Conan O'Brien featured Beardyman last night - a musician from London renowned for his beatboxing skills and use of live looping technology - but of course his name caught our attention. And although his goatee is not as incredible as we'd like to see (nor does he have an actual beard), his talent for creating audio mixes is truly something to admire.
The BBC has called him the "King of Sound" and "Ruler of Beats." You can listen for yourself on SoundCloud. Also, he was given the nickname "Beardyman" because a name was quickly needed for a flyer for an early show, and at the time he had a beard.
"The question isn't 'what are we going to do,' the question is 'what aren't we going to do?'"
The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off rank high on my list of all-time favorites with Weird Science outranking both, for the record. Yet upon discovering the documetary "Don't You Forget About Me," a few of my beloved John Hughes' actors are all 'stached out. Alan Ruck is sporting a sweet Fu Manchu and Emilio Estevez & Judd Nelson are rocking some plump goatees.
Ewan Spence, the Scotsman behind "Is Scoble in This Room?" took a stroll down Red River Street with us today (proudly sporting both goatee and kilt) in sunny Austin to discuss what he's seen thus far in regards to beards, 'staches, or creative displays of facial hair. Ewan first grew a full beard back in May 2004, but decided - roughly before a Palm developer conference - that it was best to shave it down into a goatee prior to entering through Customs.
This SXSWi veteran (who lives in Edinburgh, Scotland - and you know how we adore the Scots) believes 2011's facial hair scene is bigger than in year's past. Just like Trammel, Ewan noted that this year he's seeing attendees "really letting go" - noting that perhaps the economy is keeping men from shaving every day. "It's tough times. Perhaps men are economizing by not purchasing razors as often."
Ewan continued, "As for the beard scene really taking off, I blame San Francisco and Brian Wilson's beard. The 'Fear the Beard' message really caught on - people started believing in the power of facial hair." He doesn't see the message of "fearing" facial hair off-putting. He noted that Wilson's beard sends a message to fans that he means business and to the opposition, it is an intimidating factor.
When asked what tech personality, reporter, blogger, or podcaster would most benefit from growing a beard, Ewan responded immediately --- "Ariana Huffington should grow a beard... the 'Fear the Beard' message could really be applied to her."
Just like after a wedding (or an engagement... read on), the party that was the NYC Beard and Moustache Competition has left me with the inevitable feeling of "well, now what?!" The copious amount of planning that went into it, the tons of anticipation this brought on, so many nerves and butterflies filling many a stomach, the myriad of press and out-of-towners with millions upon millions of hairs filling chins and lips and descending to my hometown of Brooklyn... sadly, it's all over now... so, what do we do?!
Sob stories aside, I'm glad that my wife (and future son) gave me the opportunity to attend this monumental event... which is my long winded way of saying that I am still an expectant father and didn't get "THE Call" on Saturday, and was able to cover and partake in the festivities.
Myk O'Connor's rallying call prior to the event (as reported here) rang truer and truer as each category was moving through judging... fake beards out of the way, onto goatees, straight into freestyle, recession beards and finally... the piece de resistance, the full natural category... Myk ran the show like a smooth yet hairy operator of sorts, taking shots and quoting bearded literature sages (achem) while boosting the matchups and giving the IFC "Whisker Wars" people plenty of competitive fodder for their storylines.
That said, the one storyline that we took away from the event was the expertise that Build-a-Beard has bestowed on us, and the insane amount of information we eagerly retained through our hairy tribulations over the last few years... I, like Riss, am now an expert on beards... insanity.
To exemplify this, just look at the winners and our predictions:
Result: Jack Passion wins, shocker (Mark enters Freestyle, gets bronze), Aarne Bielefeldt garners 2nd place for his gnomish effort.
Moustache --
Prediction: Ben Davidson (unless he hasn't been working out his arm strength and loses in the run-off arm wrestling)
Result: Ben got 2nd place (should've exercised more...), a Ned Flanders lookalike steals the stache gold.
Goatee --
Prediction: Steve Cline (since Paul Beisser is sure to have severe jet-lag)
Result: Steve Cline takes the local gold as expected (surprisingly, Paul went the "ZZ Top" Route).
Freestyle --
Prediction: A German Pretzel
Result: No Germans in attendance, so a US Born pretzel got the prize (our favorite twisted beard of the night, Jon Rice, got robbed...).
Recession beard --
Prediction: Someone from Detroit
Result: not sure where that guy was from... but he had a great outfit.
Fake beard --
Prediction: A girl with a bigger bosom than beard
Result: her fake beard was so mesmerizing I forgot to look at her bosom...
