Welcome to FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World poll, which began as an attempt to settle an argument and is now in its eighth successive year. The discussion that spawned it was over the appeal of former supermodel Helena Christensen. "She looks like a carp," said one FHM staffer. An outraged colleague countered that surely she was one of the planet's finest lady specimens. The fish theorist fought back, saying there were dozens of women with a far better claim to that title.
Of course, there is no objective test to determine which of the two theories is correct�it's like asking which is the most important tree or what is the nicest color. By putting it to a vote, at least the argument as to who was the sexiest woman could be settled democratically. Eight years later, the readers of FHM still struggle with the question.
Some of you who filled out the coupon printed in the magazine (which asked for your top 10) only made it to six or seven names, clearly exhausted by the challenge. Others filled in all 10, then scribbled some out and replaced them with others. And to those ballot-stuffers who sent in repeat entries by e-mail�nice try. Your efforts were thwarted by sophisticated technology. The result is the definitive list for 2002. If you don't like it, let the arguing begin!
Ed Needham
FHM Editor-in-chief
100. SHANNON ELIZABETH
Tomcat
LAST YEAR: 28
Shannon's career has gone a little quiet since her legendary interpretation of a foreign exchange student with a contempt for even the most basic clothing in American Pie led to her debut on this list at No. 16 two years ago. She starred with Gary Busey's kid in last spring's atrocious Tomcats, a movie so poor that even her return as Nadia in American Pie 2 couldn't fully revive her popularity.
99. KELLY RIPA
Regis savior
NEW ENTRY
Stepping in on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee for the weathered has-been Gifford�ostensibly so Kathie Lee could focus on shilling for Carnival Cruise Lines�Kelly has provided an ample antidote to Philbin's gratingly frantic persona.
98. CHYNA
Ass kicker
LAST YEAR: 97
It is both intimidating and intriguing to envision Chyna in her former gig as a belly dancer. Nonetheless, she earns bonus points for rupturing one of her vaunted implants during a wrestling match-an event about which she proudly boasts.
97. NELLY FURTADO
Canada's finest
NEW ENTRY
Just 23 years old, this multi-talented, multi-ethnic, multi-platinum western Canadian already owns a Best Female Pop Vocal Grammy. You can bet Nelly doesn't take success for granted, as she was humbled by eight summers as a chambermaid.
96. JAMIE SALE
Ice queen
NEW ENTRY
If only pairs skating were a real sport, the 2002 Olympic judging debacle would go down as the biggest travesty in sports history. Jamie has inspired a generation of skating hopefuls to embroil themselves in controversy.
95. YAMILA DIAZ-RAHI
Swimsuit superstar
NEW ENTRY
Having grabbed the SI Swimsuit cover-girl torch from such modeling heavyweights as Cindy Crawford and Elle Macpherson, Yamila has quickly become one of the world's most recognizable faces. The Lebanese/Spanish Victoria's Secret mainstay has also dabbled in the thespian craft, appearing in the 1999 Italian sleeper hit Il Pesce Innamorato (Love of the Fishes).
94. KIM SMITH
Honest model
LAST YEAR: 38
Want to feel old? Consider the fact that Kim was born the same year in which Return of the Jedi was released. She has become a huge hit on the Victoria's Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch circuit, but the success has yet to go to her head. "Models are what they are . . . people who model clothing, that's all," she candidly admits.
93. CHELY WRIGHT
Country girl
NEW ENTRY
A half-decade since breaking through with the ballsy cut "Shut Up and Drive," Chely has become a regular on the country music charts. That makes it all the more baffling that she reportedly has never taken a vocal lesson in her life.
92. JOSIE MARAN
Blaine's ex
NEW ENTRY
Magicians rank just a hair above mimes on the irritation meter, but renowned prestidigitator David Blaine deserves credit for his greatest trick: duping Josie into both suffering through his shows as his assistant and dating him for a while. Of course, assisting Blaine was a big step up from a regrettable role in the Backstreet Boys video for "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)."
