This article was written by teen reporters from The Mash, a weekly publication distributed to Chicagoland high schools.
By Victoria Gonzalez, Riverside Brookfield, Rosemary Anguiano, Whitney Young and Jessica Hawkins
Directioners and Beliebers, move aside! Apparently, star-struck girls aren’t the only teens who go crazy over celebrities. Fanboys are here and they’re coming on just as strong.
Fangirls have been around since the dawn of boy bands. You’ve seen them — they’re the girls who pass out when they come in contact with their “future husbands.”
But many people seem to overlook the fact that it isn’t just girls who are covering their bedroom walls with posters and pinups from "Tiger Beat" — the boys are right there with them.
Meet some of the guys who can geek out over the stars too.
Shawn, Sophomore, Lane TechFan of: Ryan Gosling
Contrary to what people might think, guys can be fanboys of other guys as well as girls. Logan is a perfect example. His favorite actor? Ryan Gosling.
At first, Logan thought that Gosling was just a “pretty boy” who relied on his looks to gain popularity. However, after watching the movie “Drive,” Logan was able to appreciate Gosling’s acting ability.
“After ‘Drive,’ he’s proven that he can almost do any kind of performance,” Logan said. “He was hilarious in ’Crazy, Stupid, Love’ and spellbindingly great in ‘The Ides of March.’”
Since “Drive,” Logan’s goal has been to watch every movie Gosling has starred in. He even started a DVD collection and is up to seven movies. While his guy friends occasionally make jokes about him liking Gosling, he knows he’s not the only one. “My friends and I all agree that 99 percent of guys have a man crush, and mine is Gosling,” Logan said.
Sebastian, Senior, Jones Fan of: Lady Gaga
Iniguez is more than gaga for Lady Gaga, he’s arguably one of her biggest and most dedicated fans. As with any other fearless fanboy, Iniguez isn’t ashamed of his obsession. In fact, friends and relatives use his knowledge to keep up with the latest Gaga news.
His obsession began when Gaga was considered just a mere up-and-coming pop singer. Iniguez said he feels Gaga is sincere and cares about her fans. He draws encouragement and inspiration from her.
“I have been supporting her since the beginning, and I try to share her messages of love and acceptance,” Iniguez said.
In the past, Iniguez has dressed up as his idol for Halloween. He even made a replica of the notorious meat dress Gaga wore during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.
“When she canceled the (‘Born This Way’) tour (which would have included two shows at the United Center last week), I tweeted her and sent her some of my artwork,” Iniguez said.
Though Gaga has yet to respond to his tweets, he still holds out hope she’ll contact him one day. He’s also optimistic that Gaga will reschedule her tour, which she postponed because of a hip injury, according to reports. “I am more concerned about her health and well being than the concerts,” he said. “There is always next time.”
Luke, Senior, Whitney YoungFan of: Taylor Swift
While Taylor Swift has her fair share of fans, Danielson is among the biggest. Just a few years ago Danielson favored bands like Avenged Sevenfold and Rise Against, but now he finds himself listening to Swift on a daily basis. He also keeps updated on T-Swizzle news by surfing the Internet for the latest stories surrounding the blonde star.
“I do talk about her a lot, but it turns into a huge kind of joking thing between me and my friends,” Danielson said. “We tease each other for liking her.”
While some of his friends are right beside him as fanboys, others find it funny that his music taste has changed so drastically. Even one of his close friends, Emily Bish, a senior at Whitney Young, was a little surprised when she learned of Danielson’s love for Swift. “It really became apparent when he would give me rides home and blast ‘We Are Never (Ever) Getting Back Together,’ ” Bish said.
While Danielson has never (ever) attended one of Swift’s concerts, she has found a special place in his heart. “I really like the new stuff she has but I also like her older stuff,” he said. “I just really (like) how she mixes country and pop.”
Santiago, Junior, Riverside Brookfield Fan of: Jessica Alba
“I am in love with Jessica Alba,” Beltran said. “Everything about her just drives me wild.”
Beltran expresses his fandom by covering the walls of his room and locker with photos of Alba. “I have posters of her in my room, I own a calendar that contains different pictures of her every month, and I have seen every movie she’s ever been in,” Beltran said.
He also said she’s a good actress and athlete, and he admires her looks. “Every time I see her and those beautiful eyes I fall in love all over again,” he said.
Luckily, Beltran hasn’t been heavily teased for his obsession, he said. “My family likes to tease me for it, but my friends share my beliefs, so it’s all good.” Beltran continues to dream of the day he’ll meet the “goddess” herself, but for now he passes the time by tweeting her.
Thomas, Senior, Riverside Brookfield Fan of: Ariana Grande
As a huge fan of Ariana Grande, a cast member of “Victorious” before it was canceled in the fall, Bojovic has only the sweetest things to say about her. “She is beautiful, funny, has an amazing voice, and I love her laugh,” he said.
Bojovic shows his fandom by setting pictures of Grande as his phone background and Facebook cover photo. “I would consider myself a fanboy because I obsess over anything she is in, such as television shows and songs, and because I think she is insanely hot,” he said.
No matter what people say, Bojovic continues to be Grande’s No. 1 fan, “My friends and family always make fun of me for it and think it is pretty weird how I would pretty much drop dead to meet her,” he said.
Just about anyone who knows Bojovic knows about his love for Grande. “I think his obsession over (Grande) is pretty funny and interesting to say the least,” said Bojovic’s younger sister, Victoria. “I have never made fun of him for it—I actually think it is pretty cool.”
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