The highlight of the night for me, other than being treated as said expert by IFC production team (and even by the one and only Thom Beers himself!), was the marriage proposal that Myk surprised his fiance Karolina Gwiazda with, it was adorable... see it for yourself below:
With the cutesy formality out of the way, below are the videos of all the winners being announced... it was our pleasure to report on this for you all, both here and live on twitter/facebook... so just know, the source of all your up-to-the-minute hairy news is right here, www.Build-A-Beard.com... Major thanks to all those that showed B-a-B love at the event (and for those that didn't, surely you'll change your mind sooner than later)... to quote an IFC exec: Thank you Big Apple, you've been delicious.
P.S. You can find our entire collection of photos from NYCBMC in our Hairy Pics tab, or just click here (you lazy ass).
The New York City Beard and Moustache Competition (hosted by our good friends at The Gotham City Beard Alliance), a charity event (with proceeds going to The Feal Good Foundation www.fealgoodfoundation.com) and the northeast's largest and most important beard and moustache competition is happening TOMORROW!
Visit the Gotham City Beard Alliance site www.gothamcityba.net fill out the Registration form if you plan on competing, the tickets are available for purchase at TicketWeb, so get them now or donate an additional $5 at the door (for a total of $20 to play). Club Europa (98 Meserole Ave, where else, Greenpoint/Brooklyn) will be the location, and the festivities will start promptly at 6pm... don't be late.
What's better, is that the organizer is B-a-B's greatly hairy friend Myk O'Connor, who's rallying call ("This is the year of the Beards, with IFC rolling out a new show called Whisker Wars, America promises to be the dominating force in facial hair!") should energize any and every facial hair wearer (or wannabe) from Brooklyn to Burbank.
The night will be supplemented by the sounds of DJ Corn Mo and The Intergalactic Fighters, with on-site trimmings courtesy of Tomcats Barbershop... AND a giant cut-out of The Rockettes to boot.
Don't miss this, trust me, as you always have (perhaps more so)... your favorite beards and staches will be there, come out or miss out.
P.S. While I am planning on attending this awesome event... truth be told, I may not make it. My wife, let's call her El Beardette, is 9 months pregnant... and we are both anxiously awaiting the arrival of little beardo, whose actual due date is, wouldn't you guess it, Saturday 12/4... If at all possible, I will make an appearance, if not... well we got field reporters covering this from all angles.
Unfortunately, because my suit was at the cleaners, my suspenders lost and the briefcase back in my father in-law's possession... I was unable, or unwilling, to compete my Championship Corporate Beard. Regardless what follows is a complete recounting -- to the best of my ability, given the copious amounts of beer that surrounded the event -- of the festivities, the beardos, the staches, and overall hairy awesomeness that last night's party down on the shore came to be... and what an event it was!
What really warmed our heart was the 'show must go on' perspective of the organizers, competitors and judges... there were ample hiccups (4 total competitors for natural mustache? no problem, we'll make do), issues regarding facial hair standards (OH: "well that's what happens when your categories have no concrete standards, they are learning as they go...") and so on... but not to be fazed, Donny and his motley crew of characters (which also included Cowboy and World Champion Trick Roper, Chris McDaniel; Jennifer Miller, The Lady with a Beard; and sword swallower Heather Holliday).
All in all, I really enjoyed the raw debauchery of said competition... it was a welcome break from the many rules, standards, and guidelines that we've heard and seen in other competitions, even the mostly freewheeling National's in Bend earlier this summer. However, the natural category winners were B-a-B friends from National's and Magnificent Specimens (i.e. returning champ Myk O'Connor), which wholeheartedly vindicated the results and gave full credence to the event in our books.
All in all, a great job done by all... especially the styles mustache category entrants... clearly, and by far, the most fully loaded category with nearly 15 contestants in the first round alone... the Hipster stache movement was and is alive and well by the beach in Brooklyn. So, without further ado... the select awesome photos from last night are below, other can be found in the Hairy Pics tab for your hair enjoyment.
It takes a lot to get my attention, but when someone yells that a truck is sporting a mustache, you bet that my head is turning to see it. If you're late to the game, The Food Network has a new show called The Great Food Truck Race (GFTR for the savvy readers), which premiered two weeks ago.
Let's sum this up quickly - the competing food trucks are eliminated based on which one makes the least amount of money each week. Each week, a new city, a new challenge, and some bizarre twist to keep it interesting with the hopes of winning $50K.
Here's our favorite food trucks (ranked in order of appeal):
Grill 'Em All Reasoning: Couple of scruffy dudes, making burgers, & using a megaphone. Oh & they're LA-based... and you know how we like them LA boys.
Crepes Bonaparte Reasoning: They sport a freaking 'stache on their truck. Need I say more? - Of course not.
Spencer on the Go Reasoning: Not Chef Katgely, but one of his truck cooks has a long white wizard goatee that is sure to make anyone who orders the food question if his hair was dipped into their meal. It's pretty bad-ass.