91. ZHANG ZIYI
Crouching tiger
NEW ENTRY
Her star is on the rise, but Zhang knows that public esteem can be fleeting. "In China, we don't consider someone truly beautiful until we have known them for a long time and we know what's underneath the skin." Yet another reason to despise communism.
90. LAETITIA CASTA
Victoria's secret
LAST YEAR: 40
A brown belt in judo, Laetitia is fully capable of kicking the snot out of a pesky paparazzi photographer or autograph-seeker. She also has a softer side, as evidenced by the time she treated a homeless man to dinner at a London hotel.
89. VANESSA MARCIL
Chump chaser
LAST YEAR: 50
No act exemplifies the inequities of show business more than Corey Feldman conning Vanessa into marrying him. After mercifully severing that relationship, the Lilliputian lass somehow fell prey to Brian Austin Green. Who's next, Chris Klein?
88. BUSH TWINS
Dubya's troublemakers
LAST YEAR: 96
The First Twins have been unable to avoid the dreaded media spotlight. Then again, with an insatiable appetite for booze and partying surpassed only by their father's, the dynamic duo was bound to become tabloid regulars.
87. KATE HUDSON
Goldie's kid
LAST YEAR: 72
One might be inclined to believe that Kate's rich pedigree provided a cushy launching pad for her move up Hollywood's ranks. Those who saw her mom, Goldie Hawn, star in Wildcats would be inclined to think otherwise.
86. PINK
Gwen wannabe?
NEW ENTRY
Pink obviously has no shame in bearing the same brand of sleek midsection and rose-tinted hair as musical peer Gwen Stefani. The formula obviously works, as the 22-year-old has become a steady fixture on the R&B/ pop music scene.
85. SAMANTHA MUMBA
Irish songstress
NEW ENTRY
"There are a lot of female artists my age," Samantha says, "but they're all American and blond and blue-eyed and smiley. I'm totally the opposite of that." It's exactly that moxie-and her mellifluous Irish brogue-that differentiates the Dublin product from her fellow bubble-gum chewers.
84. MEGAN EWING
Speedy Texan
NEW ENTRY
Grabbing the reins from fellow Longhorn Kim Smith, Megan is the newest installment in the long line of heart-stopping Guess models. Only a high school junior, the basketball aficionado and varsity track star is also a regular for Abercrombie & Fitch.
83. PAULA ZAHN
Morning glory
NEW ENTRY
Proving once again that nothing makes a woman look sexier than a backdrop of barren desert and exploding artillery shells, Paula's reporting on Afghanistan has thankfully brought her brand of earthy allure back to the forefront.
82. AALIYAH
Angel
NEW ENTRY
While it's sad that the life of someone so talented was tragically cut short, Aaliyah experienced more in her 22 years than most do in their entire lives. She leaves behind a legacy of award-winning music and big-screen leading roles.
81. MOLLY SIMS
Only at Old Navy
NEW ENTRY
It was with prodding from friends that this former Vanderbilt law student branched out and entered the world of modeling. A former competitive swimmer, Molly handles appearing in SI's famed swimsuit issue and hosting MTV's House of Style with equal aplomb.
80. ALICIA KEYS
Grammy collector
NEW ENTRY
Her obvious beauty and immense musical talent aside, Alicia Augello Cook should be given serious props for having been accepted to Columbia University at the ripe age of 16. It's safe to say she made the right decision to defer enrollment in favor of a burgeoning musical career, which has already netted her the triple-platinum�and counting�Songs in A Minor, as well as five Grammys . . . all before the age of 22.
79. JOLENE BLALOCK
Trekkie delight
NEW ENTRY
"Spock was the sex symbol," Jolene insists. "A lot of people think it was Kirk, but it was really Spock." Considering the 27-year-old plays T'Pol on Enterprise, one can forgive her affinity for pointy ears and a bad Moe haircut.
