jon stewart, askmen top 49 AskMen just released its 49 Most Influential Men of 2010. And it's hard to argue with their top choice, "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart.

Stewart -- real name Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz -- is the perfect consensus choice. He's above the fray, appealing to most demographics and inarguably influential. After all, it was Rick Sanchez's ill-advised recent attack on the comedian that got him fired from CNN. (Stewart didn't have to say a word to make that happen.)

He also earns points for maintaining his visibility and credibility after 2008, which was arguaprobably his peak year. During it, he hosted the Academy Awards and watched as someone representing the reconciliation politics he espouses became president of the United States.

A man who proposed to his wife by crossword puzzle -- and has his own stormtrooper action figure -- is hero enough for us. AskMen, however, kept going, and we are a bit perplexed by some of the rankings.


president barack obama, askmen top 4921. Barack Obama
We know President Hussein In The Membrane has been tarred and feathered since the moment he assumed office in 2009, but we're surprised he slipped so far from his #3 slot last year.

Change is hard, especially when the Supreme Court is rigged against you and corporations can spend unlimited money to defeat your party in the midterms. He's understandably taken some pretty big hits ... but to slip to #21? The guy who founded Foursquare is #19, for God's sake. What did he ever do except make keeping tabs on exes so much easier?


isaiah mustafa, askmen top 4930. Isaiah Mustafah
The guy from the Old Spice commercials is influential? In what, you buying Old Spice? If that was the competition, he would win hands down, beating out a horse, a shower curtain and even way-cooler Old Spice spokesman Bruce Campbell.

But, aside from getting your girlfriend to bug you to wear your deodorant (she'll stop that once she actually smells the stuff, trust us), he isn't influencing any dudes.



leonardo dicaptrio, askmen top 4943. Leonardo DiCaprio
If "investigating your dreams" self-help books suddenly vaulted to the top of the New York Times bestseller list, you could thank "Inception," but not necessarily Leonardo DiCaprio. The best thing about DiCaprio is that he isn't at all influential. He's not in our faces with his advice, nor does he flaunt his supermodel girlfriends in public or make an ass of himself on "Saturday Night Live." The great part about Leo is that he's just some famous actor dude, and that's it.


steve slater, askmen top 4948. Steven Slater
We haven't heard of any rogue passengers trying to activate the emergency slide, or mailmen shooting up the post office and escaping via first-class-mail chutes, so we're pretty sure Steven Slater hasn't influenced anyone else to follow in his footsteps.

The former Jet Blue flight attendant's rampage was a spectacularly obnoxious way to quit his job and inspired a huge "Save Steve Slater" movement, which died about 15 minutes later when the real story of his rude behavior came out. Actual influence = less than zero.
russell brand, askmen top 4949. Russell Brand
Britain's most notorious comedian and ladies man just married crush object / terrible pop star Katy Perry in an orgy of money in India. This, coupled with star-making appearances in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and "Get Him to the Greek" arguably make him an American celebrity now, but his actual influence is questionable at best.

Aside from a few hooligans dressed up as Brand at every Halloween Parade, few men have taken on aspects of his appearance, personality or love for Zooey Deschanel knockoffs. Then again, not much of Britain has rubbed off on America lately, except for an urge to laugh at George Michael.