People's Sexiest Man Alive: George $%&*ing Clooney?

[serious crayons]

So, the SMA for 2017 is some guy named Blake Shelton. His name is the sexiest thing about him! Our friend John Trudell said it seems like America has stopped trying. My theory is different. I think they offered the title to this guy (pictured) but he turned it down. Is it merely a coincidence that he's on the cover of Entertainment Magazine right now?

  Stopped trying what? To produce sexy men? To reject a dumb choice by a popular weekly magazine with an annual gimmick?

There are plenty of sexier men than Blake Shelton, for sure. In fact, I'm kind of surprised that Barb felt so strongly against George Clooney. He seems fine to me. With the exception of Blake Shelton and Adam Levine, most of the SMAs have seemed acceptable, at least at the time they were named (obviously I'd have other thoughts now about, for example, Mel Gibson).

Is that the guy from Outlander? I haven't seen that show.

It's funny, though, now that I think of it; we were talking about the SMA on Jeff's blog and I now realize that most of the men we were saying we found sexier are not American: Colin Farrell, Christian Bale, the Hemsworths, Ryan Gosling. So maybe there's something to John's theory.

[Jeff Wrangler]

There are plenty of sexier men than Blake Shelton, for sure. In fact, I'm kind of surprised that Barb felt so strongly against George Clooney. He seems fine to me. With the exception of Blake Shelton and Adam Levine, most of the SMAs have seemed acceptable, at least at the time they were named (obviously I'd have other thoughts now about, for example, Mel Gibson).

I never got George Clooney. You might think that because I'm gay I'd get him, like some women do, but I don't.   

Is that the guy from Outlander? I haven't seen that show.

Yes, he is. I've never seen the show either, but sometimes good. old-fashioned TV Guide has it's uses. 

It's funny, though, now that I think of it; we were talking about the SMA on Jeff's blog and I now realize that most of the men we were saying we found sexier are not American: Colin Farrell, Christian Bale, the Hemsworths, Ryan Gosling. So maybe there's something to John's theory.

That's an interesting point. When was the last time the SMA was an American?

(Mel Gibson was born here, but I think maybe he doesn't count.)

[Front-Ranger]

I don't think John will mind if I paste his whole quote here: "Donald Trump is presidential; Jeff Sessions is honest; Roy Moore is a Christian; and Blake Shelton is the "Sexiest Man Alive." It's like America has totally stopped trying."

And here's the cover of Entertainment with Sam Heughan (yes, indeed, he is the hero in Outlander):

[southendmd]

Never understood the George Clooney thing.

I, however, very much like Adam Levine.

No idea who Blake Skelton is.

But Sam Heughan in Outlander is outstanding!

[Jeff Wrangler]

And here's the cover of Entertainment with Sam Heughan (yes, indeed, he is the hero in Outlander):

He's not a U.S.-ian either, is he?

[southendmd]

He's not a U.S.-ian either, is he?

He's a Scot!

[Front-Ranger]

a hunnert percent! Thanks for the dashing photo, Paul. And here's one more. . .oh, that torso!

[serious crayons]

I never got George Clooney. You might think that because I'm gay I'd get him, like some women do, but I don't.   

I don't really "get" him, either. That is, he's not on my list of top actor hotties. Still, I can see why some women would put him on theirs. And oddly enough, I somehow feel like I can even sort of understand why many gay men would not.

In any case, he seems very suave and smart and politically correct, so I like those things about him. And .... ohhh, OK, if he asked me out I'd probably go if it were a nice enough restaurant.

(Mel Gibson was born here, but I think maybe he doesn't count.)

Well, wasn't he the original SMA? That counts for something! But yeah, I knew he'd spent part of his childhood here but I couldn't remember how the order went. Same for Christian Bale, I believe.

[serious crayons]

I don't think John will mind if I paste his whole quote here: "Donald Trump is presidential; Jeff Sessions is honest; Roy Moore is a Christian; and Blake Shelton is the "Sexiest Man Alive." It's like America has totally stopped trying."

Well, that's a good and funny quote. Kudos to John for that. But since at least half of America disagrees with at least the first three things, let's not blame the whole country! As for BS, I just blame People.

I think the idea that Blake Shelton was a last-minute substitute for some more legitimately sexy candidate -- someone who backed out or has generated rumors of sexual harassment or something otherwise disqualifying -- might be valid.

I think one year Salon countered the SMA issue by coming up with a list of men who were maybe kind of hot (but not necessarily that hot) but were also chosen for being intelligent, politically progressive, etc. And as I recall, that year Louis C.K. came out at or near the top. Oops!

[Jeff Wrangler]

Well, wasn't he the original SMA? That counts for something!

Was I that obtuse? I didn't mean he didn't count as the SMA, I meant I guessed he didn't really count as a SMA from the U.S.

And I just realized, we forgot Hugh Jackman from that list of men we found sexier who weren't from the U.S.