A petition to draft Anthony Fauci as the “sexiest man alive” is growing in signatures.
The petition hopes to prompt People to list Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as a candidate for its annual award because of the physician’s public demeanor and approach to handling the coronavirus pandemic.
“His comforting and intelligent demeanor has helped to lessen our national anxiety. He speaks truth to power, a strength few have at this time. His kind face and manner of speaking bring calm during the storm,” the petition says. “For sapiophiles and many others, he is the definitive Sexiest Man Alive in 2020.”
People editor-in-chief Dan Wakeford acknowledged the online petition and recognized the physician as a potential candidate for the title.
“April Fool’s prank or not, Dr. Anthony Fauci is indeed the latest unexpected ‘star’ to emerge from the COVID-19 task force daily press briefings,” Wakeford said on April 1 to WWD Fashion. “He has helped bring back ‘must-see TV’ to the masses, who are hungry for wisdom about how to best care for their family’s health and safety in this time of uncertainty. Smart is sexy, no doubt.”
The petition has obtained approximately 1,300 signatures, 200 names away from its goal of 1,500. The award is typically granted to Hollywood celebrities, including John Legend, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Chris Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman, and Brad Pitt.
