Clooney is the sexiest man ALIVE!!!

Of all the men alive, George Clooney is the sexiet one, according to People magazine which announced its annual selection on Wednesday.

The debates are already beginning: what about McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey) or McSteamy (Eric Dane) or the new Bond (Daniel Craig)?

I guess it's just that Clooney, 45, is so damned handsome AND so much more: smart, talented, funny, down-to-Earth, and principled. He joins Brad Pitt as the only two-time honoree of the "sexiest" title which began back in 1986 with Mel Gibson.

What a year for Clooney: he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for "Syriana" and was nominated multiple times for writing and directing "Good Night, and Good Luck." Clooney also further cemented his reputation for social activism, working on behalf of causes to help the troubled Darfur region of Sudan.

And through it all, he's kept his sense of humor intact. "There's a lot of pressure," he says of the Sexiest Man Alive honor. "There are all the events you have to show up for. The sash you have to wear … is embarrassing."

Here is more of his People interview:

On whether he'll ever have children:
"I think it's the most responsible thing you can do, to have kids. It's not something to be taken lightly. I don't have that gene that people have to replicate. But everything in my life has changed over time."

On his vow to "never marry again" – and whether he's changed his mind:
"The truth is, I haven't softened my position on anything, but it's not something I deal with on a regular basis. Who knows? I've been married (in the early '90s, to actress Talia Balsam). It's not something I'm looking out for. The truth is, I'm really happy."

On what he finds attractive:
"Everybody says this, but sense of humor is No. 1 for me. It's certainly what's most attractive. It's not the first thing you notice at 21, but it's the first thing you notice now. You also have to have a sense of humor about my life. It certainly has had an effect on relationships, but I would bet less of an effect than my own issues or insecurities. You can't really blame outside forces for things not working out. You have to take some responsibility."

On being named Sexiest Man Alive for a second time:
"This one's going to be hard for Brad (Pitt) since he's been Sexiest Man Alive twice. He's enjoyed that mantle. I'd say 'Sexiest Man Alive' to him and he'd go, 'Two-time.' So that's been taken away. We used to call him Two Time. So Brad's going to be upset."