The Competition Is Trimmed to Four

To recap the action last week: You met our cast of contestants (punk rock aerobicizer, self-taught triathlete, muffin top, etc.) to replace Howard as my fellow MisFits columnist and voted online for your pick -- nearly 6,000 of you! We know the results were hardly fair: While one contestant asked whether it would be cheating to tell friends he was taking part, others led Facebook campaigns to win support.

Now it's on to the Final Four, a crew chosen by a highly scientific formula that took into account reader votes and comments, editor evaluations and stuff random people on the street told me.

Our top vote-getter -- No. 1 in the poll, the big loser who dropped 100 pounds -- will be auditioning in this space next week. But today, we've got the Michelob-shaped man -- No. 3 -- who can't touch his toes. As one Web site commenter noted, "I like this guy because he reminded me I, too, was the guy in gym class who could not climb up the rope."

We (that would be the all-knowing editors and me) think he'll also appeal to the folks who begged for a baby boomer, like this commenter: "Since it's usually harder to keep fit the older you get, I would want someone older."

At 50, this guy's even more ancient than Howard. You're welcome.

And you're also welcome to keep giving us feedback over the next few weeks at health@washpost.com.