Tune in on Sundays, Food Network, 9:00 p.m. ET sharp
We love you, we always loved you, we love you even more now that you're embracing facial hair (even if in part, Go Beard or Go Home!)... but Jon... as we've noted, by way (THE) Jack Passion's bearding philosophy... Beardos need not explain their beards, nor reasoning for wearing a beard... a beard chooses you Jon, not the other way around.
That said, Jon's explanation as to why he went bearded is pretty funny:
"The truth is I'm a Japanese snow monkey. I've been hiding that from people and I can't live that lie anymore."
But... to his credit, Jon did indeed take "beard rubbing" to the next level this week, when he and Wyatt Cenac engaged in the act on 7/26... I consider this my Birthday present, thanks Jon.
As everyone and their mother, girlfriend, sister (and so on and so forth) knows, Brad Pitt (of Brangelina fame) had been growing his much-discussed beard for about a year... and when he so clearly and significantly trimmed it down last month, we all knew he was preparing to get rid of it.
Well, earlier this month, the day finally came... I say finally because even though B-a-B is categorically against shaving, there is only one other thing that cuts us deeper... and that's black eyes to the facial hair aficionados everywhere.
Brad's beard drew so much criticism that we were afraid it would derail all the work our community has done in building up the profile of beards... we do not want to go back into the dark ages of beard hatred and pogonophobia, so if that means supporting Brad's shave... so be it.
That said, it was a pretty cool beard... RIP Brad Pitt's Goat, we hardly knew yee... you were infamous, which is like really really famous.
By now you've seen the coverage of B-a-B's mingling with Dave Mead's Magnificent Specimens at the launch party of the exhibit... and it was a wild one... perhaps better than our Beard Ball in Brooklyn earlier this year. Of note, I think our event had more IRL beardos, while Dave had more pinned up and framed... and of course, the integral missing part from the exhibit that was glowingly present at our ball was Riss' presence... she was out of town and was unable to make it.
That said, when El Beardo first met Dave (regardless of how drunk he claims to have been) the chemistry was undeniable... here was Dave, a shaved bald ('chromed' as he put it) with a the tiniest of stubble's on his chin... we HAD to interview him about the dichotomy and juxtaposition of such magnitudes.
And we did... below is the hazy recollection of our meeting and the questions and answers that resulted... consider yourself present... or at least as present as I recall myself to be post the beer, booze n'beardo combos. Regardless, you still have about 50 days to visit the exhibit, and you really should... maybe even get a framed copy of your favorite for that special someone.
#1) Wow, what a launch party for Magnificent Specimens! Do you still have a headache like me? Tell us about all those involved, sponsors, partners, the bands (who was the electric cello instrumental guy?), and any other folks that helped you make it come to life.
Yeah, that was a doozie, eh? Not sure whether to thank or curse Brooklyn Brewery and Tuthilltown Spirits for the copious amounts of free beer and whiskey. Ok, actually, they both deserve a kiss on the lips. As does Sweet Leaf Tea. Plus, The Jordans and Sean Grissom (cello) for providing the tunes. But enough about our throwdown. We should talk about those who made this whole exhibit possible. Michael Ginsberg of Chelsea Market, James Moody of Guerilla Suit, Christian Helms of the Decoder Ring, Clay Crenshaw of Clay Crenshaw Design and Brian Jordan of, well, Brooklyn. Jordan was the man who introduced my work to Ginsberg many months ago. So, I guess Brian is the "Chuck Woolery" of it all. I should also mention my assistant, Matt Ellis – a one-man wrecking crew. Oh, and my wife, Bonnie Markel. She supported me the whole way on this thing.
#2) Speaking of personal, let’s start with some "Dave" info… What are some other major photographic feats you’ve had in your career? Was it all leading up to Alaska?
Let's see. Feats? Not sure I have any other feats. I have photographed Deion Sanders in his pajamas. Is that a feat? Or just kinda gross?
#3) You said that you used to have ‘some killer beards’ before you went ‘chrome’ can you #proveit? Why/when did you shave and will you ever grow it back?
Did I say that? Sorry. I was drunk. No, really, I’ve had some gnarly beards over the past ten or fifteen years but I’ve noticed the longer my beard gets, the less face time I get with my wife. That and I didn't want to steal any thunder from my subjects. It's all about them, right? No, wait. It's all about me. Have you mentioned that I’m for hire?
#4) Hm... so no proof, I see... Anyway, nearly all of the Magnificent Specimens shots seem to have some of the best facial expressions we have ever seen… how’d you manage that? Was the bald head/shaved chin key in generating these juxtaposed reactions?
