Who Will Be the Sexiest Men of 2009? (And How Obama Will Save Foreign Policy)

As we gear up for a new year, I thought it was only appropriate to think about which devastatingly handsome men will be gracing magazine covers (and starring in closeted teenaged boys' fantasies) in 2009. After much deliberation and debate among friends, I have narrowed it down to my top four:

4. Mario Spinetti. This singer-songwriter-producer's eclectic sound (what he calls "avant-pop") and killer voice are definitely enough to make him a star. But his good looks won't hurt either (imagine Milo Ventimiglia as a sensitive musician). Though you may not have heard of Spinetti (yet), he has been busy the past few years, releasing his debut EP and building a loyal fan-base, both in New York City and on-line (as well as having his song "Delirious" featured on an episode of So You Think You Can Dance). He's currently at work on a full-length album, which could very well be his ticket to stardom. The only bad news? He's engaged to dancer Lauren Adams.

3. Alfie Allen. Any fan of sister Lily Allen's music might recognize this name from the searing "Alfie," in which she sings (and complains) about her little brother, who stays in his room getting high all day and refuses to get a job. Well, apparently little Alfie mustered up some ambition: he's currently starring--and baring it all--in the London production of Equus (a roled made famous by none other than Daniel Radcliffe). Equus has been a huge show and I suspect this is the beginning of a long and lucrative career for Allen. Not having seen the London production, I can't comment on his acting abilities, but let me tell you: I saw pictures and he puts Daniel Radcliffe to shame.

2. Robert Pattinson. Great bone structure, piercing eyes, and a box-office hit that has sent ever pre-teen girl in America into a twitter? Check. This British model-turned-actor certainly isn't coming out of nowhere--he played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and of course, recently starred as tormented vampire Edward Cullen in the inexplicably successful Twilight. But as a result of his newfound super-fame, I predict we'll be seeing a lot more of Pattinson in 2009. Look for him as artist Salvador Dali in Little Ashes, a drama following the (gasp!) gay love affair of Dali and poet Federico Garcia Lorca, slated for release this spring. It's sure to be the next Brokeback Mountain.

1. Barack Obama. Thank God Hilary didn't win the nomination, that's all I have to say. For the first time since JFK, the United States will have a sex icon in the White House--probably the sexiest president in history. In 2009, aside from becoming the leader of the free world, I expect Obama will also become the country's communal crush--and the world's. Which is exactly how he's going to save foreign policy. My logic: Attractive people are popular. Popular people are pandered to and feared. And as a country in an increasingly unstable world, being pandered to and feared is a good position to be in. Not that I can't think of even more appealing positions involving Barack Obama...