78. GWEN STEFANI
Famous navel
NEW ENTRY
By flaunting her renowned navel, Gwen has fooled a generation of audiophiles into thinking she's the sexiest rock star ever. Her ever-changing hair colors�she seems to favor pink�still make her the object of pre-pubescent punk rockers' fantasies.
77. LEEAN TWEEDEN
Extreme hostess
NEW ENTRY
"I'm a boy trapped in a girl's body," Leeann told FHM when asked about her passion for surfing, riding dirt bikes and cliff rappelling. Catch more of that "girl's body" on the Best Damn Sports Show, Period, where everybody looks good next to Tom Arnold.
76. ELIZA DUSHKU
Buffy sidekick
NEW ENTRY
Eliza is one of the seemingly thousands of young starlets to emanate from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She made the transition to the big screen with sassy performances in both Bring It On and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
75. MEG RYAN
Fine wine
LAST YEAR: 66
While she's spent most of her career working on wretchedly sappy flicks, Meg is presently working on her most challenging role to date. She'll play Jackie Kallen, a Jewish boxing manager from Detroit, in the 2003 biopic Against the Ropes.
74. JENNIFER CONNELLY
Brainy chick
NEW ENTRY
Jennifer not only wrapped herself in a lettuce leaf to accept the Supporting Actress Oscar for A Beautiful Mind, but she read her speech directly from a scrap of paper. One would expect more from a chick who attended both Stanford and Yale.
73. SUSAN WARD
Bayou babe
LAST YEAR: 47
Thankfully, Susan is not related to Burt Ward of TV's Batman fame�although he did look rather dashing in his tight multi-colored Robin getup. Susan's spunky roles in Shallow Hal and the upcoming Would I Lie to You? provide positive reinforcement for her decision to forego becoming a veterinarian.
72. GWYNETH PALTROW
Icy
LAST YEAR: 87
To research her role as a "big-boned" girl in Shallow Hal, Gwyneth cruised the Tribeca Grand Hotel in a latex fat suit. Scorned by men who would otherwise be floored by her presence, she realized being thin and hot does have its benefits.
71. KRISTIN KREUK
Superman's crush
NEW ENTRY
"Sometimes I love acting, but sometimes it's too much for me," says the budding star from TV's Smallville. "I don't know if it is something that I could do for the rest of my life." Yes, crazy dollars and instant fame certainly take a toll on a person.
70. ANGIE HARMON
Cornerback's wife
LAST YEAR: 100
Ever since Angie hooked up with the New York Giants' Jason Sehorn, he has become the NFL's most injury-prone, overrated defender. It makes you wonder if Angie, a Cowboys fan, purposely cast her spell over the former defensive threat.
69. KATHERINE HEIGL
Roswell resident
LAST YEAR: 71
Katherine gained exposure as the precocious daughter in 1994's My Father the Hero. "Men still come up to me and say, 'You were really hot in that film!' I was 14, for God's sake!" She also bears the unenviable burden of having dated Joey Lawrence.
68. PENELOPE CRUZ
Spanish fly
LAST YEAR: 70
Named after the song "Pen�lope" by Spanish bore Juan Manuel Serrat, questions about her sex appeal�assuming that there were any doubts�were quickly put to rest after her ravenous tour de force alongside pint-sized partner Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky.
67. KELLY BROOK
Welcome to Smallville
NEW ENTRY
Amid nasty rumors that she was going to be fired from British variety show The Big Breakfast for being "too dumb," Kelly wisely quit before the show's producers could give her the boot. Britain's loss turned out to be America's gain, as the captivating 22-year-old started wowing WB audiences the day she showed up on Smallville.