A) With the reflection from my dome, they didn't know where to look. And that allowed me to capture a distant/confused gaze from my subjects. 2) I fed them Benadryl…
#5) Tell us about Alaska… was it totally awesome? What was the most impressive and out of the ordinary thing to happen or that you saw while on the ground at the World Beard and Mustache Championships?
I didn't see the World Beard & Mustache Championships. For real. I was holed up in a conference room on the 2nd floor doing portraits. Didn't see one bit of the contest. Who won?
#6) The national championships are around the corner… give us your best pitch based on your Alaska experience on why everyone who’s anyone in the world of bearding should attend.
Because Jack Passion is going to be vacationing in the Bahamas. (B-a-B note: Jack will actually be MCing the championship)
#7) True enough... What was your favorite photo shoot and resulting image from magnificent Specimens?
Oh, man. Too many from which to choose. Shot 130 portraits, 54 of which are hanging at Chelsea Market. If you're going to make me pick one, I’ll say, Toot, the scared marshal. So much comedy in that shot. Not the guy I want protecting my town.
#8) What is YOUR favorite facial hair style, you’ve surely seen your fair share of amazing chin manes, groomed follicles and elongated staches… is one better than the other?
Not sure I have a favorite but I’m most intrigued by the long mustache. What does that look like fresh out of the shower? What do you do with it when you have to bolt from the house in an instant? Can't be pretty.
#9) We hear you, a wet noodle isn't the sexiest thing on earth... So, what’s next for Dave Mead? Any cool projects you want to alert us to? Any more open bar launches we can attend?
No projects on the horizon. Just checking my mailbox for a letter from Ed McMahon. Wait. Is he dead? Then who's handing out all the free money these days?
#10) Finally, how’d my beard look to you at the exhibit… am I a Magnificent SpeciMAN?
Did we meet? Man, I was drunk…
To help you, Dave, and everyone else, remember the exhibit... we compiled the amazingly hairy feat into the highlights in the below shots... Check it out.
I was somewhere around the office, on the east edge of Manhattan, when the fear began to take hold. I was headed to LaGuardia Airport just as I read a headline about flights to Canada being delayed or canceled because of the ash plume... I got worried for a second, I remember saying out loud "NH is not that high up north..."
Heading to Manchester for a 30 hour business romp, I jumped in a cab, got through security and to the terminal in record time... now facing more than an hour at the gate before boarding... So, as always, I was scouting beards... While there were surprisingly many there that day, for some reason, I wasn't on my game... the blame has to be the rigid environment of airports and the overarching loathing of travel that would preclude me from approaching other high strung beardos... or we can just blame Eyjafjallajokull.
That said, I did see a gent with an interesting and very neat beard style (thick but short trimmed side burns, with a twice as bushy goatee)... Finally, I get on the plane; a worn looking sucker with two propellers, with the landing gear that somehow folds in side them... Scary... Res ipsaloquitur… Let the good times roll.
Upon landing in MHT, and making a B-line to the men's room, like clockwork I came across that very beardo! Clearly, the beard gods were making me tell him about B-a-B and comment on his awesome facial hair DIY... it worked before... so we get to talking, and lo and behold Mr. JD Wilson divulges the secret to his tidy bushiness... it's a product called MANE 'n TAIL... yes, as in horse.
JD went on and on (about bees wax) and on and on (about mineral oils)... all to assure me that yes, while it's true this product was originally intended for horses, it does work wonders AND has a cult following, for HUMANS... all while we're standing in the men's room of the arrivals terminal.
And so dear B-a-B fans, I'm proud to present my bounty of beard scouting from New Hampshire... Search and ye shall find... Per their own Facebook group info:
Mane 'n Tail products were originally developed for horses. People started using the products to achieve the beautiful results they saw with their own horses manes and tails. This is where the legend of Mane n Tail products comes from, by nourishing, conditioning and fortifying the hair and scalp to aid healthier hair growth.
Wow, seriously? Yes, for real... The sages have spoken, the truth is here, the follicles will rejoice... Bushy, itchy, medium length beards need this product, bad! You can get it here, and by clicking on the magic jar below...
P.S. As hairy fate would have it, I had the seat right behind JD on the loud and bumpy ride up north. He was reading the whole time with the overhead light on, it was the right time to snap a candid... which I did, twice, not yet knowing the wisdom his beard was to hold. So I guess the trick is on you JD... cheers.
With all the beards running around Hollywood these days, on the streets of Williamsburg, and the 'staches sported on Sunset Boulevard, Build-a-Beard wanted to examine what is causing the sudden burst of follicle fierceness (not that we're complaining).
