THE CRUSH

As most gay people will attest, I too grew up having purely natural crushes like everyone else - it just so happened that my crushes were generally on men. Seeing that I was such a TV fanatic (a quality inherited from my mama), my crushes were usually on the TV stars from my favorite TV shows. The crushes that stand out the most in my memory are of the following:

One of my first big crushes was on Dwayne Nelson (played by Haywood Nelson), one of the main characters from one of my all-time favorite TV shows, WHAT'S HAPPENING!. That big, goofy smile, those dimples and the way he filled out those bell bottomed jeans was just too much for me!

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OK, I loved me some Lee Majors, star of another favorite show, THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN. Steve Austin was just so handsome and macho - really the epitome of 'good-looking' in the 70's (well, he and Billy Dee). I also lived for CHARLIE'S ANGELS, one of the most glamorous TV shows ever (Kelly was my favorite - just divine). But when I learned he was married to Farrah Fawcett, I actually felt jealous at age 6!!!

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One of my biggest and longest lasting crushes was on James Evans, Sr., the father from one of the most influential shows of my life, GOOD TIMES. John Amos, on GOOD TIMES and ROOTS, represented the epitome of black manhood to me as a child. His strong Afro features, strapping body, winning smile, those tight, tan corduroys and his paternal strength had me absolutely smitten.

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But, alas, my all-time huge crush was on a woman! Lynda Carter single handedly shaped one of my biggest tastes in beauty - the sexy, raven-haired, ultra-curvy, super vixen with strength to save the world. When WONDER WOMAN came on TV, I was beyond transfixed. That spin and star burst transformation still sends chills down my spine! But what would send me careening over the edge was when she spun into her motorcycle, scuba or skateboard outfit - somebody fan me, please!!!!!!

The show was originally set in the 1940's, but because of high costs of a period production, they updated it to the 1970's. Well hot damn, because when they did that, Ms. Carter was regularly laid up in Diane von Furstenberg and Halston while toting around Vuitton bags. This was one of the influences that set me on my current career path. It is one of the reasons that the 70's play such an important part in my own creative aesthetic - Diana Prince could wear the hell out of a 3-piece, flare legged suit! So, I salute Ms. Lynda Carter as one of the biggest influences on my early life as a little fat, black, gay kid who loved fashion, glamour, buxom women and super heroes.

This sexually suggestive commercial is still stunning as ever. This woman had face and body to stop traffic.

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Pure pop culture genius!!!!!

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