Escape

Having a celebrity crush can often feel like an escape from your real life. It’s a fantasy that you can have about being with that perfect person who seems unreal and so far from your reality. It helps us to get distracted from the stresses of life to dive into the latest on this celebrity crush when we can. Something to make us smile after a bad day or give us a boost when we’re feeling low. It’s not a bad thing to have if it is only an escape from reality and not an entry into delulu (delusional) land. Otherwise, you might need help!

Theory #5: Aspirational & Inspirational

Having a celebrity crush can be aspirational. Having someone you look up to and admire can inspire you to improve yourself. It could help you to reach a certain level of success comparable to that of your celebrity crush.

Your celebrity crush can also be an inspiration to work harder in the things you do in life. They can motivate you to do your best to reach your goals in the same way that you admire how they have reached theirs.

The Impact of Having a Celebrity Crush

Impact #1: Learning and Expanding Our Horizons

Apart from the aspirational aspect, having this crush can also help us to expand our horizons. These celebrities could know things that you are not familiar with. Discovering things from them can push you to learn more. You would not have known about these things without that celebrity and that helps you grow.

The best example I can give about that is how BTS’ RM has opened an interest in art because he has shared his love for it. An increase in visitors to museums has happened after he posted them on social media. It is the same way with the books he has read. Those books become popular after he shares that he has read or was reading them. I love that this encouraged more people to expose themselves to art and reading. In these times all people do is experience life for and via social media so having this as an alternative is good.

Impact #2: Bonding with Friends and Family

I love that having a celebrity crush is such a common thing that it can also be a means of connecting with other people. We all have them, and they can be a topic of conversation that can help people learn more about each other. It can even bring people closer. When people have similar crushes or are also fans of those celebrities, it can form a bond between them.

Another good thing about having this crush is that it can tell you something about yourself. I have seen a pattern in most of my celebrity crushes. It has given me an idea of the type of people I am attracted to (or sometimes, aspire to be). 

When Things Go Too Far

A crush is only a crush. It is harmless. Usually. I know that there is such a thing as an unhealthy crush. This is when people take it too far. As much as I would not want to admit it, some people become obsessive and stalkers. It is an unfortunate part of most fandoms. 

Having a celebrity crush can be good, but some take it to a whole new level. Some people follow their crushes around. They end up digging for personal information and invading personal space. Some even go as far as pretending they are in a relationship with them. They even end up manufacturing proof of this, no matter how crazy it can be. 

Another scary thing is when people spend money to find information on their crushes.  Some may use this information against the celebrity if they feel disappointed in any way. They can even spread bad messages about them if they do not like what these celebrities do with their lives. That is obsessive and scary. 

Just because they are celebrities and are in the spotlight it does not mean that the public owns them. No matter how much we can relate to them or the access they give on social media we should know our place. We should not cross the line about how we deal with them in real life. 

If you know someone who does this with their celebrity crush, that person most likely needs help. They would need the help of a professional to process why they think the way they do. 

It is one thing to joke that you are in a relationship with your celebrity crush and another to believe it.  Do not end up being delusional and doing something about it in a way that can be disturbing. 

It is good to have a celebrity crush if it helps you to be happier and to be a better person. But you have to remember that it should not take over your life. We need to remember that at the end of the day, these celebrities are people like you and me. No one is as perfect as they seem to be. We should not put them up on a pedestal. They might break our hearts in the end once we find out that they do not live up to our expectations. 

Let me share an episode of the Fandesals Podcast about celebrity crushes here. For people who can understand Tagalog, this is a fun discussion that you might want to listen to. Please subscribe to the podcast if you enjoyed the episode!

What do you think of my theories on why we have celebrity crushes? Are there other reasons that I have forgotten to mention? Let me know in the comments and let’s talk about it! 

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