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Patrick Dempsey is the Sexiest Man Alive of 2023: this is how he reacted on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
After previously coming second to George Clooney and Matt Damon, the ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star has finally claimed ‘People’s’ number one spot.
Patrick Dempsey is a man of many talents. Best known for his role as Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd in Grey’s Anatomy, the Maine native is also an avid racing driver who has competed in a number of prestigious pro-am events. And now, in addition to “actor” and “racecar driver”, we can now start referring to him as “Sexiest Man Alive”.
After coming second to George Clooney and Matt Damon in 2005 and 2006 respectively, Dempsey is People magazine’s number one choice for 2023, as was exclusively revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday.
Dempsey the second oldest Sexist Man Alive
The 57-year-old, who becomes the second oldest Sexiest Man Alive since it started in 1985, was disguised by hologram technology as Kimmel’s audience were invited to play a game of 20 Questions to discover his identity.
Not that that went especially smoothly, with the TV host eventually offering clues with the audience not even especially lukewarm as their questions ranged from from “Are you an actor?” to “Are you sexier than Jimmy Kimmel?”
“Have you ever dated Taylor Swift?”
Couple-of-the moment Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce also got namechecks, with one man asking outright whether it was the NFL star, and another woman asking if the mystery man had ever dated the “Shake It Off” singer.
Kimmel’s second and final clue (“he played a doctor”) inevitably led to Clooney’s name coming up, but the audience got “Dr McDreamy” on the second attempt.
Dempsey shares Sexiest Man Alive “relief” with Kimmel
A laughing Dempsey was revealed to the audience before he sneaked off set and back on again, waving to the crowd and thanking them profusely before sitting down for a chat with Kimmel.
Here’s how that went down, with Kimmel immediately referencing those near misses in the 2000s and Dempsey jokingly talking about his relief to have finally won.
Patrick Dempsey reacts being to named Sexist Man Alive
Jimmy Kimmel: What took them so long?
Patrick Dempsey: I don’t know, I’m just happy they made a decision and it was me this year. I’m very grateful.
JK: They finally made the right decision.
PD: Yes!
JK: And it’s true, you do get more handsome every single year. It’s like the uncorking of a bottle of fine wine. They decided to wait until just the right year. Next year you’ll be a mess, you’ll be on the downs slide.
PD: It turns really quickly.
JK: You know, there’s been some foreshadowing of this.
PD: We’ve been close a few times.
JK: You’ve not only been close, they put you on the cover of one of George Clooney’s years. They put you on the cover when this vomit face (Matt Damon) won Sexiest Man Alive. You’re in a little box. And now, oh my goodness, here you are with the whole cover to yourself.
PD: That’s right, never give up on a dream.
JK: How did your family react to the dream?
PD: They laughed. Quite hard. They were like, ‘no, seriously, who is it?’ I was like, ‘no, it’s me’. That was when reality came crashing in.