It is believed by some that the recession has sparked this bearded trend - with more layoffs and fewer people in corporate America - there is no need to shave. Yet Hollywood should tread lightly here - men should always grow out for the love and dedication of their facial fuzz NOT because of a 'trend.' In the months to come, it will be interesting to watch what actors go beard and what actors go home. But as of right now, men have realized that facial hair magically transforms the average zero into a bearded hero. Afterall, letting hair follicles hang out changes a man's perceived masculinity (trust me on this - I am a woman - I know these things). To this point, B-a-B is interested to know how many beardos got laid at SXSW vs. unshaved faces? Think about it - SXSW is the Hipster Beard Mecca! We're sure the % of happy beardos leaving that festival is significantly higher than those who rocked nothing on their faces....
Yet the point about the recession brings up an interesting question - how has our bearded brotherhood impacted the razor business? How are companies such as Gillette, Schick, and BIC combating our hairy army of awesomeness? Surely, fewer men are picking up razors these days causing a definite backlash against the blade. But shaving companies can rest easy - a recent report by The Global Industry Analysts (GIA) titled, "Men's Grooming Products: A Global Strategic Business Report," found that theworld market for men's grooming products is projected to exceed $33.2 billion by the year 2015. This is primarily driven by a rapid rise of metrosexual male, innovative appealing products, growing middle class population, increased Internet connectivity, and universality of prestige across the world.
As far as Build-a-Beard is concerned, presitge comes from turning on, tuning in, and growing out. That said, we'd be interested in hearing from any shaving companies about their thoughts on the wave of lengthy facial follicles. Email us for a possible Q&A.
Recently, NY Daily News reported that Brad Pitt was growing his kick-ass beard (respect points = +10) out of boredom (respect points lost = - 20). As most fans of Pitt know, the actor has toyed with several stages of facial hairdom - ranging from a 'stache to goatee to a beaded beard! The staff at Build-a-Beard respects all these stages, particularly the use of decorations in the beard (we love to award points for creativity), BUT to state that he is growing his beard out of "boredom" is LAME.
Growing a beard takes commitment and dedication - it has nothing to do with being bored. Build-a-Beard's theory -- Brad has no time to keep his unruly beard trimmed with six children running around: Maddox Chivan, Zahara Marley, Pax Thien, Shiloh Nouvel and his new set of twins; the boy Knox Leon and the girl Vivienne Marcheline. So with six kids between him and Angelina - three being adopted and the other three biologically theirs - does not leave much time to trim, but does allow for boring bullshit answers to the media.
It’s been just a few months since we welcomed Josh Hamilton Rufer (aka @inMyBeard) to our bearded family... but the site he created was dedicated to a full year worth of stuff in his beard has closed up shop... Whether by suggestion or by personal initiative, the hairy creations Josh injected into the web -- in some cases odd and in others melancholic, it was always entertaining -- is nothing short of amazing... the good news is he will keep the beard, or is a goatee?
Regardless, to commiserate over the news of the deadline’s passing, and to celebrate the 365 days of pure beard goodness, Build-a-Beard flew down to Alabama right after our exclusive meeting with Rocky and Balls in the UK, to sit down with Josh to take a look back... For the record, Josh's chin mane achievements are just about the only reason we'd go to Alabama... seriously.
B-A-B: What prompted you to embark on such an expansive (and dedicated) bearded adventure?
JHR: Near the end of 2008 I found myself in a creative rut. I wanted to find something that would force me to be on my toes inventive without consuming every moment of free time I had.
I was inspired by ZeFrank's year long project The Show, but didn't feel that I had something to say that was worth listening to. I decided that I should leverage what I did have. A camera a beard and a whole bunch of junk.
B-A-B: You do know that technically your beard isn’t a beard… it’s a Goatee… a fine one, but a Goatee nonetheless. Would you ever grow a full on beard? Why, why not?
JHR: Not to be contrary but I believe my "beard" is in fact a beard. Merriam-Webster defines a beard as "the hair that grows on a man's face often excluding the mustache." By That definition, What I have is a beard. One could even argue that my "beard" is not technically a goatee by the most strict definition, as a goatee is described to be "a small pointed or tufted beard on a man's chin." Though the term "small" is subjective, I assert that my beard would not generally be described as such.
I have wondered what I would look like with a full beard. In fact, I have even let my cheeks grow out a bit from time to time. Unfortunately, when I do so, the cheek hair appears sparse and splotchy. I am unsure if this due to an uneven distribution of hair follicles across the entirety of my face or simply an optical illusion caused by the new growth's proximity to my already substantial chin hair. Either way, I would have to shave the chin to give the full beard a chance. I'm just not sure I'm willing to do that yet.
B-A-B: Hm, seems like we’ve hit a nerve… we say, give it a whirl and #proveit when you’re ready, goat boy. Regardless, we’ve never seen your face… why the incognito approach?