66. SOFIA VERGARA
Mama bonita
LAST YEAR: 98
"If you're asking if my breasts are natural, yes, this is how I've looked since I was 13 years old." Well, considering her son, Manolo, is on the cusp of junior high, Sof�a ought to hope he has no classmates as precocious as she was, or else the lad will never get any work done. Then again, such a fate could be considered punishment for her having been a diehard Menudo fan as a youngster.
65. ROSE McGOWAN
Witchy woman
LAST YEAR: 57
The uninhibited Rose remains well aware of her shadowy reputation, admitting, "Had I lived back in Salem, I would have been burned at the stake." Her role on The WB's Charmed reminds us how sublimely sexy the dark side can be.
64. GILLIAN ANDERSON
Scully
LAST YEAR: 68
Gillian is likely the only entry on this list to have been pegged by classmates as "Most Likely To Be Arrested." She lived up to the hype and was reportedly busted on graduation night gluing the locks on her high school's doors.
63. LIV TYLER
Rock spawn
LAST YEAR: 52
It's somewhat baffling to think that Liv gets beauty advice from her relatively hideous old man. "I have slumber parties with my father, and when we can't sleep, we stay up trading beauty tips," she says. "He knows all the good creams and masks."
62. HOLLY MARIE COMBS
Charming
NEW ENTRY
There was a time not long ago when the job titles "best boy," "gaffer" and "key grip" provided unintentional comedy during movie credits. Now being a "key grip"�particularly on the set of The WB's Charmed�apparently gets you dates with dashing Holly Marie.
61. COURTENEY COX
Chandler's wife
LAST YEAR: 95
She might make an assload of cash for Friends, but none of Courteney's work is more defining than her groundbreaking role as the Tampax girl. She mustered up the courage to become the first person ever to say "period" on network TV.
60. CINDY CRAWFORD
Modeling legend
LAST YEAR: 80
Cindy deserves high marks for not only maintaining her extraordinary shape in the wake of bearing two children, but for putting an utterly forgettable film career on indefinite hiatus. To raise cash for formula and diapers, she has her campy Pepsi ads to fall back on.
59. REESE WITHERSPOON
The new Meg Ryan
LAST YEAR: 59
Reese nearly veered off course early in her career when she auditioned for the role of Danielle Bowden in Cape Fear. Unfamiliar with the cachet of DeNiro and Scorsese, she choked after being informed of the magnitude of her opportunity.
58. DREW BARRYMORE
Young veteran
LAST YEAR: 37
Despite her success, Drew manages to remain grounded, stating, "If I ever start talking to you about my 'craft' or my 'instrument,' you have permission to shoot me." Gun-toters would likely line up around the block to take her up on that offer.
57. GENA LEE NOLIN
Barbizon babe
LAST YEAR: 81
A former Miss Barbizon USA, Gena continues to romp around the syndicated jungle as Sheena. She also pops up now and again on Hollywood Squares, providing a much-needed foil to Whoopi Goldberg's consistently irritating one-liners.
56. CATHERINE ZETA-JONES
Mrs. Douglas
LAST YEAR: 29
Getting hitched to a potbellied man nearly twice her age did not derail Catherine's career. She has five films due out within the next couple of years, including a screen adaptation of Broadway's Chicago that you'll likely want to miss.
55. ALYSON HANNIGAN
Flautist
NEW ENTRY
Putting a previously preposterous positive spin on band camp, Alyson forever redefined the functionality of the flute. Still a mainstay as Willow on Buffy, she brought the woodwind's versatility back to the fore in last year's American Pie 2.
54. JENNIFER GARNER
Double agent
NEW ENTRY
In only a year, Jennifer vaulted from Dude, Where's My Car? to her lead role as a sassy double agent on ABC's Alias. She'll play opposite Ben Affleck in next year's Daredevil, ending her days of playing second fiddle to puds like Dude's Ashton Kutcher.
53. BETH OSTROSKY
Howard's honey
NEW ENTRY
One might be inclined to think that her romantic attachment to Howard Stern put this six-foot stunner on America's radar. It's certainly more realistic than thinking her role as "Chick No. 2" in 2000's Whipped garnered Beth the attention she so richly deserves.
