It's no laughing matter: People’s Sexiest Man Alive

BY HELENA KNUTSON

Marketing Director

Toned abs, sharp jawlines and muscular arms are all qualities that make up the Sexiest Man Alive, but what about dad bods, scruffy beards and awkward smiles?

Sexiest Man Alive is a special edition of People magazine. Every year, people vote on who they believe to be the best candidate for Sexiest Man Alive. This year, it was Jonathan Bailey. 

The Bridgerton and Wicked star is good-looking, don’t get me wrong, but he is just another toned, ripped, charming celebrity – much like all the others before him. 

The Sexiest Man Alive has been around since 1985, and through that time, we have never seen a comedian be considered for this title. Sure, there have been a select few who have won the title that some may consider “funny actors,” like Paul Rudd and John Krasinski, but all they had were toned abs with the ability to deliver a line in the correct tone.

When I talk about comedians, I mean comedians like John Mulaney, Andrew Santino, Nick Kroll, Zach Galifianakis and Sal Vulcano, all of whom started out in stand-up comedy and made their way over to the big screen; and all of which have the personalities of the beloved Sexiest Man Alive, just with a different appeal to the eye.

Now, these guys aren’t all perfectly sculpted, but they have something much better – and what some may consider the sexiest trait of all: humor.

A study was done at California State University involving 54 women and 59 men ranging from the ages of 17 to 24. Each participant had to complete an online test, which presented them with different scenarios. The test involved an AI posing as a member of the opposite sex, initiating a friendly conversation with the subject. Based on their responses, the program was able to assess both their sense of humor and their receptivity to it.

After the test, the subjects were shown pictures of the other participants and asked to rate their attractiveness, as well as to classify them in terms of desirability, choosing between “How desirable is this person as a short-term partner?” and “How desirable is this person as a long-term partner?”

After the rating of attractiveness, subjects look at the profile of each contestant, examining looks, humor ranking and background.

Subjects were told to rate each other on a scale of 1-7, taking into account all variables. After the experience, it was found that men with higher humor production and receptivity were ranked higher than men with lower humor production and receptivity.

This study is just one of many examples that demonstrate the attractiveness of humor. 

When asked for their opinion on this topic, student Hailey Hensley, a sophomore majoring in political science, expressed a strong opinion on the matter.

“Being funny is a more attractive quality than physical appearance. It is harder to come by funny people rather than conventionally attractive people. Being attractive is everywhere; it's rare to come by a genuinely funny person,” Hensley said.

Kolton Moon, a freshman agricultural education major, also has something to add to this debate.

“People typically enjoy being around individuals who are funny. In turn, humorous people will theoretically be social, as they are often around people. Additionally, if you are around people often who think you’re funny and laugh at your jokes, your confidence is boosted, and confidence is sexy,” said Moon.

In conclusion, humor is sexy, and therefore, people (like stand-up comedians) who present this trait should be considered for the sexiest man alive.