If you’re like me, you probably haven’t been able to think about much else since Role Model was passed over for People’s “Sexiest Man Alive.” My social media feeds have been flooded with disappointed fans, and even Role Model himself has shared expressions of disappointment, shock, and confusion over his loss.
In case you’re unfamiliar with him, Tucker Pillsbury, better known as Role Model, is a 27-year-old singer-songwriter whose recent album, “Kansas Anymore,” gave him significant attention in the public eye. He’s been gaining serious momentum lately, opening for Gracie Abrams on The Secret of Us tour and performing “So Far Gone” live with Lizzy McAlpine at the Troubadour this summer. He even joined Lizzy McAlpine for her latest music video, “Pushing It Down and Praying,” which I highly recommend checking out.
But lately, what has held Role Model in the spotlight is his bold campaign for People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” contest. Facing fierce competitors in the “Sexiest Musician” category, Role Model led a fierce social media campaign for the Reader’s Choice title but ultimately lost to Harry Styles.
Despite the competition, Role Model did not hold back in his quest for the title. He launched a full-on campaign that was as charming as it was dedicated – making and wearing T-shirts, rallying fans with posts, and even getting nominated live on stage by Gracie Abrams. Fans immediately joined in, spreading the word, making signs, and doing everything they could to push him to the top.
In the end, despite his grassroots efforts and devoted supporters, People Magazine and readers chose otherwise, leaving Role Model and his fans to cope with the loss. He immediately took to Instagram to grieve, reposting TikToks made by disappointed fans, posting a mirror selfie captioned “What does sexy even mean,” and sharing his notes app list of “enemies” – Pop Crave, Pitchfork, People Magazine, Buzzfeed, and even Harry Styles.
Role Model’s biggest grievance: Harry Styles didn’t need the win like he did. In a humorous video posted to his Instagram story, he told readers who voted for Styles that “he hoped they were happy,” saying that the win would be so insignificant to him his publicist probably wouldn’t even mention it. He then addressed People Magazine directly, telling them they had the opportunity to “create a beautiful ending to an underdog story.”
Though the “Sexiest Man Alive” crown may have slipped through his fingers, Role Model’s campaign gave us something even better: a passionate battle for the title from his dedicated fanbase and an abundance of hilarious social media content. Let’s be real – Harry Styles may have the title, but does he have a fan army ready to storm People Magazine HQ? Role Model might have lost the contest, but he won the Internet, which might be the sexiest title of them all.