Seth Myers tells TMZ he's already taken himself OUT of the running to play Paul Ryan on the upcoming season of "Saturday Night Live" ... insisting the identity of new Paul imposter is a closely guarded secret.

Myers -- who's the head writer on the show -- was walking his bike in NYC this week ... did drop one obvious nugget, we're DEFINITELY getting a Mitt Romney sketch on the season premiere.

So who will take on Mitt's running mate? Probably not Fred Armisen (he already plays Barack Obama) ... or Jason Sudeikis (plays Mitt Romney) ... which leaves ...

1) Bill Hader
2) Taran Killam
3) Bobby Moynihan
4) Jay Pharoah (Um...)
5) Kenan Thompson (Yeah...)
6) Random new guy (crap shoot)

Choose wisely Seth.

It's the photograph our staffers have been working 'round the clock to find -- Paul Ryan shirtless ... and it's finally here!!! So why is our fearless leader so disappointed?

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Here it is ... the very first photo of Paul Ryan's mysterious athletic physique ... REVEALED!!!

TMZ has (finally) obtained a photo of Mitt Romney's running mate -- sans shirt -- taken roughly 6 years ago ... right before Ryan got hooked on the P90X workout.

We're told the pic was taken in Oklahoma during a family vacation -- the woman on the left is Paul's wife Janna.

While Ryan's bod ain't bad in the pic ... sources close to Paul's abs tell us Ryan has totally transformed his midsection in the past couple of years ... and now he's totally shredded with a killer 6-pack.

 We spoke with someone close to Ryan's family who tells us Paul has "always led a healthy lifestyle" ... adding, "He's the nicest guy and has always been fit."

Years before Paul Ryan became Mitt Romney's chiseled running mate -- he was a high school ALL-STAR ... prom king, soccer stud, student council president ... and the "biggest brown-noser" in the entire class.

The images are from Paul's yearbooks while at Joseph A. Craig High School in Janesville, Wisconsin in the late 80s -- where he played soccer, participated in the Latin club, volunteered as a nature trail guide for grade-schoolers, and was elected Junior class president.


According to the yearbook, Paul was even voted Prom King his junior year.

And if all that wasn't enough to predict a bright future in politics -- Paul was also voted the "biggest brown-noser" in his class. He graduated in 1988.


Smart, good-looking, expert ass-kisser -- sounds like Vice-Presidential material alright.

Paul Ryan likes to hunt ... and with guns like those, it's easy to see why.

Here's a pic of Mitt Romney's newly appointed running mate ... sans sleeves ... in a post-gym pose-down with P90X creator Tony Horton.

The pic was taken a couple of years ago ... in the infancy of Ryan's P90X training days ... and obviously, the program worked, 'cause his arms are shredded.

As we previously reported, Ryan hits the gym every morning at 6AM and we're told his workout routine is "fierce." Also, word is he's hiding a rippling 6-pack.

We'll believe it when we see it.


12:00 PM PT -- Tony Horton tells TMZ, "Congressman Ryan is in phenomenal shape. He uses the workouts in P90X and cross training as a way to say lean, strong, flexible."

There should be no doubt that Rep. Paul Ryan is up for the rigors of a presidential campaign ... because the wannabe VP has a crazy workout regimen. 

As TMZ first reported, our sources in DC say Ryan works out at the House gym every morning at 6:00 AM and his routine is "fierce."

When we asked him about his workout routine, the Congressman from Wisconsin named two of the most popular -- and most difficult -- workout plans around.

If the election comes down to a decathlon, the Democrats are in trouble.

Rep. Paul Ryan may be the hottest Vice Presidential candidate ever ... but we're not talking policy.

House sources tell TMZ ... Ryan works out at the House gym every morning at 6:00 AM and his routine is "fierce." We're told he's kinda on the skinny side but "totally ripped and has a six pack."

He's also modest because there are no pictures where he shows it off.

Fun Fact: Ryan was also named to The Hill's 50 Most Beautiful list back in 2008.

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was so excited to introduce Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate this morning in Virginia ... he accidentally referred to him as "the next President of the United States." WHOOPS!!!!!

Romney realized his mistake when Ryan took the stage and jokingly said, "Every now and then I am known to make a mistake. I did not make a mistake with this guy."

Certainly not the start the Romney/Ryan ticket was looking for, but hey ... at least people are talking.

Then again, here's a theory. If Obama wins, he's still the same President. If Ryan runs in four years and wins, he would technically be the next Prez. 

It's unlikely that's what Romney meant.