After paging through today’s 25 Great Bromances gallery (pegged to I Love You, Man, which opens today), Mandi and I realized that everyone we know loves Paul Rudd. ‘Cause they’re smart! And they should! Still, it’s so rare, in this increasingly savage tear-anyone-apart-just-because-you-can celebrity culture, for someone famous to be universally adored. Responses to my informal Twitter poll — "Does anyone NOT love Paul Rudd? And please expand: Why the hell not?" — ranged from "thank you!!! I freakin love the guy!!!!!" (the possibly over-caffeinated lala0386), to "I’ve loved him since Clueless. Yain’t gettin a peep outta me" (dennang), to "Not only do I love Paul Rudd, I even love him in the 2007 flick I Could Never Be Your Woman" (MinisodeNetwork). And my personal favorite: "It is both physically and mentally impossible not to love Paul Rudd. Straight men, lesbians, EVERYONE" (cmusso). Well then. Theory: confirmed! But just in case…
A tiny sampling of why it’s impossible to dislike Paul Rudd
(from Dave Karger’s excellent pink-hued feature in EW’s print issue, on stands today)
"I’ve always felt like I’m the kind of actor that some people might recognize, but they probably don’t know my name," Rudd says. "I don’t have a big drive to be ‘the guy.’" This is exactly it, I think. He’s not beggin’ for love, so we wanna give it to him even more. Damn human nature!
Who came up with the idea for Steve Carell to scream "Kelly Clarkson!" in conjunction with a chest wax in The 40-Year-Old Virgin? PAUL RUDD DID. It’s true, y’all!
He’s longtime friends with Jon Hamm (¡Jon Hamm!) and they play chess together. "A lot." CHESS!
He’s "big karaoke friends" with Bobby Cannavale and Peter Dinklage,and used the abbreviated term ‘raoke to illustrate this further. As in,"We’ve all ‘raoked together over the years." (And they only sing inprivate rooms, just like the PopWatch writing staff!)
And finally, this choice quote under the header ‘Why He Feels ALittle Gay’: "I always thought I’d be a really goodgay guy. I love American Idol." Haaaaaaaaa. (Could Paul Rudd be the one to coax Idol out of the closet? If he donned a printed tee and fashion hat, I think he’d have a decent shot!)
I’ve seen I Love You, Man, and it’s great.Rush fans in particular should buy tickets immediately — a large chunkof the film’s second half takes place at a concert by the band, and theprogression of Rudd and bro buddy Jason Segel’s talent for dueting on "Tom Sawyer" issort of a metaphor for the blossoming of their beautiful friendship.It’s like when Glen and Markéta had that powerful spirit-snuggle while jammin’ in the piano store in Once. Okay not exactly. The takeaway fromthe entire film: You’ll never blow a silent-but-deadly (SBD) fart — inpublic — again. That’s a promise.
Any of you seen I Love You, Man yet, P-Dubs? Planning on it?Does anyone NOT love Paul Rudd? And please expand: Why the hell not? Isense an SBD headed your way….
Read more:
Gallery: Paul Rudd Tells Us 10 Things About…Being Paul Rudd
Movie review: ‘I Love You, Man’
The Music Mix: Rush’s Geddy Lee talks about ‘I Love You, Man’
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I agree 100% with the feelings that prompted this post. Paul Rudd is love; liked him in Clueless, and then Wet Hot American Summer came along and I was hooked. It’s basically un-American to hate Paul Rudd. Even though his family is English. Only adds to his charm
Sorry I didn’t love him in that Jennifer Aniston movie. That was horrible but he will always be loved for his role in Clueless. total Baldwin
I have liked Paul Rudd for a while, but I saw I Love You, Man and developed a total man-crush.
I have loved Paul Rudd since Clueless. I have a jar that I made in high school that has pink tissue paper and pictures of Brad Pitt, Ryan Phillippe and Paul Rudd decoupaged on it. It’s still at my parents house in a box.
I saw it this afternoon and he was fantastic! It IS true. Every time Paul Rudd’s name is mentioned in conversation, it’s met with a chorus of “I LOVE that guy” from people of all walks of life. (But yes, I agree, that Jennifer Aniston movie sucked. I’m glad he’s moved on from rom-coms to hilarious bro-coms.
me and all my guy friends have man love for Paul Rudd. Because of Wet Hot American Summer. And Anchorman. And because he was Phoebe’s Crap Bag on Friends. And The 40 Year Old Virgin. And…you get it.
