Before you say a word, I’m not wrong. Christine Baranski was in love with him, and I’m happy to be on the same team with that legend. As someone who was but a wee child when How the Grinch Stole Christmas came out, I grew up with what I would label as a Hot Grinch. I’m sure there are people in this world who think that the original animated one is hot, or even the Benedict Cumberbatch version in the newer animated movie, but for me, it will always be Jim Carrey.
Imagine, if you will, having just turned nine years old (this movie literally came out on my birthday) and watching this for the first time and wishing you were a Who living in Whoville. To this day, I can still sing all of “Where Are You Christmas,” and I think often about how mean these people were to the Grinch just because he was different. It changed my life because the other animated movie just depicted the Grinch as a mean guy who hates Christmas.
But the Ron Howard live-action movie showed us that the Grinch did once have a heart and that he was bullied out of ever showing it. Part of growing up is realizing that he’s actually kind of hot, so you also understand Martha May Whovier (Baranski) a little better.
It’s the energy
Look, the Grinch is a furry green man who eats glass and doesn’t brush his teeth, so you wouldn’t instantly think, “yes, this is a sex symbol” when looking at him. But there’s something about his energy that just … works. He’s the kind of guy who tries his best to pretend like he doesn’t care about being alone, but—as we see in the flashback to when he was a kid getting bullied in school—he cares a lot. He comes down to Whoville to terrorize the citizens because he wants someone to talk to.
The Grinch is lonely and sad, and is just trying to find a place for himself among those who have cast him out, even though they act as if he did it to himself. When the Grinch decides to help Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) bring Christmas back to Whoville, he’s so happy and smiley and just trying to do the right thing that it is, frankly, quite attractive.
So, yes: The Grinch is, in fact, hot, and if you want to go ahead and shame me for that, that’s within your right this holiday season. But it will not change how I feel about the Grinch. He’s beautiful.
You might not be ready to admit it yourself, and that’s okay, too. Just know that there are lots of us out here who believe that seeing Jim Carrey as the Grinch is a life-changing experience. Maybe it’s his careless attitude that really takes him to the next level? I don’t know, I have to stop thinking about how hot he is because I’m starting to think there’s something wrong with me. Or maybe I’m just … right.
(featured image: Universal Pictures)
