Singer Pink’s 2006 single Stupid Girls was a direct assault on air-headed bimbos whose “stupidity” was “infecting the minds of America’s young women”.

But what of the rapid rise of the himbo? Described as an attractive but vacuous man, the term became popular after the word ‘mimbo’ was used in an episode of the trend-setting comedy series Seinfeld. Ben Stiller’s character Derek in the hilarious Zoolander described a mimbo as someone “ridiculously good-looking but with The brain cells of a gnat”.

Since then, the MIMBO or himbo seems to be everywhere: smiling from screens big and small, participating in pageants and reality shows, even sweating it out on the sports field. The nominations for himbo No. 1 are...

Yuvraj Singh

He can be a prince on the pitch, but let’s face it, our cover boy is a bit of a “Duh”. Attractive he is, at work (six sixes in an over is as sexy as it gets) and at play (striding down the Fashion Week ramp in a sherwani), but vacuous he also is, at work (his refusal to learn from his repeated batting failures Down Under) and at play (his refusal to learn from his repeated failures with Bolly belles).

Yuvi makes the himbo grade quite easily, by being dashing but dumb. At 26, he has not shown the maturity to keep either a Brett Lee or a Ranbir Kapoor at bay.

His Bolly babe track record is poorer than his average against Australia. “Both Kim Sharma and Deepika Padukone come across as bimbos,” says advertising professional Preetha Dasgupta. What she leaves unsaid is that losing Deepika to Ranbir in a towel deserves a real dressing down even in the himbo world.

“Yuvi’s become a laughing stock in Youngistan after being dumped by Deepika,” says college-goer Upasana.

Banker Susmit Saha is even more harsh: “Not long ago, I came face to face with Yuvraj Singh at a Mumbai restaurant. It took him a full five minutes to understand that I wanted his autograph.” No, he wasn’t drunk; he was just dumb.

Ashton Kutcher

We have nothing against older women dating or marrying younger men, as long as both are of consenting age. So Ashton Kutcher, better known as Mr Demi Moore, may be 15 years younger than his wife, but that is not what makes him the perfect himbo. Just as his having studied biochemical engineering doesn’t exempt him from the label. Look instead to Kutcher’s filmography — it is full of dumb, goofy characters. We loved him as the ever horny and extremely moronic Michael Kelso in the hit TV series That ’70s Show. But he has made a career out of the role, going on and on with films such as Just Married and Dude, Where’s My Car?

“Ashton Kutcher is cute but looks like someone one can’t really have an intelligent conversation with,” says college student Megha Mirchandani.

After the cerebrally-challenged actor appeared on Demi’s arm at the premiere of the 2003 film Charlie’s Angels, he’s signed a number of films. So upcoming flicks like Spread and What Happens in Vegas… promise that Kutcher fans will get to see more of the same.

Kevin Federline

If there ever was a Himbo Hall of Fame then Britney Spears’s estranged husband would be the first inductee. Despite many attempts at many professions, Federline remains an aspiring everything — rapper, model, dancer and actor. He has failed to shine in any field.

Except strategic alliances. He was clever enough to abandon Britney’s sinking ship just before it hit rock bottom. Which makes perfect sense — he had also given up a relationship and two children with actress Shar Jackson to latch onto the superstar.

In an effort to cement his position as Himbo No. 1, Federline was recently spotted at a nightclub getting cosy with Bimbo No. 1, Paris Hilton. And if you needed any further proof, just a day after his separation from Spears, Federline left behind a note at his Chicago hotel room which read: “Today I’m a free man, ladies look out.”

It might all finally be paying off. Federline has reportedly been approached to star in the Broadway adaptation of Legally Blonde.

David Beckham and Ashton Kutcher (above): Dumb and dumber

John Abraham

It hurts to say this. Arguably the best-looking man on the Indian screen, John is a rare blend of drop-dead gorgeous looks and innocent earnestness. But on screen or off, he has never really come across as someone whose intelligence scores over his looks, or even matches them. He has two expressions: sexy and brooding (most often with sunglasses for help) and smiling and sweet (most often by Bipasha’s side).

Even his open and easy-going air can’t save him. Kareena Kapoor went as far as to call him “expressionless” on an episode of Koffee With Karan. “John’s interviews are such a boring read,” complains software engineer Shweta Sarin. “No spark and too good-looking to be real,” is how media professional Maninee Basu describes him.

But with looks like that, does anyone care? He still has our vote for a (silent) treat on two legs.

Salman Khan

By putting Sallu in this category, we are actually giving him the benefit of the doubt because if the 42-year-old actor’s actions don’t stem from stupidity, they are far more dangerous. Shooting black bucks, assaulting former girlfriends, alleged drunken driving are crimes far beyond removing his shirt at every given opportunity.

Still, voted the seventh best-looking man in the world — making him the best-looking man in India — by People magazine in 2004, Salman seems all brawn and no brain. The 41 threatening calls that he reportedly made to Viveik Oberoi in a single night and his claims of having links with the underworld in a phone conversation with former girlfriend Aishwarya Rai have been glaring reminders of Salman’s himbo-ness.

“Salman’s stupid acts have overshadowed his good looks and acting abilities on too many occasions,” is the verdict from homemaker Nandini Chowdhury.

Fardeen Khan

Feroz Khan’s son is the quintessential himbo with easy charm and rugged good looks, but nothing else. Bitten by the acting bug when he was pursuing a management degree in the US, Fardeen decided to give Bollywood a shot. It has been one flop after another ever since, but he has stuck on. Realising he couldn’t cut it as the suave hero, Fardeen has been content taking on vapid characters like in No Entry and Heyy Babyy. “Fardeen’s constant vacant expression and that fake accent make him the perfect himbo. He gives the term ‘deadpan’ a whole new meaning,” says college student Nitika Sinha.

David Beckham

David Beckham went on record in 2006 admitting that his six-year-old son Brooklyn’s math homework left him scratching his head. “Their homework is so hard these days. It’s totally done differently to what I was teached (sic) when I was at school, and you know, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t do this’.” Ouch!

So not everyone is bright at books. But what can you say about a man who is one of the biggest soccer stars the world has ever seen and yet makes no bones about the fact that he wears his wife’s undies?

David Beckham has been in the news as much for his gender-bending off-field as for bending the ball on-field. Pink nail polish and a different hairstyle every month — from skinhead to faux-hawk to a ponytail — Becks has tried ’em all, often admitting that he likes to be admired by women and men.

It’s all a little too much. And it was made worse by his move to America to play for Los Angeles Galaxy, which is looked upon as his — and wife Victoria’s — desperate bid to hobnob with the Hollywood glitterati.

Hail, himbo!