George Clooney fails to make Top 49 Most Influential Men for first time in 7 years

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According to AskMen, the votes signify a “New Era” of Men as mainstays George Clooney and Jon Stewart are replaced by new guards Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jimmy Kimmel in AskMen’s 7th annual top 49 list. In other surprises, Bill Clinton beat out both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney to take the No. 3 spot in the weeks leading up to the 2012 Election.

Soccer fans can rejoice that one of their own, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, once again made the list – this year at No. 30. His leadership in Real’s march to the 2011-2012 La Liga championship, during which the team set records in multiple categories, helped to cement his spot. I guess telling Ronaldo what to do makes Mourinho very influencial. Now if his team can just beat Barcelona!

Unfortunately, no field player made the list – no Beckham, no Messi, no RvP. The closest we have there is Jamaican speedster Usain Bolt (No. 2) who has said he might try soccer when his running career is over.

Read over the list of “Top-Men” and see what you think. We would be interested in your thoughts on what makes a man “influential” today. Is it reputation? Is it achievement? Is it notoriety?

On Wednesday, October 10, AskMen, a leading men’s lifestyle website with 17 million monthly readers, announced the results of their 7th annual Top 49 Most Influential Men, as determined by more than 500,000 votes. James Bond, the fictional character whose namesake film franchise celebrates its 50th anniversary this month as well as the highly anticipated release of Skyfall in November, takes the No. 1 position after a month-long public voting process which began in early September.

The Top 49 Most Influential Men challenged AskMen’s readers to determine which male figures have made the biggest impact and, ultimately, shaped what it means to be a man of influence in 2012. Kanye West at No. 31 holds the new record as the only man to be named to the Top 49 for all seven years (George Clooney previously held this record but is missing from this year’s list).

Bond is joined by Usain Bolt, Bill Clinton, Seth MacFarlane, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt to round out the top 5 positions on the 2012 list. According to AskMen editors, the results of this list illustrates a “new era” of men emerging with 27 out of the 49 nominees making the list for the very first time including Frank Ocean, Snoop Lion, Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Fassbender, Tim Tebow, and Alec Baldwin. Media makers including Michael Phelps, LeBron James, and Prince William also made the list.

With a presidential election coming up, voters elected Bill Clinton to the No. 3 position, Barack Obama to No. 11, and Mitt Romney to No. 24.

Another trend from this list is men in the public eye who recently “reinvented” themselves to adjust with the changing times. This includes: No. 1 James Bond who has transformed over a period of 50 years and 23 different movies; Snoop Lion who went from being one of the most celebrated rappers in history to becoming one of the most anticipated reggae artists; and Howard Stern who went from radio personality to TV personality this year.

Referring to recent conversations about the “end of men” James Bassil, Editor-in-chief of AskMen says: “Despite the regular reminders that our gender has reached its end, AskMen's Top 49 list offers up plenty of examples of men who have sustained success -- and others who found it anew through reinventing themselves, just as many of our readers have had to in recent years.”

Bassil continues, “Through 2012, Top 49 staples like Kanye West and Jose Mourinho (No. 30) have kept building on what they've always been good at, while new arrivals like Snoop Lion have yielded their influence through new paths. We're especially excited to see adventurers like Elon Musk and Felix Baumgartner on the final list -- bring on the new space age!”

Of Mourinho, AskMen said that it is “becoming easier to mount a case for Jose Mourinho to be declared the all-time best soccer coach.” The site notes his previous successful leadership of Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan and the way that Real Madrid won the 2011-2012 La Liga trophy. The club set new league records for wins (32) and away wins (16), as well as European league records for points (100), goals scored (121) and goal differential (+89). The short explanation for Mourinho’s spot on the list concludes, “It’s just the latest display of his uncanny ability to motivate and coach, which is why he is one of the most influential coaches ever – of any sport.”

The complete roster of this year’s Top 49 Most Influential Men of 2012, including profiles of each honoree, can be found at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] In order, the Top 49 are:

1. James Bond

2. Usain Bolt

3. Bill Clinton

4. Seth MacFarlane

5. Joseph Gordon-Levitt

6. Jimmy Kimmel

7. Elon Musk

8. Frank Ocean

9. Kevin Systrom & Mike Krieger

10. Ryan Gosling

11. Barack Obama

12. Michael Phelps

13. Christian Grey

14. The replacement refs

15. Christopher Nolan

16. Liam Neeson

17. Riad Al Assad

18. Joss Whedon

19. Peter Higgs

20. Prince William

21. Bryan Cranston

22. Jay-Z

23. Jeff Bezos

24. Mitt Romney

25. Neil deGrasse Tyson

26. Billy Reid

27. Michael Fassbender

28. Quentin Tarantino

29. Felix Baumgartner

30. Jose Mourinho

31. Kanye West

32. Lebron James

33. Andy Murray

34. Drake

35. Markus Persson

36. Snoop Lion

37. Howard Stern

38. Neil Patrick Harris

39. Psy

40. Jonah Peretti

41. James Cameron

42. John Maynard Keynes

43. Adam Driver

44. Tim Tebow

45. Gotye

46. Harvey Weinstein

47. Tony Horton

48. Tom Hardy

49. Alec Baldwin

Notably missing from this year’s list are George Clooney (ranked No. 14 in 2011) Tom Brady (ranked No. 15 in 2011), and Justin Timberlake (ranked No. 47 in 2011), while some returning honorees, such as Jimmy Kimmel, has experienced significant shifts in ranking, rising from No. 26 in 2008 to No. 6 in 2012. Seth MacFarlane also jumped from No. 27 in 2009 to No. 4 in 2012.

"It is an honor to be named one of AskMen's Top 49 Most Influential Men. I would like to thank everyone who voted for me,” remarks No. 2 Usain Bolt of his top position.

"If I'm really influential, I'd convince the owners of AskMen to buy me a new car. No? Damn. Thanks for the votes anyway,” says No. 21 Bryan Cranston.

"I'm honored, but it was not a goal of mine. I am happy to serve the cosmic curiosity that exists within us all. And, for some people, that needs to be reawakened. To the extent I do this, if I am counted among the 49 most influential, I'm happy to be there. Because that influence may help reawaken people to the splendor of the universe,” says No. 25 Neil deGrasse Tyson.

"Good looking for nominating me as one of tha 49 influential men. It's an honor and a pleasure to be in tha presence of fellow Ranked 1s in tha nation, ya dig?!?" says No. 36 Snoop Lion.

"I've spent 30 years developing ways to help people look and feel better through whole foods and regular exercise. I learned early on that variety, consistency, intensity, purpose and a plan were the foundation to getting fit and healthy and staying that way for a lifetime. It's a formula that is working for millions of people around the world. This recognition is a validation that my techniques change lives for the better. To be on this esteemed list of men is a true honor,” remarks No. 47 Tony Horton.

To see exclusive videos, photos and comments from this year’s honorees, visit [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Further coverage of the Top 49 Most Influential Men will also be available on AskMen’s Facebook and Twitter pages.