Several of my friends (female and male) and I recently reviewed
Salon's "Men on Top" list and we were immediately struck by how Eurocentric the list was (with a couple of token representations for political correctness). In response, we've compiled our own list. We ranked each of the men on a scale from one to 10 in each of the following categories: aesthetic, physique, intelligence, attitude and artistry. We then added up the totals of each candidate and came up with the average and ranked them accordingly.
Introducing
Son of Baldwin's Sexiest Men of 2010:
15. Tristan Wilds: This young hottie made the list more because of his work on
The Wire than on
90210. But his dashing smile, cute dimples, and rather hefty
assets (ahem) make him a shoe-in for the 15th spot.
14. Channing Tatum: This actor/dancer/model has a certain urban edge that makes him less vanilla and more butterscotch. He has chiseled good looks and he's good dancer. And if he's an expert dancer, we're certain he can do other things expertly as well.
13. John Amaechi: The intellectual teddy bear! Probably more than anyone else on the list, this is a case where incomparable intelligence, honesty, and athleticism combine to make the ultimate sexiness cocktail. Intellect is sexy all on its own, but even moreso on a hunk.
12. Dwayne Johnson: Believe it or not, this actor/wrestler (a.k.a. "The Rock") got his highest marks for attitude. And it's true: He seems like an all-around nice guy. And it doesn't hurt that his body is sculpted to perfection.
11. Ricky Martin: Intelligence is the key component of this Latin singer's sexiness. There's nothing like a man who speaks his truth courageously and articulately. And let's not forget the fact that he's just plain handsome.
10. John Cho: This Korean American actor was cited for his clean aesthetic, warm demeanor, high style, and boy-next-door good looks. Think of him as the guy most likely to get a date because he seems entirely genuine.
9. Omari Hardwick: This newcomer to the acting world scored high in most categories, even after co-starring in Tyler Perry's
For Colored Girls as the deceptive, down-low husband of Janet Jackson's character. And you can see why from the photo.
8. Isaiah Mustafa: The Old Spice Guy, to his friends. This man's body puts the Greek gods to shame (from both the front and
especially the back). And his upbeat personality makes him seem like a joy to be around. We like men with a sense of humor.
7. Nahum Bromfield: You've probably never heard of this guy (check him out
here), but after this we hope you'll never forget him. This English actor of Caribbean descent has the cutest accent and a down-to-earth beauty. It's a testament to corner boys everywhere that we know so little about him and yet he ranked so highly. I guess we projected all of our fantasies onto this (gorgeous) blank slate.
6. Adam Rodriguez: Blessed with a rugged sensitivity, Mr. Rodriguez of
CSI: Miami and
I Can Do Bad All By Myself fame is just plain handsome in every way imaginable: the eyes, the hair, the body--and he makes it all look so incredibly effortless.
5. Jensen Atwood: Noah's Arc fans will remember this b-boy hottie with fondness. He was part of TV's first black gay couple and had hearts throbbing all across the country. We think he's just a naturally good-looking fellow.
4. Lance Gross: We call him Mr. Sexual Chocolate. The skin is flawless. The body is banging. The swagger is both smooth and unassuming. And best of all, he hasn't (yet) succumbed to the "I think I'm all that," to which many men in his industry fall victim. Good looking guys are even more good looking when they're modest about it.
3. Idris Elba: You want to talk about swagger? This man is as much at home with Shakespeare as he is on the corner of a Baltimore ghetto. Chivalrous, self-assured, and somewhere between charming and sly, this thespian has the sort of old-school, "man's man" sex appeal that left most of my friends fanning themselves with makeshift church fans.
2. Reggie Bush: If you have eyes, you should be able to see how sexy Reggie is without us breathing a word. Beautiful smile, beautiful skin, beautiful body, beautiful personality, all topped off by incredible athletic skill. What's not to love?
1. Barack Obama: Our dashing president. As seductive as power can be, that isn't why he made this list. He made this list because he's genuinely handsome, has a great sense of humor, and has the best body (and behind) any president has ever had. And on top of all of that, he's smarter than everyone else in the country. In order words, he's the entire package.
Honorable mention: Jay Smooth,
Mehcad Brooks,
Alex Rodriguez,
Derek Luke,
Taye Diggs,
Robin Thicke,
Mario,
Daniel Dae Kim,
Columbus Short,
Hill Harper,
Michael Ealy,
Pooch Hall,
Boris Kodjoe,
Brady Quinn,
Jeremy Bloom,
Lewis Hamilton,
Will Genia,
Trey Songz, and
Blair Underwood.
What did you think of this list? Who did we leave out? Who should we have left off?
Tell us!(And special thanks to the
Son of Baldwin voting committee: Deidre, Natasha, Shawnette, Michelle, Eudora, Mike, Rico, Simon, and Bradley.)
