The 2009 AfterElton Hot 100: Men Over 40

They say fifty is the new forty and given the results of our Hot Men Over 40 poll (part of our AfterElton.com Hot 100 list), we have to agree. In fact, we confess to being a little disappointed that the oldest guy on this list is Christopher Meloni, who edges out George Clooney by a little more than a month, clocking in at 48 and change. 

While there is no denying that Meloni, Clooney, Brad Pitt and other men in their 40s who made this list are hot, it would have been nice to see Sir Ian McKellen, who proves “hot” has all sorts of definitions, land in the top ten, instead of only making it to the 12^th spot. Oh, well; we take the blame for setting the bar too “young.” But next year, it’s going to be Men Over 50, so start your lists now!

Now on to your Top Ten Men Over Forty! (And please don’t give away individual rankings in the subject lines of your comments; to see the results of the main Hot 100 poll, click here.)

1. Brad Pitt

Is it any wonder that forty-five-year-old Brad Pitt is your number one over-forty pick? Age has not diluted his youthful good looks and vitality, but they have been tempered with wisdom and life experience. Having a brood of children and being married to Angelina Jolie will do that. Now that Brad's crossed the forty marker, he's clearly the the heir apparent to Robert Redford.

And if looks, charm, and charisma weren't enough to make him #1 with gay men, Brad showed his support for marriage equality by donating $100,000 in the battle against California's Proposition 8. His statement about the donation was actually a statement for common sense:

Because no one has the right to deny another their life, even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn't harm another and because discrimination has no place in America, my vote will be for equality and against Proposition 8.

It's unsure whether his support for equality or his Oscar-nominated turn in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button put him over the top on our poll, but we know one thing for sure: we'd love to grow older ... or younger ... with him any time.

2. John Barrowman

Coming in at number two is forty-two-year-old John Barrowman, who you may have seen on this site once or twice before this. We admit it, we love him! He's out, outspoken, multi-talented, and there's a rebellious streak in him that we find irresistible.

Whether he's collaborating with his sister on a Torchwood comic, or lining up new gigs left and right, John is one of the hardest working men in show business. And yet somehow he still found time to present us with a special gift - his own picks for the Hot 100! Of course, he was too modest to include himself, but there were plenty of voters willing to make up for that. 

3. Anderson Cooper

Anderson "Silver Fox" Cooper comes in at a solid #3, with the forty-one-year old CNN newsman's suave good looks, intelligence and sophistication garnering plenty of votes. Proving that hunky need not be six-feet two and ripped, Anderson beguiles us his slightly dorky laugh, impish smile and dancing blue eyes. It certainly doesn't hurt that he's equally adept at discussing the fallout from Prop 8 as he is canoodling with puppies and Kathy Griffin. For our money, anyone willing to be upstaged by puppies and Kathy deserves a place on our list.