Nerd Crush Follow Up -- Part II -- Tom Selleck!!!11!

Here's the thing. 

Tom Selleck was so above and beyond all those other crushes that he didn't even occur to me for the crush list. Honestly. He was different.  More special.  He was Magnum P.I.

AND -- Tom Selleck lived and worked in HAWAII!!!1! Just like me. Well, my job was to be in high school at the time, but still. He was nearby. When you live in a small town far away from "Hollywood" this is big big big deal.  Yeah, yeah, there was Hawaii 5-0 when I was in 2nd grade, but we didn't really know what crushes were at that point.  (Of course I would have had a thing for Danno...)

Hang on, I have to do two things here:
1) "With Kam Fong as Chin Ho"  !!  (That's for Betsy and Sally (and Dor too if you are there...))
and
2) Shout out to Tommy Tedesco and others who played on the theme song.  Oh you thought it might be some group called "The Ventures"?  Oh no.  Please click here and learn about The Wrecking Crew.

(I was going to embed the opening sequence from Hawaii 5-0 from the youtube page, but they disabled the embed option, you'll need to click here. Enjoy.)

Where was I? Oh yeah, Tom Selleck.

At some point in the fall of 1982 or early 1983, mom and I went to Oahu for mom's friend Jackie's wedding.  Mostly I remember the party at the Waikiki Yacht Club (or is it/was it the Ala Wai Yacht Club?), very exclusive. The key thing is, when you walked in there was a guest book to sign and GUESS WHO HAD SIGNED IT WITH HIS ADDRESS?!?!?!?  Yes, indeed Tom Selleck.  I memorized the address on Black Point Road, knowing I would need it some day.  And boy did I.

Cut to spring of 1983, my sophomore year in high school. I'm social committee chairperson (I know, hard to imagine) and I don't have a date to the prom I just organized. What to do...what to do.... DING!  Yes, sports fans, I wrote Tom Selleck a letter asking him to be my date to the prom. I explained my situation and assured him I wasn't a lunatic and was nice looking.  (Gawd being 15 was awesome!!)  No, I didn't really hold out hope that he would come, but I had his actual home address that no one else had and I only lived a 20 minute flight away....TC could fly him over in the helicopter and ....

Okay, I didn't hear from him and Joel asked me at the last minute and I went to the prom and it was all fine.

BUT THEN!

I got two postcards in May of 1983.  And yes OF COURSE I still have them.  The fronts looked like this:

(Click for bigger, you know you want to...)

But more importantly -- what was on the back!

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!

I like to think he typed it. And I told myself, even then, that even if it was an assistant, how amazing!!

I'll transcribe in case you couldn't see it clearly:
Thanks for the nice invitation, Julia.  Sorry I missed the event, but, Magnum PI was just wrapping up and I was getting ready to leave for England, where I'll be until mid-summer shooting "Lassiter". I just now received your letter.  Hope the prom went super well, Julia.

Oh Tom, you are wonderful.

Today I was IMing with Shana about the nerd crush post from yesterday and she immediately typed "TOM SELLECK!" which made me realize how above and beyond he was for me, more than just a crush and thus this blog post.

Shana told me about her journal and major list of crushes from 1982, then said, "hang on, I know where it is, I'll scan the page!"  Voila!

Tom was very very important in our young crush/love lives.  I love Shana's list, not too far off from mine.  Though I wasn't so into Rick Springfield.  And again, Harrison Ford was way way way way way out of my crush league. 

I adore/cherish my memories and postcards from Tom that I had to write a small part for him in my most recent script.  I am going to make the movie and I will get Tom.  I know his address. I'll invite you all to the premiere and I'll say:

Be there.  Aloha!

Comments

[Sally Bond]

Here's one for you, Nini. You know the house that Magnum was filmed at? It belongs to my high school classmate's aunt. We had beach parties there while in high school and even now we gather there for our reunions. Not once did we ever see him - bummer! But we kept (keep) hoping he'd surprise us and walk around the corner.

[Sarah Auerswald]

How come I never knew about this close personal relationship you had with Tom Selleck??? Of course I had a crush on him in HS, too!

And Shana's diary page had me on the FLOOR. How many pages like that did I write, too???? We'll never know since I didn't save any of them! HA!

[Betsy]

The ringtone on my phone is the Hawaii 5-0 theme. Earlier this year I was encouraged to change it to that by (who else?) Jen.

I have my own memories of Tom Selleck playing volleyball at the Outrigger. Nice memories that I'll keep to myself, thank you very much.

[Julia]

Jen had her finger on the pulse. Now, please tell me where you got the ringtone! I might need to copy...

[Courtney Pine]

Way to go Joel. He always came through in a pinch! He truly was a girls' best friend in high school! Now about Tom...Julia, my husband PLAYED Volleyball with Tom at the Outrigger! He said he was a really nice guy! I'd like an invite to the premier too please! :)

[Julia]

Joel was good that way. Plus gay, every insecure high school girl's best friend. (Joel, if I've just outed you, sorry, but I don't think it's much of a secret.)

Courtney! What amazing contacts you have! Now I know the volleyball angle is the one to use to help me get Tom in the movie.

Everyone will be invited to all the premiers!

[Michele]

Had to tell this story...When I was living in LA working in advertising, a magazine gave me a "beauty day" at Jose Eber Salon in Beverly Hills. So I was sitting in the chair getting my hair cut, when I see Jose Eber himself (remember the mesh cowboy hat and long hair?) walking up with...yes, Tom Selleck. He stood next to me as Jose asked what he wanted done. Tom wears tight jeans, and since his crotch was at my eye level (he's tall), I had to ogle. And lets just say....Tom's a big boy.

[Julia]

That is hilarious!