Sometimes the squeaky wheel does get the grease. Last year, Role Model campaigned hard to be chosen as Sexiest Musician in People magazine’s Readers’ Choice Poll, but lost to Harry Styles. But this year, he has the last laugh: He’s been chosen to be the magazine’s first-ever centerfold.
“I feel amazing,” Role Model, born Tucker Pillsbury, tells People. “I’m honored.”
In the centerfold, though, Tucker isn’t showing off his Pillsbury. He’s posing naked except for a pair of white socks, with a large newspaper covering his midsection. The headline reads, “Role Model Certified Sexy!”
When Role Model campaigned for the title last year, he went all in, even making merch and renting billboards. Explaining why he went to such lengths for a not-very-important title, he tells People, “My argument was always this. Obviously, Harry Styles is in the lead, just off the bat. … How cool would it have been to let the underdog win, me?”
“Harry Styles has everything. He’s got a brand. He’s got to be almost touching a billion dollars at this point. Sold out shows, amazing career, beautiful looks. He doesn’t need this. He didn’t need it,” the singer adds. “I needed it and it was taken from me and I think there was just a little bit of cheating that you guys could have done to put me in the lead.”
In other Role Model news, when he performed in London on Tuesday One Direction singer Niall Horan was the surprise Sally during “Sally When the Wine Runs Out.” You can see footage of him joining Role Model onstage on Instagram.
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