Opinion | People’s Sexiest Man Alive is finally sexy
Graphic by Zoe Wren Arntsen, Illustrator
It has been a great few weeks for politics. Prop. 50 passed in the state of California, putting the power of the state’s congressional district lines in the hands of voters. Zohran Mamdani will be the next mayor of New York City, becoming the first Muslim, first person of South Asian descent and the youngest person to hold the position.
Photo courtesy of People Magazine; Jason Hetherington
And, arguably, the most important political decision made that affects the most everyday lives: People announced this year's Sexiest Man Alive, the first time an openly gay man has been given the honor, and finally gave it to someone who is sexy and relevant: Jonathan Bailey.
For those who may not know me, I am Izzy Betz, an alum of Chapman University and previous assistant editor for the features and entertainment section of The Panther. I was summoned by the current editor-in-chief and the features and entertainment editor back to my collegiate stomping ground (I graduated only six months ago; I need to calm down) to write again. My expertise and intense (but completely necessary) passion for this topic are unmatched.
One of my most divisive articles in my time at The Panther was an opinion piece titled “John Krasinski is not People’s Sexiest Man Alive,” where I vehemently disapproved of the magazine's choice. Sure, the origins of this profile are of sexualizing the men of Hollywood for a photoshoot on a magazine cover. However, over the years, it has become a coronation for the next “leading man.” Ninety-nine percent of the time, the actor on the cover is promoting a big movie or project they have coming out. Unlike Krasinski, Bailey is cooking with all burners right now.
This man has been on the rise since the start of “Bridgerton,” and I am sorry to those who were not able to see past the awful sideburns to realize his potential from the start. It might be an exaggeration to say (sue me) that he is one of the best actors we have around right now.
Photo courtesy of People Magazine; Jason Hetherington
“Fellow Travelers”: Emmy-winning performance, interesting accent, nonetheless a sad gay banger.
“Crashing”: One of the most underrated comedies of all time, a staple in my household, a banger.
Photo courtesy of People Magazine; Jason Hetherington
“Jurassic World: Rebirth”: A flop with the cinephiles, a much better American accent, absolute box office banger.
“Wicked”: speaks for itself.
Putting the acting chops aside, let's get down to brass tacks: Bailey is sexy. I am sorry to all my Krasinski lovers (I am looking at you, my coworker who named Krasinski as her number one celebrity crush — not what I needed to hear on a stressful Monday morning in corporate America). Krasinski just doesn't have that sparkle that Bailey has.
“And that is not far enough!” says Bailey’s character, Anthony Bridgerton, in Season 2 of “Bridgerton.” ‘“Do you think that there is a corner of this Earth that you could travel to far enough to free me from this torment? ... You are the bane of my existence. And the object of all my desires.”
Do I need to explain myself any further?
Also, the photoshoot for Bailey's award this year is one of the best I have seen from People or from any major publication, ever. It is truly crisp, delicious, beachy fun. What more could we ask for?
Thank you to my family at The Panther for asking me to return for this one. I will gladly rant about sexy actors for free whenever you like.