What does it take to be a thinking woman's sex symbol? The definition really comes from what it doesn't take. You don't need to be conventionally handsome. You don't need a full head of shiny hair or photo-ready pearly whites. You don't need six-pack abs or hardened pecs. You certainly don't need a hot car or a fat wallet. What you do need is smarts and a wit best described as "acerbic."Now, this whole "the five" thing is pretty rough. Only five slots for television's sexiest smarty-pants doesn't make things easy. There was no room for Steve Coogan, Charlie Rose, Bradley Whitford, Naveen Andrews or David Duchovny. So, the order here is arbitrary, and well, let's just preface this list by saying that we're talking about television stars here. This means that even the nerdiest of nerds is a far cry from dogsville, but these five all have one thing in common - they've got it going on upstairs.
5. Anthony Stewart Head as Giles, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Giles with his dusty books and fancy, archaic notions about civility. We know he has a bad boy streak from his Ripper years, but it's the library-bound, glasses-adjusting Giles that smart girls love.
4. Christiane Amanpour, CNN
I know. I know. I only have five slots, and I blow one on a chick. Well, this one is for the ladies who love ladies. Even if you're not batting for Sappho's Sluggers, you're allowed a girl-crush or two. This spot was a real toss-up between Christiane and The X-Files' Gillian Anderson, but hardcore international correspondent Christiane is one of the only people, male or female, to make it through the Colbert interview segment with panache.
3. Jon Stewart, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Do I have to explain this choice, thinking ladies? I didn't think so.
2. B.J. Novak as Ryan, The Office
B.J., don't let those Zach Braff comparisons get you down. He may have written Garden State, but you write for The Office. You're not just another pretty face, and everyone knows that thinking chicks would rather bang a writer than an actor unless that actor is...
1. Hugh Laurie as Gregory House, House, M.D.
I think the expression "thinking woman's sex symbol" was actually brought back into circulation for Dr. House. He's got wit. He's got game. He's got bad boy attitude, and he needs to be saved. He's also got the largest collection of rumpled, vintage-Ts I've ever seen, but that's a subject for a different day, a different list.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-06-2006 @ 12:24PM
JDub said...
How about Jamie Rubin, Amanpour's husband? He is a former State Department spokesman and gorgeous. I saw him biking down a London street in 2001 with their son in the kid seat, and it took everything I had not to squeal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Rubin
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11-06-2006 @ 12:55PM
tozmervo said...
Hey, I'm not a woman and Giles makes ME swoon!
"You don't know what it's like... to be the bad man... the sad man..."
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11-06-2006 @ 1:28PM
Raychel said...
Wow. Even when I just read the headline Thinking Woman's Sex Symbol, I immediately thought Hugh Laurie. And way to hit the nail on the head with Jon Stewat, too.
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11-06-2006 @ 3:08PM
Pat said...
Jon Stewart and Rupert Giles in the same group? Bliss.
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11-06-2006 @ 3:29PM
Scott H said...
Good choices, although B.J. Novak is conventionally sexy (very pretty face!), and doesn't fit the list quite the same way as the others. Also, is that the butt-ugliest photo of Jon Stewart you could find? He looks better (and not so old-mannish) in every other photo I've ever seen of him, and even when he's making silly faces on TV.
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11-06-2006 @ 4:26PM
marisa said...
how could you leave out stephen colbert?
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11-06-2006 @ 9:28PM
pbh89 said...
Jon Stewart is a pretty boy! He's very handsome~
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11-06-2006 @ 11:56PM
Lacey said...
That is a fantastic list.
Hugh Laurie would undoubtably be my number 1 as well.
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11-08-2006 @ 11:51AM
cindy said...
No doubt at all Hugh Laurie number 1.
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11-09-2006 @ 3:05PM
dan said...
Seriously flawed list, as I don't see my name up there anywhere. I'm not saying I should be #1, but certainly 3 or 4.
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11-12-2006 @ 3:35PM
Althea said...
BJ Novak is an Okay choice, I guess, but how could John Krasinski be left off the list? Give me the funny, sexy, intelligent John Krasinski over BJ Novak any day.
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11-12-2006 @ 5:29PM
PJ said...
What a yummy list!! I completely agree with Pat - Jon Stewart and Rupert Giles - could it get any better!?! The runners up aren't so shabbey either Naveen Andrews and David Duchovny. I particularly enjoy that you included a woman (girl-crush or otherwise - good choice on Christiane Amanpour). Not sure I agree with Laurie's House. While House is definitely an engaging character and quite nice on the eyes. For me, his (House's not Laurie's) sexist attitudes drop him off this list for me.
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11-13-2006 @ 1:26PM
Bess said...
Toss in singing, guitar playing Giles and he moves WAY up the list for me. Good fun!
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11-13-2006 @ 5:08PM
msdamselfly said...
Hugh Laurie IS a writer. I came across his mystery novel at the library just the other day.
He's also a musician, making him a triple-threat sex symbol.
Since you emphasized this is about TV actors, I'll forgive the absence of Alan Rickman.
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1-18-2007 @ 8:08AM
JW said...
Good list, but I find it hard to believe Jon Stewart isn't no. 1. You did leave out one big gun though - George Clooney
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4-03-2007 @ 2:03PM
foggymoontour said...
Love the top 3 choices - Jon Stewart and Hugh Laurie were no-brainers, but seeing BJ Novak on the list made me squeal with glee. Okay, I didn't actually squeal out loud, but I was squealing on the inside.
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