JHR: When I first came up with the idea for this project, I took several test images to see what would look best. I noticed that most of the full head shots I took looked like pictures of me making funny faces. The fact that something was in my beard was easy to over look and if the object was small it could disappear all together. I knew that if my full face was in the images, the result would be a bunch of pictures of me... not a bunch of pictures of my beard.
For the record. I do have a face.
B-A-B: And a fine face it is Josh, not to switch topics of anything, but… How many of the items were suggestions? Or did you come up with most of them yourself?
JHR: Most of the objects in my beard were of my choosing. Some days I selected an item that fit my mood or a theme. Other days, the item was the first think I found on my desk or. That said, I did get both fantastic and disruptive suggestions from friends and followers.
My new found Twitter and DailyBooth friends were very helpful.
@NutellaCoffee requested a romantic comedy DVD to counter balance a recent action video game. What she got instead was a copy of the video game Lips. @ReelVixen suggested a garden gnome. @Mary808 was awesome enough to snail mail me two vinyl figures for use in my beard!
My real life friends were far more likely to make suggestions that involved fire and the general destruction of beard material. After giving them the "I'm not lighting my face on fire" look, they were also very helpful.
B-A-B: What was the heaviest thing that was ‘In your beard’? How about the silliest?
JHR: The heaviest thing by far was the octopus soap dispenser. Though not that large, it is made of thick porcelain and full of liquid soap. I had to screw it's lid onto a small portion of my soul patch. I had to tense my entire face to keep the weight from pulling my bottom lip down. As for the silliest thing, that has to be the shaving cream. It sounded like a great idea at the time. I didn't take into account how it would lather when water is applied. I spent a long time trying to wash it all out before giving up and jumping in the shower.
B-A-B: You sure do seem to have had a LOT figurines in your beard this year… did you buy them special or is there a private collection you tapped?
JHR: I do have a small collection of figurines but eventually I had to make a weekly ritual of hitting the discount bins at toy stores for new and relatively cheap material. When Christmas came around I found lots of little treats taped to my presents. Most of the material for the weeks on either side of the holiday was of those extra gifts.
B-A-B: What is YOUR favorite ‘in your beard’ post? *ours is still the conjunction in your beard, but it’s close to the cupcake and candle… we like the danger factor.
JHR: My absolute favorite was the Halloween post.
I knew I wanted to have a costume for my beard that day and decided on the jack-o-lantern headed mummy. I was planning on wearing it all day so I spent the day before fitting the head and building a little skeleton out of metal wires so I could pose it. That morning was spent braiding the skeleton into the beard, wrapping the arms, legs and torso and then attaching the face. It was the most work I put into any of the posts but it was very rewarding to do it.
B-A-B: Build-a-Beard got two spots on the montage… we are honored… do you read our blog? What’s your favorite post? #selfishquestion
JHR: Though I have sported a beard for several years now, I never though much about beard culture before starting IMB. I was amazed to see how many people were interested in beards. Since then I have been reading Build-a-Beard along with a few other sites. My favorite post was the one about the guy lifting small children with his beard. I felt that guy's pain.
B-A-B: There was a bald chin shot in the montage… when’s that from? Or are your follicle growing skills unmatched by mere humans?
JHR: Sadly I do not have super-human beard growing powers. The bald chin pic was my April Fools Day post. I wanted to fake shaving my beard so I photoshopped a friend's bald chin onto my face.
B-A-B: Finally, what’s next for “In My Beard”? Another year of awesome? Mass hysteria? A shoulder to cry on? TELL US!
JHR: The In My Beard project was a year long experiment and is now complete. The project archive will remain available on my site. If the good people of twitter continue to use the #inmybeard hash tag I may update the site to feature other user's pictures.
I will definitely be starting a new project soon but I haven't decided what that will be. I'm very open to suggestions and have even been talking with some of my DailyBooth and Twitter followers about ideas. Whatever I do next, I would like it to be a more interactive experience.
In short, I vote for mass hysteria. I think that would be a lot of fun.
To catch the entire voyage from cover to cover... see below for the amazing montage that Josh put together to commemorate the end of such a hairy initiative and overarching devotion to the hirsute we can all be jealous of… take it away JHR:
A little artistic education wouldn't hurt anyone right... get ready to be impressed (har har har), get into a surreal state (har har har), and admire the hairy expression (har har har) of these fine artists with beards. ANYway... Below is our ranking, based on clout as well as facial fuzz goodness... if you have something better (i.e. more accurate), please please let us know.
1. LEONARDO DA VINCI (1452-1519) – For better or for worse, Leonardo will be forever known as the author of the most famous painting of all time, the "Gioconda" or "Mona Lisa". But he is more, much more. His humanist, almost scientific gaze, entered the art of the quattrocento and revoluted it with his sfumetto that nobody was ever able to imitate.
