{"id":278327,"date":"2025-11-12T13:18:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T13:18:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/278327\/"},"modified":"2025-11-12T13:18:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T13:18:07","slug":"peoples-sexiest-man-alive-might-be-a-recession-indicator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/278327\/","title":{"rendered":"People’s Sexiest Man Alive might be a recession indicator"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are many indications that the U.S. economy might be in a recession: Mass layoffs, high inflation, Toy Story 5<\/a>, to name a few. The problem is that experts likely won\u2019t know that the economy is in a recession until we\u2019re already in one. It\u2019s a wonderful system. But of all the indicators we\u2019ve seen lately (calling something a recession indicator has become an enjoyable, if fatalistic meme<\/a>), one theory from author Erin Baldwin of TikTok<\/a> might be the most convincing\u2014mostly because she brought receipts. Baldwin argues that People\u2018s Sexiest Man Alive is a recession indicator when they actually pick the right guy, and her math checks out.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople magazine is very good at picking the right man at the wrong time, but occasionally they do get it right,\u201d Baldwin says in the video. \u201cEvery time they\u2019ve gotten it right, there\u2019s been a recession.\u201d<\/p>\n

@erinbaldwin.books<\/a> Jonathan Bailey is People\u2019s Sexiest Man Alive and i personally Have No Money \ud83e\udd14 coincidence?????? #sexiestmanalive<\/a> #fiyero<\/a> #peoplemagazine<\/a> #financialliteracy<\/a> #jonathanbailey<\/a> \u266c original sound \u2013 erinbaldwin.books<\/a><\/p>\n

The first time this happened was in 1991, when People selected Patrick Swayze as the Sexiest Man Alive. \u201cGood choice,\u201d Baldwin says. Two years later, People begins a period of \u201cweird choices,\u201d starting with the selection of Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford as the Sexiest Couple Alive. But weird turns out to be good, economically speaking, because the American economy stabilized after Hurricane Swayze. But an overzealous People can\u2019t help but make the right choice in 2000, choosing Brad Pitt, fresh off of Fight Club and Snatch, and Pierce Brosnan in 2001, just before he left Bond behind. Both are excellent choices, but unfortunately, they are the Sexiest Men Alive during the 2000 to 2001 recession. And who might you ask was the Sexiest Man Alive in 2009, at the start of the Great Recession? Hugh Jackman.<\/p>\n

Great Job, Internet!: Joyce Carol Oates ethers Elon Musk on his own platform<\/a>Great Job, Internet!: Martin Scorsese is pretty good at guessing his movies from Letterboxd reviews<\/a><\/p>\n

Of course, the theory is subjective and relies on you agreeing with People\u2018s choice. But it doesn\u2019t bode well for the country that People made the right call and named Jonathan Bailey Sexiest Man Alive last week. \u201cWe know, we nailed,\u201d People\u00a0writes. Oh, how we wish you hadn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n