Paul Rudd's reaction to criticism that he didn't deserve 'Sexiest Man Alive' title is very on-brand

While it's typically near-impossible to get the internet to universally agree on something, Paul Rudd being named Sexiest Man Alive by People came pretty close. Everyone greeted the news with great enthusiasm and passion as many felt this honor was a long time coming for this wholesome gem of a human being—well, almost everyone. The loudest voice of dissent came from the New York Post which didn't seem to take kindly to the announcement that came days after it proclaimed that another Avenger, Chris Evans, would receive the sexy title for 2021. In a piece titled "Sorry, Paul Rudd is many things — but 'Sexiest Man Alive' is not one of them," the author went into great detail about why she doesn't consider Rudd sexy.

"Paul Rudd has been dubbed People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. I think I speak for many women out there when I say — huh? Don't get me wrong, I love Paul Rudd! Paul, if you're reading this, I'd pepper you with compliments if I could: You’re adorable, cute-as-a-button, seemingly ageless, charming, delightful, mensch-y, endlessly affable. You're just not sexy," the article begins. "Then again, perhaps, the choice is a sign of our troubling times. If you, like me, lie awake in bed at night, worrying about the ravages of COVID-19 and climate change (to name a few), then perhaps you're also looking for solace instead of excitement."

Rudd got the chance to respond to the New York Post's opinion about his new title during a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. While talking to the "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" and "Shrink Next Door" star about the public's reaction to him being named Sexiest Man Alive, host Colbert offered up two very different headlines about the news. "Look at this. This is The Guardian. 'Do you fancy Paul Rudd? You're either a sociopath or a liar if you say no,'" Colbert read aloud before Rudd jokingly thanked the publication "for hiring my mom."

"If you ever read an article by The Guardian, at the end — I know because I’ve read them online — it says if you’d like to contribute to help journalism for The Guardian, we would appreciate it, so I think everybody should," the 52-year-old added. Colbert then brought up the New York Post article, calling the publication "bitter" over being wrong to have previously published a piece naming "Captain America: The First Avenger" star, Chris Evans, this year's winner. While Rudd agreed that his Marvel co-star getting the title "certainly makes sense," he added: "That might be the first thing I ever read in the New York Post that I agree with."

Either way, the star said, he was "honored to be recognized for something besides my talent and humility." When Rudd was first named Sexiest Man Alive, he told PEOPLE: "I do have an awareness, enough to know that when people hear that I'd be picked for this, they would say, 'What?' This is not false humility. There are so many people that should get this before me. When I think about myself, I think of myself as a husband and a father, like I'm that. I just hang out with my family when I'm not working. That's what I kind of like the most."

Rudd revealed that his wife of 18 years, Julie Yaeger, was the only person he told ahead of time about his new title. "She was stupefied," he said. "But you know she was very sweet about it. After some giggling and shock, she said 'Oh, they got it right.' And that was very sweet. She was probably not telling the truth, but what's she going to say?" The star joked that he anticipates that his life will be changing "a lot" now that he's been officially named sexy. "I'm hoping now that I'll finally be invited to some of those sexy dinners with Clooney and Pitt and B Jordan," he said. "And I figure I'll be on a lot more yachts. I'm excited to expand my yachting life. And I'll probably try to get better at brooding in really soft light. I like to ponder. I think this is going to help me become more inward and mysterious. And I'm looking forward to that."