52. MANDY MOORE
Teen sensation
LAST YEAR: 94
As the youngest of the bubble-gum diva crop, the impeccably beautiful Mandy can brag about not only towering over her competition�at 5-foot-10 she completely dwarfs the other three�but that she's the only one who's had her own TV show (MTV's aptly titled The Mandy Moore Show). She even beat Britney to the punch when her A Walk to Remember hit theaters before Mandy had even turned 18.
51. JULES ASNER
E!
LAST YEAR: 91
Having reached her 5-foot-10 stature by age 11, Jules may have envisioned a basketball career as a youngster. A quick glance at the quality of WNBA players reveals she made the right choice by opting to peddle her wares in front of the camera.
50. HEATHER GRAHAM
Beyond Rollergirl
LAST YEAR: 36
Heather's role in last year's syrupy comedy Say It Isn't So was more challenging than meets the eye. She not only had to make incest look palatable, but she successfully bore the immense burden of compensating for born has-been Chris Klein.
49. JULIA ROBERTS
Denzel fan
LAST YEAR: 51
The self-absorbed Julia showed her true colors during a nauseating Best Actor award presentation at this year's Oscars. She wailed, "I love my life!" before reading Denzel Washington's name, and then all but unzipped his fly once he got onstage.
48. NATALIE PORTMAN
Brilliant beauty
LAST YEAR: 75
"I'd rather be smart than a movie star," Natalie proclaimed prior to enrolling at Harvard a few years ago. That's easy for her to say, being that she can always "fall back" on her two remaining lucrative stints as Star Wars' Queen Amidala.
47. SALMA HAYEK
Muy caliente
LAST YEAR: 12
Salma once told her dad she would "go on strike" and fail her classes if he didn't let her attend school in the US. Maybe she was referring to the old man when she was quoted as saying, "I keep waiting to meet a man who has more balls than I do."
46. CHARISMA CARPENTER
Demon hunter
LAST YEAR: 56
San Diego Chargers fans around the country�all 53 of them�must be kicking themselves for having focused on the squad's atrocious on-field exploits when they could have been watching the Angel star cartwheel around in a skimpy cheerleader get-up a mere decade ago.
45. MELISSA JOAN HART
Teenage witch
LAST YEAR: 46
It's been many years since a precocious 4-year-old Hart signaled her arrival as pitch-girl for humdrum bathtub toy "Splashy." She has clearly lost none of her charisma, as she continues to somehow make a show about a teenage witch a viable television commodity.
44. YASMINE BLEETH
Wild girl
LAST YEAR: 44
The former Baywatch stunner hit the headlines last year after a spectacular confrontation with the forces of law, which involved wrecked cars and illegal substances. Thank heavens there are still a few celebrities with a bit of style.
43. KIRSTEN DUNST
Spider woman
LAST YEAR: 39
Self-proclaimed film critics might disagree, but it's a fact that silent movies suck. Kirsten, therefore, deserves tremendous praise for having made last year's noir effort The Cat's Meow�a movie about silent movies�eminently watchable.
42. JERI RYAN
Hot teacher
LAST YEAR: 35
Planes, Trains & Automobiles is undoubtedly one of Hollywood's finest products. It could have been even better had the director not deleted every one of the scenes in which then-19-year-old Jeri appeared.
41. SANDRA BULLOCK
In demand
LAST YEAR: 34
An early favorite for 2002's Busiest Actress award, Sandra is slated to star in at least three movies this year. If you feel compelled to miss only one, make sure it's the recently released chick flick Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.
40. SHAKIRA
Colombian export
NEW ENTRY
Born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, one can understand the Colombian's choice of a one-word moniker. Having begun to write her own songs at age 8, and then quickly picking up the guitar a few years later, it's no surprise that the natural brunette was kicked out of her high school choir because her voice was deemed too overpowering.
