McConaughey named 'sexiest man alive'

Matthew McConaughey has been named People magazine's "sexiest man alive" for 2005. File picture / Reuters

LOS ANGELES - It must be sexy playing the bongos naked. Actor Matthew McConaughey, who was arrested in 1999 while playing bongo drums and dancing naked in his Texas home, has been named People magazine's "sexiest man alive".

It is the 20th year the popular culture magazine has offered up lists bestowing honours on a wide range of men it deems notable for sex appeal or other attributes.

One surprise this year was special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, lead investigator in the CIA leak case, who landed in the "Why We Love Smart Guys" category along with CNN newsman Anderson Cooper and U2 lead singer Bono.

Actors Brad Pitt and George Clooney, who were both named "sexiest man alive" in past years, were on the "Most Wanted" man list this year, and Japanese actor Ken Watanabe and Swiss tennis player Roger Federer were among the "International Men of Sexiness."

But the top prize belongs to McConaughey, and the 36-year-old star of recent films "Two for the Money" and "Sahara" told the magazine what he liked most was "the 'alive' part."

"Now I've made it. Wait until you see the roles I could take after this. You're going to see my gut hanging over, plus 22 (pounds)," he joked.

People magazine said it chose the Texas native this year because he is "chivalrous, passionate and cooks a mean marinara."

McConaughey gained wide recognition in director Richard Linklater's 1993 comedy "Dazed and Confused" about life at a Texas high school and went on to leading man roles in thriller "U-571" and romantic comedy "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."

In this year's adventure film "Sahara," which earned $120 million (69.8 million pounds) at global box offices, he co-starred with girlfriend Penelope Cruz.

In October 1999, police in Austin, Texas responded to a noise complaint, looked into McConaughey's home and spotted what they suspected was a marijuana-smoking device. They entered to find the actor playing bongos and dancing naked. He later paid a $50 fine for a noise violation and prosecutors dropped a charge of resisting transport.

- REUTERS