This week, many social media users were once again disappointed in the selection of someone for a coveted position. Actor John Krasinski — yes, Jim. office — Named “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine.
It's not a terrible choice, just a really baffling one. It's not that Krasinski isn't an objectively handsome guy. His Recent TV Appearances — Prime Video Shows jack ryanwhich ended in 2023 — he played a burly, ass-kicking CIA agent. Furthermore, he has rarely been asked to display any kind of sexual appeal in his career. His most shocking role to date was probably more than a decade ago. office as the funny and relatable Jim Halpert; Since then, he has garnered the most attention from women on social media when he posed with his wife, actress Emily Blunt, on the red carpet. Moreover, this year is not the year when his enthusiasm is visible. His work in 2024 was almost entirely behind the scenes, directing children's films. if and production A Quiet Place: Day 1.
As mentioned above, Krasinski's choice was puzzling in a world of pop culture that is practically rife with “Internet boyfriends.” With look-alike contests being held in the US and Europe for some of Hollywood's hottest young men – Timmy Chalamets and Paul Mescals – the lack of excitement over the issue has never been so loud. There wasn't. What does it mean to be named People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in 2024? And why are we still investing so much?
Readers who witnessed Patrick Dempsey receiving this honor just last year point out that the “Sexiest Man Alive” question didn't always feel so arbitrary and untimely. Must do. From its first issue (now cursed) in 1985 with box-office star Mel Gibson to its popularization by Channing Tatum in 2012, the titular “guy” has always been an average (heterosexual) It felt like it represented the tastes of white (white) women. Moreover, it was often the stars who dominated the box office. In the past, this cover was used to showcase the “Its” who were newly cementing their status as full-fledged movie stars, such as Brad Pitt in 1995 and George Clooney in 1997. It served as the ultimate advertising tool to reassure the public that they were stars. These selections were overwhelmingly white, but at least once felt relevant.
People has been an industry stalwart through difficult times, and this special issue is definitely one of the things that keeps the magazine on magazine stands. According to Digiday, the Sexiest Man issue has a “price-based, or guaranteed circulation, of 3.7 million copies, compared to a price-based, or guaranteed circulation, of 3.5 million copies for the magazine's regular issue.” The article, strategically published in the fourth quarter when consumers shop on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, is proving to be a huge cash cow for Dotdash Meredith, People's parent company.
However, in the 2010s, the issue began to receive some backlash. More precisely, the advent of social media has allowed these grievances to be expressed in visible ways. Denzel Washington and Keanu Reeves weren't the only two people of color to win the award until Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson graced the cover in 2016. In 2013, the film's inclusion of celebrities such as the so-called Fool rock star Adam Levine raised eyebrows, and it performed relatively poorly on newsstands. His co-stars are the voiceBlake Shelton probably did the most damage to his reputation on this issue. When his cover was released in 2017, the internet went into a frenzy for several days. John Legend (another judge) the voice) 2019 felt almost just as random. Even Benny Blanco's honorable mention in this issue was met with strong opposition online. Over the years, “sexiest man alive” has become less of a reliable claim and more of a debate.
Details of the selection process for this issue are largely kept secret. In a 2012 interview with USA Today, former editor Julie Jordan said that people can measure body temperature in several ways, including asking questions of female celebrities, consulting focus groups, and observing social media. He said he was checking. Rumors persist, including in the case of Krasinski, that the title could be bought or won by a persuasive publicist. But what is often forgotten is that selected men also need to be willing participants in this very public form of objectification. Ryan Gosling, who is less impeachable, reportedly turned down the offer twice.
Despite its increasingly questionable reputation, social media continues to invest in this frivolous honor, especially this year. Maybe it's because People has done a good job of constantly teasing the reveal on social media with the help of dominant X accounts like FilmUpdates and PopCrave. Perhaps it was because the public needed a distraction from a more important and devastating election. In the midst of political turmoil, Krasinski is ultimately a “safe”, fairly inoffensive choice, a celebrity that millennials are obsessed with. office have some degree of affinity for Despite questions regarding his political affiliation, he has not been embroiled in any real controversy.
Whatever the relevance of the title, the sport of debating and praising famous men as “sexy” and “hot” has never gotten old. Like award shows, this is one of the last examples of a celebrity monoculture that consumers can collectively engage with. In an overly skeptical social media environment, half the fun of this issue is whether the winners are genuine attempts to reflect consumer tastes or the elaborate PR given to us. It seems to me that it is a matter of negotiating whether it is a strategy or not.
No matter how irrelevant this question has become these days, it manages to produce two things. It's about income and a good argument with no substance.
