Last year co-active life coach Karen Jane DeWitt and I bonded over our love of the blonde bombshell of the ‘90s for youths who wanted nothing more than to spend their Scholastic Book Fair money on anything and everything revolving around Hanson. Only Karen Jane DeWitt was so much cooler than me because while she went on to be known as “the Hanson girl” out in Texas, I was so shaken by the “MMMBop” backlash that I hid away my interest in the singing siblings. It would take some time for me to admit it but today I cannot deny that Taylor Hanson is a lifelong crush of mine.
When I first caught wind of the tongue-twister debut single, I was confused. I mean, who knew what the hell they were singing about? All I knew was that one of them made my insides feel a certain type of way. This was a bit before Nick Carter would ride in on a daydream come true, but not too long after my mind wrestled between JTT and Devon Sawa. I knew what the feelings were but after hearing everyone make fun of them, could I really withstand what would’ve come with admitting I was in love with Taylor Hanson? I couldn’t. I was fearful. I was stupid. I was just a kid.
As I got older and Hanson sort of faded into the background for most of my peers, I was able to admit to not only being way too into ‘Middle of Nowhere’ but also to having a crush on the middle brother of the trio. Now, Taylor Hanson isn’t someone I rush out to see when him and his brothers announce a tour. My lifelong crush on Taylor stays intact because I can’t shake how attractive I find him. The locks have gotten shorter over the years but there is still something about him that makes my insides feel that certain type of way.
The moment I knew this crush was top-tier was a random day in Hollywood on my way back home. I was rushing to cross the street in front of the El Capitan and who walked by me as rushed? Taylor Hanson. My breath was taken away and it didn’t return for what felt like forever when in reality it was mere seconds. Everything in me wanted to turn around and ask for a photo, but in the midst of crossing paths, I saw he had a toy in his hand. I figured his kid was not happy in the theater and all that was going to cheer them up was that toy. I let this crush I held onto since elementary school walk away but I figured, that was okay – one day. Or perhaps not. I’m really not sure I could handle the encounter.
Taylor Hanson entered my life during the kickstart of my formative crush years. I was over the innocent (and not so innocent) first crushes, and slowly inching towards those preteen picks, the ones whose last names I’d pair with mine, and Taylor Hanson was definitely part of that crush crop. Only I had to toss every single piece of paper with “Kendra Hanson” on it to avoid playground prosecution. Alas, those days are long gone but the crush remains.
Crushgasm 