39. HEIDI KLUM
German anomaly
LAST YEAR: 42
Heidi hails from the birthplace of bratwurst and beer, and anyone who's ever spent time at a German nudist beach knows that her sleek figure is nothing like the Kraut norm. She blew up the big screen in last year's hairdresser tale Blow Dry, a film for which she was well prepared: Both her mother and husband are skilled in the tonsorial arts.
38. CATHERINE BELL
Marine
LAST YEAR: 84
A versatile woman with diverse talents, the 5-foot-9 Catherine is more than simply Sarah MacKenzie on JAG. Fluent in Farsi (her mother is Iranian), she likes to relax after a long day of shooting by bungee jumping, riding motorcycles and boxing. The once-aspiring med student had her thyroid removed years ago but refuses to cover up the scar because she thinks it's cool.
37. SHANIA TWAIN
Canadian
LAST YEAR: 24
The truest indication of Shania's sublime beauty is that, on her husband Mutt Lange's list of lifetime accomplishments, their marriage ranks above the fact that he turned the knobs for musical legends AC/DC. Shania is a fair musician in her own right.
36. MARIAH CAREY
Insane diva
LAST YEAR: 27
Few have been able to forget Mariah's ear-piercing rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at this year's Super Bowl. You can bet, however, that nobody has had any problem wiping her cinematic atrocity, Glitter, from their minds forever.
35. ALI LANDRY
Dorito girl
LAST YEAR: 22
"Sex outdoors is great," Ali says. "I'm not an exhibitionist, but I love the possibility that people might be able to see." Endearing nuggets like that not only say a lot about this Bayou babe's strong moral fiber, but also tend to obscure the unconscionable fact that she has dated both Mario "Slater" Lopez and perennial bench-warming quarterback Stoney Case.
34. JANET JACKSON
Mike's sis
LAST YEAR: 64
Still bathing in the ample residuals from her obscenely platinum albums, Janet has come a long way since TV's Good Times and The Love Boat.
33. JENNY McCARTHY
Blond again
LAST YEAR: 45
Jenny holds the unofficial honor of being the sexiest woman to have ever sliced meat at a Polish grocery store. She willingly gave up the prospect of free kielbasa every week when she decided to take a crack at Hollywood.
32. KATIE HOLMES
Wholesome
LAST YEAR: 18
Late-night old-timer David Letterman burned one of his few remaining witticisms by expounding that Katie "isn't the girl next door, she's the girl you only wished you could live near." Look for her in the Hitchcockian thriller Phone Booth.
31. ELIZABETH HURLEY
English scorcher
LAST YEAR: 15
Never one to hold anything back, the brash Brit has reportedly uttered keepsakes like: "I'd kill myself if I was as fat as Marilyn Monroe" and "A bit of lusting after someone does wonders for you and is good for your skin." Perhaps such bravado compelled her to appear in semi-recent forgettables Bedazzled and My Favorite Martian.
30. JESSICA BIEL
Heavenly
LAST YEAR: 82
Jessica deserves praise for having distracted moviegoers from Freddie Prinze Jr.'s preposterous portrayal of a pitcher in last year's syrupy flick Summer Catch. Expect the same when she joins James Van Der Beek in this year's Rules of Attraction.
29. CAMERON DIAZ
Sweet thing
LAST YEAR: 25
Mr. and Mrs. Diaz were likely unaware that the name Cameron is Gaelic for "crooked nose." Bearing the burden of such an awkward moniker is perhaps what led to her odd insistence on washing her face with Evian water.
28. NICOLE KIDMAN
Hot divorc�e
LAST YEAR: 61
In perhaps the greatest career move ever, a young Nicole mercifully gave up her studies as a mime to pursue a relevant craft. The world is simply a far better place for having seen her pleasantly risqu� romp in Moulin Rouge.
