My First Celeb Crush

The year was 2006 and I was in middle school. My brother and I were watching the Disney channel as we would every day. A trailer came on for the hit Disney Channel original movie, High School Musical while the snow was falling outside in Albany, New York. The trailer for this mysterious film looked interesting, and I was a fan of the theater so I thought I would like it. Little did I know it would be the catalyst of awakening.

Before this time I hadn't really felt anything for anybody. That sentence makes me sound like a sociopath. I mean I didn't really have a crush on anyone, celebrity or otherwise before High School Musical premiered.

Zac Efron was a typical boring mid-2000's white boy with a swoop haircut that Justin Beiber would later be known for. I had more interest in the song, "The Start of Something New" than I did for him or Vanessa Hudgens. It was when Corbin Bleu appeared on the screen that my attention was piqued for something other than the musical number. The way each golden curl flopped in his face when emoting, telling the character of Troy not to audition for Twinkle Town, or dancing in numbers like "Getcha Head in the Game". Or when he was telling everyone to just stay in whatever clique high school society had designated for them in "Stick to the Status Quo". Was he a bit of a shitty friend who gave even shittier advice? Yes. Were he and his golden curls the ruler of my 7th grader heart? Most definitely.

By the time the movie had finished, I was obsessed. I printed out lyrics. I was trying and failing to understand the dance moves, and I was asking everyone at school if they were as obsessed with Corbin Bleu as I was. A lot of the answers I received were yes. Older family members made fun of me as it was my first celebrity crush and only attainable in my dreams. I was content with that.

Before High School Musical 2 came out, the second film I would recognize Corbin Bleu in, Jump In, premiered costarring KeKe Palmer. And my god, his curls only got bouncier.... Mainly because it was a movie about him learning how to double dutch, but still. Around the same time as this film, his song "Push It" and the corresponding music video premiered and I fell in love with him all over again. His Micheal Jackson inspired dance moves had me thrilled (Get it? because of Thriller? moving on). That was the first time I had seen him not being directed by Kenny Ortega and he shone.

The character of Chad was just as shitty in High School Musical 2 as he was in High School Musical 1 but one thing had changed. He acquired a choker at some point. That didn't do anything to make me like him more but it was just a weird wardrobe choice that I noticed.

Looking back, as handsome as Corbin Bleu is, I think I was more jealous of his luscious locks. That's not to say that if he asked me on a date that I would tell him no but I more just appreciate him for being my first celebrity "crush". Since him, there have been tons. Among them is Alia Shawkat, Charles Micheal Davis (who can do near-violent things to me), and Cardi B. I don't think I'm ever going to stop having a rotating door of completely unattainable crushes But I will always remember Corbin "the garbage friend from High School Musical" Bleu as my first.