Anthony Fauci named 'The Sexiest Man Alive' by the Guardian — and folks aren't taking the newspaper's decision so kindly

Dr. Anthony Fauci — director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases — has been named "The Sexiest Man Alive" by the British-based publication the Guardian.

But some are wondering if the title bestowed upon the 80-year-old in charge of America's response to the coronavirus during the last 18 months is a joke of some kind.

What are the details?

The Guardian's Instagram post about Fauci's latest accolade said the "scientist, doctor and public servant ... has become an unlikely cult hero for millions of people during the COVID pandemic."

The post added that Fauci — whom the Guardian also called a "pop culture phenomenon" — is "the focus of a documentary, appropriately titled: Fauci."

Oh, about that documentary...

TheBlaze reported on the "Fauci" doc earlier this week, particularly in regard to the manner in which it's getting savaged online. "Pure garbage," "Worst doc ever," and "This man belongs in prison" are just a few of the descriptions observers offered.

But the Guardian gave some ink to the doc's creators on the Instagram post.

"At the core of Tony's popularity is that people intuit that this is a man who is speaking the truth and will not let anything stand in the way," John Hoffman, co-director, told the newspaper. "Tony is the signal amid the noise. People are able to sense that there's a lot of noise, and their ears are trying to find the signal, and Tony is the signal."

How are folks reacting to Fauci's 'Sexiest Man Alive' title?

The following are the first 10 reactions as of 5 p.m. EST seen at the top of Instagram post:

• "You must be joking."
• "Nope."
• "Tell me more about glorification."
• "Yikes."
• "Are you joking?"
• "Wait, what?"
• "Satire, I assume?"
• "Wouldn't trust him with a brush."
• "Is this the plot of a Twilight Zone episode?"

And number 10 may be the best reply of the bunch: "The sexiest gain of function researcher funder."

You get the idea.

Anything else?

More than 28,000 people signed a Change.org petition last year asking People Magazine to name Fauci the Sexiest Man Alive.

"His comforting and intelligent demeanor has helped to lessen our national anxiety. He speaks truth to power, a strength few have at this time. His kind face and manner of speaking bring calm during the storm," the petition description read. "For sapiophiles and many others, he is the definitive Sexiest Man Alive in 2020."

The New York Post reported that actor Michael B. Jordan received People's title last year.