AskMen.com has released their 2009 list of Top 49 Most Influential Men. In doing so, they’ve made me feel a bit like I’ve been living under a rock all year. Sure, there were some no-big-surprise guys on the list, like Tiger Woods and Steve Jobs. But #48? Jenson Button? Who the hell??? I have neither seen nor heard of this guy and they’re saying he belongs on a list of people I not only should have seen and heard of, but possibly even respect and admire?
The men of the Top 49 span multiple industries and countries; through their achievements, both personal and professional, they have inspired everyday guys in a variety of ways. They’re the men we look to as role models, and history will remember them as those who best embodied the way men aspired to live in 2009.
So again, I ask: Jenson Button? Huh? Is he anything besides a guy badly needing a barber? (OK, click that that link and you’ll see a much better picture—he looks kinda like Prince William—but OH MY WORD, he was born in 1980 and I remember 1980. Well. Gah.) In order to look least idiotic, I’m not mentioning the other athletes I’ve never heard of that show up on this list, but there are many.
Amazon is probably my favorite store these days, and I was pleased to see Jeff Bezos on this list (#40). Have you heard his laugh? He has the biggest, fullest laugh and when you hear it, you almost can’t help but join in. Although this video makes him look a little bit like crazy, I remember seeing this interview and it was amusing to hear the audience’s reactions, as well as watch The Delightfully Charming Jon Stewart try to interview him.
P.S. I want a Kindle.
Hugh Jackman is at #32 and although I haven’t seen many of his movies, the guy certainly stays busy so I suppose he deserves to be on this list. What I do like is how he’s looking especially non-Wolveriney in this photo. Rowr.
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with #29, Harvey Levin. He just seems like a total slime.
Kath, you’ll love this one: Seth MacFarlane wasn’t on last year’s list, but he shows up at #27 for 2009. I love this pic of him. Pretty good for a guy who makes his living writing fart jokes.
No. No, no, no. The fact that Kanye West is at #26 is a good reminder of how little these lists really mean. If we’re talking role models, Kanye West belongs nowhere near a list of admirable people. This guy has an ego that’s way, way too big for his talent.
Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger is #23. Dude.
Am I the only one in the world who thinks Brad Pitt is a terrible actor? I hate the sound of his voice. Sure, he’s dreamy to look at (though this picture makes him look old and also like he’s not aging as well as his buddy George Clooney), but I think he’s incredibly overrated. Same with that creepy brother-lover Angelina he’s with. [shudder]
Speaking of George Clooney, he’s next at #20. Yes, please! I’ve loved him ever since The Facts of Life. Nowadays, he rocks the grey hair and good suits—dig that classic look of his, so much like his dad. Loved his Aunt Rosemary too.
Ugh, Ryan Seacrest, #19. Another overrated celebrity. A mimbo-wannabe. Sure, he can speak in complete sentences, but otherwise he seems like the least talented or interesting person, like, ever. I don’t get the appeal. The fact that he’s about to take over Dick Clark’s throne is a travesty, IMO.
Oh yes, I loves me some Conan. He’s #16 on the list.
Personally, I don’t see the appeal of Quentin Tarantino. I don’t like his movies, I can’t stand watching him in interviews, and he’s getting too close to that Kanye West-like ego for me. Still, I understand why he’s on this list. Most of his movies do well, and he’s incredibly artistic—a visionary. Just not my type.
Smart move, putting Jon Stewart on this list. The Daily Show was good with Craig Kilborn, but Jon Stewart (#13) made it great. He’s smart, sexy, hilarious, and if you ask me, the best thing about Comedy Central (Stephen Colbert is a close second). Jon Stewart’s first show after 9/11 was an honest, raw, emotional reaction to the terrorist attacks, and one of the best of all the late night hosts’ post-9/11 shows. Regardless of your political views, if this thing didn’t make you cry then you are most certainly made of stone, my friend.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| September 11, 2001 | ||||
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Not sure what to think of Don Draper in the #1 spot on a most influential men list, but I can totally live with it because Jon Hamm is a bit of alright. So how do they justify putting a fictional character at the top?
Draper illustrates old-school values even though he often fails to meet them himself. His human flaws are what make him so relevant to men today. He is by turns a chain-smoking, drinking-in-the-office emblem of a bygone age, and an unusually real, earnest human being who illustrates the struggles modern men know all too well.
Back to the less controversial issues of the day…
Perfect description of Jon Hamm - "A bit of alright."
ReplyDeleteI'll take a bit, please. ;)
xoxo
OK, OK, now I've had my cry for the day! Stone check, passed. I wish I'd seen Jon Stewart's speech at the time. It was beautiful. I'll never forget looking down at Eme, so sweet and innocent and YOUNG, and thinking, "there are people who want to kill her just because she is from where she's from!" It killed me...
ReplyDeleteThat interview with Jeff Bezos . . . he was spastic - needs to down a Xanax slushie before future television appearances.
ReplyDeletePerfect description of Jon Hamm - "A bit of alright."
ReplyDeleteI'll take a bit, please. ;)
xoxo