Before the recent election, Canadian politics didn't really register with American author and comedian Sara Benincasa.
And now? Oh, it registers.
Specifically, the flowing locks and chiseled cheekbones of Liberal leader and newly-minted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
"When he won the election, I saw his picture and said to myself, 'Hello!'" says the Brooklyn-based author of the upcoming book "D.C. Trip."
"I think his attractiveness is a combination of his cheekbones, his eyes, and his resemblance to every Disney prince ever. I am suddenly deeply intrigued by Canadian politics."
Indeed, Benincasa's ardor for the new Canadian leader led to a rather salty series of post-election tweets, many of which are not publishable.
Suffice it to say there are numerous naughty activities she would like to conduct with the member of Parliament representing Montreal's Papineau.
"If I were U.S. president, I would call him all the time and make up reasons to hang out," Benincasa remarks.
"I would tell him an attack is coming, just to get him to come over, and then have coffee and talk about our feelings. We could even watch 'Degrassi' together."
Justin Trudeau takes part in a weigh-in for a charity boxing match March 28, 2012 in Ottawa. (Photo: Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)
Benincasa is hardly alone in her budding Justin Trudeau crush. Not just because of his commanding victory, in forming a majority government that turfed longtime prime minister Stephen Harper.
Many other American women -- and men, for that matter -- are gazing at Trudeau longingly, as if he were Channing Tatum in the film "Magic Mike."
One of his new fans: Katherine Memmel, a San Diego writer and editor who is partial to the famous shot of Trudeau in a boxing stance, and who "may or may not" have said pic currently stored on her smartphone.
"Dark floppy hair, strong body, penetrating eyes: That's my jam right there," Memmel says. "I haven't entirely discussed this with my husband."
In fact when Memmel shared photos of the First Canuck around her office, she was met with widespread disbelief. "They didn't believe me," she remembers. "I said, 'I'm not kidding -- he's running Canada right now.' "
It's an intriguing geopolitical development, since Canada is traditionally not even on the radar of the American consciousness. Benincasa's saucy prediction: Potential U.S. president Hillary Clinton may be making more frequent-than-usual Canadian visits, and placing numerous late-night phone calls in years to come.
Of course it's entirely unfair to discuss a national leader as simply a piece of beefcake. But another American admirer, pianist Normandie Wilson of San Diego, says there is something "inherently feminist" about objectifying the Trudeau scion.
"It feels good to have a whole camaraderie of American women saying 'Ooh la la!'," Wilson says. "Women undergo that scrutiny every single day, so why not men? I think it's time to turn the tables.
"But most of all, I want to run my fingers through his hair."
Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau and Justin Trudeau attend the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. (Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
Of course, the bad news for Trudeau's growing legions of American fans: He is already married, to the lovely Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau. In fact, once Sara Benincasa did some research and found a picture of Sophie, she transferred her affections to the other half of the happy couple.
"At present, the list of Canadians with whom I would like to have relations now with starts with Sophie, followed by Justin," she says. "And then, of course, Anne Murray."
Earlier on HuffPost:
