The Project's Waleed Aly praised for unity message in the wake of Paris attacksThe Project's Waleed Aly challenges Roxy Jacenko over daughter Pixie's Instagram
Waleed Aly is officially "The Most Important Man On TV" according to Men's Style Australia.
The academic and co-host of The Project appears on the cover of the new issue of the magazine and editor Michael Pickering makes no apologies for the bold, broad statement. 
"I had to fight for those cover lines. I've wanted to feature him for quite some time, he's this big brained man who thinks before he speaks. There is a reason everything he says goes viral online," Pickering said.
Aly is an enigma in today's media landscape, considering the topics he regularly tackles, including Boko Haram, ISIS, climate change and Andrew Bolt, the 37-year-old former lawyer doesn't resort to the shock jock type tactics of the latter to garner attention. Not that he likes the attention.
"He'd bristle at the thought but, like it or not, Waleed Aly is now a household name," Pickering said.
"The great thing about him is that's he's a common sense individual who has wide appeal. Here's this muslim man who barracks for the Richmond Tigers coming out of academia and into the world of commercial TV, his moment has come."
The notion of celebrity is canvassed in the corresponding feature alongside images of Aly looking dapper in Ralph Lauren.
"I still don't regard myself as a celebrity and I find the whole notion laughable, really. I come from a world where the thing that's mattered most is the content or the issue, not the personality, and I still approach it that way," Aly said.
He also plays down his role as a representative of modern or "moderate" Islam as suggested by Bolt.
"I don't walk out on air feeling the burden of representation... I don't feel comfortable with the idea of being representative??? of anything! I have no authority to claim I'm representative. I haven't won an election or anything."
His role as an internet sensation is also something he rejects, adding that he worries about the lack of nuance involved in discussing meaty issues within the confines of commercial TV.
"I'm not going to sit here and pretend that when I do a four-minute piece to camera that it's the most nuanced rendering of the topic that could possibly be done.
"But I am happy to say we've done okay within that medium."
Aly's Men's Style cover continues the magazine's evolution from sophisticated lads mag to a publication focused on showcasing cultural and lifestyle issues of interest to Australian men.
Until last year Men's Style only featured women on the cover. Since the change in editorial direction only Australian men like Hugh Jackman and Liam Hemsworth have fronted the magazine.
The Summer issue of @mensstylemag is on sale next Monday,   November 16, with Australia's man of the moment @LiamHemsworth on the cover. Summer fashion for parties, soirees and the sand; the coming trends of 2016; our guide to dive watches; the best new eats and drinks in your town and much, much more. Get it! #mensstyle #summer #liamhemsworth #hungergames #thedressmaker #fashion #style #menswear #mensfashion #summerfashion #magazines #summerissue
A photo posted by men's style Australia (@mensstylemag) on Nov 12, 2015 at 5:19pm PST