Will Ferrell Jokes He Shouldn't Have Lost to John Krasinski for PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive: 'I Don't Get It!'

Mar. 15, 2025

Will Ferrell attends the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort & Spa on Dec. 11, 2024 in Santa Barbara, Calif.; John Krasinski People’s Sexiest Man Alive 2024.Photo:Chelsea Guglielmino/WireImage

Chelsea Guglielmino/WireImage

Will Ferrellis ready for his close-up!On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the actor, 57, appeared ontheTodayshowand expressed his disappointment at not being namedPEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alivelast year.Co-hostSavannah Guthrierecalledtheir previous on-air conversation about Ferrell wanting to appear on PEOPLE’s annual issuededicated to all things sexy.“Yes, [my campaign] started here,” the comedian said. “And maybe this was the wrong place to start it. I got zero votes.“Will Ferrell attends the “Despicable Me 4” New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on June 9, 2024 in New York City.Dia Dipasupil/GettyGuthrie was indignant on his behalf. “That can’t be!” she said. “I didn’t have a vote but I would vote for you.“Ferrell said that he tried to “launch” a campaign at theDespicable Me 4premierein New York City, but did not make a big enough splash — so he’s got grand plans for 2025: “I think I may need to do a preemptive photoshoot,” he said, “pay for some billboards around LA and New York. Influencers, get it going that way.“As for his take on the winner?Ferrell said he couldn’t recall who won the title over him, and the co-hosts played along. “Does anybody remember?” Guthrie quipped, while Melvin said, “Who was it?“Will Ferrell attends the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Feb. 25, 2024 in Santa Monica, Calif.Kayla Oaddams/WireImage"If it was you, everyone would remember,” Guthrie told Ferrell.Melvin finally noted last year’s winner wasJohn Krasinski.“So you’re okay to losing to him?” he asked Ferrell, to which he begrudgingly answered, “Okay. All right. I guess … I don’t get it.“Melvin said, “You don’t see what they see.“At theDespicable Me 4premiere in June 2024, Ferrell told PEOPLEin an exclusive interviewthat he was gunning for the title.John Krasinski PEOPLE SMA 2024 cover.Julian UnganoHe said that he was “planting the seeds” to end up on the cover “because you guys never have comedians.““So get it going internally, all right? Sexiest Man,” he added.The actor went on to mention that one of his Minion superpowers would be to “be PEOPLE Magazine’s Sexiest Man of the Year. Come on. Vote for comedians!“He continued his campaign a few days later onLate Night with Seth Meyers, saying that he was “getting the campaign going early.“Will Ferrell attends the “Despicable Me 4” New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on June 9, 2024 in New York City.Dipasupil/Getty"I have to be one of the leading vote-getters as of right now,” he said while observing his dramatic pose at the aforementioned premiere, for which he wore a white tracksuit.Around the same time, he toldtheTodayshowthat his campaign “is not a joke.““It’s time,” he said. “They never have comedians. Can you think of one? I can’t.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Co-host Guthrie then pointed out thatPaul Rudd has won the title, to which Ferrell said, “Paul’s funny, but not there.““I’ve never wanted anything more badly than Sexiest Man Alive,” he later added.PEOPLE announced that Kransinki won the title in November 2024. Sharing his reaction to the news, the actor told PEOPLE the he went into an “immediate blackout.““Zero thoughts,” Kransinki continued. “Other than maybe I’m being punked. That’s not how I wake up usually, thinking, “Is this the day that I’ll be asked to be Sexiest Man Alive?” And yet it was the day you guys did it. You really raised the bar for me.”

Will Ferrellis ready for his close-up!

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the actor, 57, appeared ontheTodayshowand expressed his disappointment at not being namedPEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alivelast year.

Co-hostSavannah Guthrierecalledtheir previous on-air conversation about Ferrell wanting to appear on PEOPLE’s annual issuededicated to all things sexy.

“Yes, [my campaign] started here,” the comedian said. “And maybe this was the wrong place to start it. I got zero votes.”

Will Ferrell attends the “Despicable Me 4” New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on June 9, 2024 in New York City.Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Guthrie was indignant on his behalf. “That can’t be!” she said. “I didn’t have a vote but I would vote for you.”

Ferrell said that he tried to “launch” a campaign at theDespicable Me 4premierein New York City, but did not make a big enough splash — so he’s got grand plans for 2025: “I think I may need to do a preemptive photoshoot,” he said, “pay for some billboards around LA and New York. Influencers, get it going that way.”

As for his take on the winner?

Ferrell said he couldn’t recall who won the title over him, and the co-hosts played along. “Does anybody remember?” Guthrie quipped, while Melvin said, “Who was it?”

Will Ferrell attends the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Feb. 25, 2024 in Santa Monica, Calif.Kayla Oaddams/WireImage

Kayla Oaddams/WireImage

“If it was you, everyone would remember,” Guthrie told Ferrell.

Melvin finally noted last year’s winner wasJohn Krasinski.

“So you’re okay to losing to him?” he asked Ferrell, to which he begrudgingly answered, “Okay. All right. I guess … I don’t get it.”

Melvin said, “You don’t see what they see.”

At theDespicable Me 4premiere in June 2024, Ferrell told PEOPLEin an exclusive interviewthat he was gunning for the title.

John Krasinski PEOPLE SMA 2024 cover.Julian Ungano

Julian Ungano

He said that he was “planting the seeds” to end up on the cover “because you guys never have comedians.”

“So get it going internally, all right? Sexiest Man,” he added.

The actor went on to mention that one of his Minion superpowers would be to “be PEOPLE Magazine’s Sexiest Man of the Year. Come on. Vote for comedians!”

He continued his campaign a few days later onLate Night with Seth Meyers, saying that he was “getting the campaign going early.”

Will Ferrell attends the “Despicable Me 4” New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on June 9, 2024 in New York City.Dipasupil/Getty

Dipasupil/Getty

“I have to be one of the leading vote-getters as of right now,” he said while observing his dramatic pose at the aforementioned premiere, for which he wore a white tracksuit.

Around the same time, he toldtheTodayshowthat his campaign “is not a joke.”

“It’s time,” he said. “They never have comedians. Can you think of one? I can’t.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Co-host Guthrie then pointed out thatPaul Rudd has won the title, to which Ferrell said, “Paul’s funny, but not there.”

“I’ve never wanted anything more badly than Sexiest Man Alive,” he later added.

PEOPLE announced that Kransinki won the title in November 2024. Sharing his reaction to the news, the actor told PEOPLE the he went into an “immediate blackout.”

“Zero thoughts,” Kransinki continued. “Other than maybe I’m being punked. That’s not how I wake up usually, thinking, “Is this the day that I’ll be asked to be Sexiest Man Alive?” And yet it was the day you guys did it. You really raised the bar for me.”

source: people.com