B-a-B take: The Sang Real Beardo
2. TITIAN (c.1476-1576) – After the premature death of Giorgione, Titian became the leading figure of the Venetian painting of his time. His use of color and the taste for mythological themes defined the main features of the Venetian Art of the 16th century. His influence on later artists -Rubens, Velázquez- is extremely important.
B-a-B take: Venetian Beardo
3. CLAUDE MONET (1840-1926) – The importance of Monet in the history of art is sometimes "forgotten" by the fact that Art lovers tend to see only the overwhelming beauty that emanates from the canvas, ignoring the complex technique and composition of the work ( a "defect" somehow caused by Monet himself, when he declared "I do not understand why people want to understand my paintings, when it is enough to enjoy them). However, Monet's experiments, including studies on the changes caused by the daylight on an object at different hours of the day, and the almost abstract quality of their "water lilies" are clearly a prologue to the art of the twentieth century.
B-a-B take: Impressive Beardo
4. ÉDOUARD MANET (1832-1883) – Manet was the origin of Impressionism, a revolutionary in a time of great artistic revolutions. The "Olympia" or "Déjeuner sur l'Herbe" opened the way for the great figures of the Impressionism.
B-a-B take: Always confused with Monet Beardo
5. EL GRECO (1541-1614) – One of the most original and fascinating artists of his era, with a very personal technique that would be admired, three centuries later, by the impressionist painters
B-a-B take: Dark Pallet Beardo
6. VINCENT VAN GOGH (1853-1890) – Few names in the history of painting are now as famous as Van Gogh, despite the complete neglect he suffered in life. His works, strong and personal, are one of the greatest influences in the painting of the twentieth century, especially in the German Expressionism.
B-a-B take: Troubled Beardo
7. PAUL CÉZANNE (1839-1906) – "Cezanne is the father of us all." This lapidary phrase has been attributed to both Picasso and Matisse, and certainly it doesn't matter who actually said it, because in either case is true. While he exhibited with the Impressionist painters, Cézanne left behind the whole group to develop a style of painting never seen so far, which opened the door for the arrival of Cubism and the rest of the vanguards of the twentieth century.
B-a-B take: The Father of all other Artist Beardos
8. PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR (1841-1919) – One of the key figures of the Impressionism, he soon left the movement to pursue a more personal, academic painting.
B-a-B take: Pretty Eyes Beardo
9. REMBRANDT VAN RIJN (1606-1669) – The fascinating use of the light and shadows of his works seem to reflect his own life, moving from fame into oblivion. Rembrandt is the great master of the Dutch painting, and along with Velázquez the main figure of the 17 th century Painting. He is, in addition, the great master of the self-portrait of all times, an artist that had never show mercy at the time of depicting himself.
B-a-B take: Needs More Facial Fuzz Beardo
10. ROBERT NORMAN ROSS (1942-1995) – An American painter, art instructor, and television host. With his calm, patient demeanor, Ross came to prominence as the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, a television program that ran for twelve years on PBS stations in the United States. He parlayed this success into a commercial "Bob Ross" brand: an industry of art books and supplies. He died of lymphoma in 1995 at the age of 52.
B-a-B take: Happy Trees Beardo (aka Gone Too Soon Afro)
Update on 2010-03-18 18:41 by Buildabeard
Ok Ok OK! Fine! These artists should have been renamed to Painters... we get that art comes in many forms and is a very broad definition... apologies, didn't mean to leave anyone out, surely we'll subcategorize from now on.
Happy Presidents' Day to all you in the US! Hopefully you too have a lazily happy day (if not we are sorry, please try to keep up) to absorb some awesomely bearded factoids about our nation's presidents and their facial fuzz goodness (or lack there of)...
FACT: Before Abraham Lincoln (who had to be convinced by an 11 year old Grace Bell, FYI), no President had a beard (discounting Martin Van Buren who had a set of very large mutton-chops). So let's give good ol Abe the kudos he deserves for signaling the shift (however brief), and throw in some wishful thinking for George Washington as well (read: A Beard That Should Have Been: George Washington), after all, we get the day off mostly because of these two:
cool FACT: after Lincoln and all the way through William Howard Taft, every President except Andrew Johnson and William McKinley (of note: assassinated on September 6, 1901 in NY) had either a beard or a mustache...
sad FACT: no President has worn a full beard since Benjamin Harrison (who took office in 1889), and no President has worn any facial hair at all since William H. Taft (who's term ended in March of 1913)... told you this was sad, nearly a century without facial hair in the Oval Office...
summary FACT: Only five (5) US Presidents in total sported full beards. A glaring trivia question within this is that two (2) of these five were also assassinated (a horrifying 40%). Obviously, we do not blame the beards, and hope neither John Wilkes Booth nor Charles J. Guiteau did either. Regardless, our top Federally Bearded Idols of all time are:
There, now don't you feel more educated? And yes, you're welcome for getting the brown Trivial Pursuit piece on the first try next time... we aim to please, and we can also dream...