27. FAITH HILL
Tug's daughter-in-law
LAST YEAR: 17
Faith has made many sound decisions during her lifetime. For instance, she ditched the octogenarian birth name of Audrey Faith Perry in favor of her current sobriquet. And she married a guy whose father threw an unhittable screwball.
26. JAIME PRESSLY
Smoking bod
LAST YEAR: 32
She's uncomfortable doing love scenes, but Jaime earns extra points for having described Howard Stern's hideous countenance by telling him on his radio show: "You were slapped with a yarmulke."
25. REBECCA ROMIJN-STAMOS
Rollerballer
LAST YEAR: 8
It boggles the mind to think that Rebecca maintains her svelte figure on a diet of filet mignon, tuna sashimi and H�agen-Dazs Cappuccino Commotion. Equally mind-boggling was her presence in the woefully subpar remake of the cult classic Rollerball. All will be forgiven later this year when the male population gets treated to her role as Mystique in the sequel to X-Men.
24. BROOKE BURKE
Wild child
LAST YEAR: 99
It's hard to believe this is the same chick whose father used to park his car in front of the side door of their Tucson, AZ, home to keep Brooke from sneaking out at night. It must have made for great dinner-table conversation when she recently broke the news to him that her baby, Neriah, was named after famed Playboy Playmate Neriah Davis.
23. TYRA BANKS
Crossover queen
LAST YEAR: 33
Tyra made a successful transition from runway to silver screen, plying her newfound trade in Larceny, Coyote Ugly and Higher Learning. Expect her to take a big step back later this year when she appears in the sure-fire bomb Halloween: Resurrection.
22. JENNA JAMESON
Brianna's lover
LAST YEAR: 31
This film-industry veteran took her wares behind the camera as producer of last year's Brianna Loves Jenna. Not one to turn her back on her true craft, however, she also played the film's leading role, showing the camera her behind.
21. BEYONCE KNOWLES
Destiny's offspring
LAST YEAR: 74
Poised to make her big-screen debut this July as Foxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers 3, Beyonc� has a lot going on for a gal just short of her 21st birthday. She maintains a great physique despite Popeyes fried chicken being her favorite food.
20. ASHLEY JUDD
Southern comfort
LAST YEAR: 41
It's fairly absurd to consider that there was actually a point when a young Ashley made 10 bucks a day cleaning out her mother's and sister's trailer, particularly in light of the fact that they now charge 50 bucks a day to clean hers.
19. LUCY LIU
Law babe
LAST YEAR: 26
None of Lucy's acting work can compare to the supernatural sexual soiree she reportedly had a few years ago. "I was sleeping on my futon and some spirit came down and made love to me. It was sheer bliss. I climaxed. And then he floated away."
18. JESSICA SIMPSON
Chart topper
LAST YEAR: 23
Throughout her mercurial rise to the top of the charts, Jessica remained steadfast in her belief of "waiting" for the right man. As if anybody needed yet another reason to despise boy bands, fianc� Nick Lachey from 98 Degrees is the lucky recipient of 22 years of pent-up love.
17. CHRISTINA AGUILERA
Platinum blonde
LAST YEAR: 9
Christina stole the show during the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Olympics, more than holding her own alongside mummified rockers Kiss. That was no surprise to anyone who caught last year's "Lady Marmalade" video, where she shared the sexual plane with notorious vamps Lil' Kim, Pink and Mya.
16. CHARLIZE THERON
African delight
LAST YEAR: 16
One might question why Charlize would spurn the lead in Pearl Harbor in favor of starring alongside mannequin Keanu Reeves in Sweet November. Surely, she must realize that big explosions beat monumentally saccharine love tales every time.
15. TIFFANI THIESSEN
Comeback kid
LAST YEAR: 5
Tiffani was valedictorian of her high school class, which might explain why she had the foresight to co-produce 1996's spine-tingling blockbuster Buried Secrets. It does nothing, however, to explain why she would ever want to remain a vegan.