The writer of this article is hilarious. And talented.
I am bitter and appalled that the whole world now knows his name whereas once I could have him all to myself.
I’ve loved Paul Rudd since he played Ashley Judd’s husband (Kirby) on Sisters. And the love just continues to grow. Plus, hello, he’s so attractive — just darling, as my mom would say.
That’s the sexiest thing I’ve read: [Paul Rudd is] longtime friends with Jon Hamm (JON HAMM) and they play chess together. “A lot.”
I love, love, love Paul Rudd. When I went to a preview screening a couple of weeks ago for “I Love You, Man” with the actors and director present, I made sure to give Rudd a big hug afterward. Sure, I may have overstepped my boundaries, but who wouldn’t want to be able to say they’ve hugged Paul Rudd??
I agree AND I think it is worthwhile to try to figure out why this is (beyond his looks). An obvious one: I would say that he’s chosen roles that help. Richard Gere, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Costner, etc. take note: stop playing the dashing hero (vomits).
I honestly think he’s this generation’s Tom Hanks. Enjoy his comedies while you can, cause if history has taught us anything, his career will eventually veer into more dramatic, serious, epic roles.
O that Rush!! Yikes, I thought you were talking about the Limbaugh. Silly me. Too much politics, not enough music. Paul Rudd is adorable. Somebody’s got to be.
Have loved Paul Rudd since I decided he was a lot hotter than Leo in Romeo+Juliet (Along with all of my other classmates). Glad to see his boom and glad to know that I Love You, Man is actually good (Jason Segal too y’all!), but I too am bitter than I can’t have him all to myself now.
I don’t love Paul Rudd. I couldn’t care less about him one way or the other. I guess that means I’m not smart. Oh dear, I feel bad now.
How can anyone not love Paul Rudd? He’s hot, he’s smart, he’s funny, he’s not attention-seeking, he’s just plain awesome!
I have loved him since he was in Clueless and on Sisters as Ashley Judd’s charcter’s husband. He’s a Total Baldwin and seems like a really nice guy!
Oh I “slappa da baaaass” all night after I saw the movie.
He was totally fantastic on Friends, in Clueless,in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and all things before after and inbetween. It’s impossible not to Love Paul Rudd
My undying love for Paul Rudd and started with ‘Clueless.’ I also have big crush on Peter Dinklage. It’s fun to know they’re friends! My new goal is to someday crash their karaoke room. Thanks, PopWatch!
Kate! I, too, love Peter Dinklage, and am ridiculously happy to see his name in credits. And Paul Rudd is just adorable. I’ve loved him since Sisters and Clueless.
Paul Rudd, with his spot on improv, his cross-movie recognition of Everybody Loves Raymond and Back to the Future, to the scene in Wet Hot American Summer where he has to pick up his mess in the cafeteria, is the funniest man in the biz. Loved I Love You Man, and I love him.
I like him! I heard he is a big green proponent and uses one of these http://tinyurl.com/cupw5u
in contrast to what a couple people have said on here, i really liked The Object of My Affection. it was cute, and he was sweet in it.
yes, Raul Pudd, you are indeed an idiot. Be proud.
Popwatch, how did you neglect to mention Paul Rudd’s godly dancing abilities?
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=209424&title=Paul-Rudd
It may be too much to say everyone “loves” Paul Rudd, but I would guess there are very few to no people who dislike or hate him. I’m very fond of him, myself.
Guys if you like Paul Rudd you have to watch the new serie Party Down, it’s just hilarious ! It’s created by Rob Thomas (genius veronica mars mastermind) and the beloved Paul Rudd ! They are long time friends too, these dudes are just smart, witty, funny : the old package is rare in american showbiz.
This just makes me love Paul Rudd more. Dude is just plan cool.
It’s actually been a running joke for a VERY LONG TIME that I have Man Love for Paul Rudd. As a matter of fact, if I die today, I’m pretty sure my friends would put on my tombstone, “Here lies TheDiddy, We’re not saying that he was gay for Paul Rudd, BUT, HE WAS GAY FOR PAUL RUDD!”.