Bradley Cooper vs. Ryan Gosling: Protests over PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive

There are a lot of protests going on in New York City these days, but this was unexpected.

Call it Occupy Sexy. Announcing themselves from the social-content website BuzzFeed.com, about 15 protesters in Ryan Gosling masks showed up – in the rain, no less – outside PEOPLE’s headquarters at Manhattan’s Time-Life Building on Wednesday.

“We are devastated,” Buzzfeed’s Matt Stopera, 24, said of PEOPLE’s decision to name Bradley Cooper 2011’s Sexiest Man Alive. “[Gosling’s] left arm alone makes him the Sexiest Man Alive. Hello, look at his abs!”

Facebook users also got in the act with an entire page devoted to The Pro-Gosling People Magazine Protest, illustrated with this week’s cover of Cooper with a great big red X over it. (Gosling’s photo is circled. What, no heart?)

Of course, Gosling is in the issue that hits newsstand Friday, along with 123 other hot guys.

As for the equally ab-tastic Cooper, “We stand by our man!” says PEOPLE’s Executive Editor Liz Sporkin. “Bradley Cooper is the whole package. He’s gorgeous, talented, brainy, loves his mom, can cook up a storm and speaks fluent French! Who can argue with that?”

• With reporting by PAUL CHI