For more information about the beards, staches, and goatees of our elected (or not) leaders, visit Nicholas Whyte's all inclusive page: http://www.nicholaswhyte.info/presbeards.htm
While out and about in my favorite Lower East Side bar, or should I say holy beer shrine (aka Burp Castle aka Shush Central) this past weekend catching up with Riss post the hairy awesomeness that was 2010 Beard Ball... I stumbled upon Glenn Chocky (aka @ChockyDude) sitting comfortably and quietly at the bar (next to a lovely facial hair enthusiast of the fairer sex), and was immediately drawn to his certain je ne c'estquoi... ahh who am i kidding, just LOOK at this gorgeous specimen of facial hair DIY!
Upon closer examination and discussions with him (and his lady admirer) I discovered that Glenn calls this fantastic facial fuzz iteration (he has had various styles for 5+ years) the Power W, works as a producer in the beauty industry and refers to beards as "a version of Samson on your face" ... i mean, how can you NOT like this guy, right?!
Well, we'll tell you how... you see, Glenn also resides in Brooklyn and even admitted to us that he was talking about the Beard Ball earlier in the night we met him, and how he should've gone, was encouraged to by others, read about it... but, in the end, he didn't... Dude, how you gonna miss an event like that so close to home, have you no sense of community?! Also, awesome Tumblr site (no really, keep at it!) and non working namesake website... you probably couldn't find your way from Park Slope to Greenpoint anyhow.
Truth be told Glenn, the Power W intrigued B-A-B enough to stick with you, but to be brutally honest here... if your Twitter bio didn't quote my (non bearded) idol Hunter S. Thompson, your pics may have found the cutting room floor (like your chin hairs)... but you've redeemed yourself in the end. We better see you next year (or sooner) if you want to avoid another hairy situation.
Anyway, thanks for being a good sport (we kid those we love) and remember... I wouldn't risk getting thrown out from Burp Castle just for anybody... consider your story told.
P.S. I hope you wound up going home with that lady friend that night... the Power W deserves to.
In a recession economy, what better way to tell your partner how much you adore them than by committing yourself day & night to the art of facial hair awesomeness in the name of love? Ladies - imagine being greeted not with a bouquet of typical flowers, but showered by scruff that slowly blossoms into something greater - something more meaningful (and green friendly). Your partner proudly confesses to the world - openly & through physical restraint of shaving - that he's "growing this for you." You get to watch (with awe and wonder) how his face begins to express his dedication to both the beard & yours truly. That's the recent scenario (we said it better though) raised by PhillyBurbs today - and we almost fully agreed with the article up until the following:
I think beards are sexy. Well, maybe I should rephrase. Facial hair is sexy. Full-blown beards can be kind of hit-and-miss.
No way! Full-blown beards are the balls to the walls types - the men that throw caution and razors to the wind - the kind that obviously take their love for facial hair (and the reasoning for their commitment to it) very seriously.... 365-days-a-year-seriously! So lay off the big beards - and expand your horizons past chin fuzz. If you think that is fun *wink wink* imagine the bigger possibilities. (Ahem)
Before we jump into our round up, we'd like to point out one thing... there were undoubtedly more beards on a red carpet since the heyday of Hollywood or at least since last year's Beard and Mustache Championships... to us last night's awards event serves as just another example of the "Year of the Beard," we hate to tell i told you so... but we did, you know it.
The credit goes to Pop Candy and USA Today for making the first round up (their top 10 can be found here), for tackling this important ranking and helping us with the perspective on last night's facial fuzziness -- which Whitney Matheson called "last night's must-have accessory" -- and also to thefrisky.com for last year's round up (which can be found here).
Now that the accreditation formalities are out of the way, below are the winners and our top 5 (with a tie for 5th)... enjoy, and know that we know beards, so why argue...?
I am saddened to report that beard profiling - just like racial - is alive and well in the world. Not that this should come as any surpise with numerous haters of beards out there, but it is rather shocking that some are beginning to associate 'beards' with 'evil.' In addition, it's one thing to have a phobia... but it's quite the other to discriminate against the scruff.
Here are some highlights taken from The Guardian article above (which you should read in full):
Reporter's admission:
My pogonophobia possibly stems from my own inability to grow one – it is well nigh impossible to tell if I have not shaved for three weeks or three months – but, at least in the case of Islam, beards and bigotry do often seem to go together.
Further down in article:
I don't want to tar all beardies with the extremist tag, but among Muslims possession of a big beard does seem a prerequisite to being able to rant and rave against the evil heathens of the west.
I just took one look at his beard, feared the worst and did a fast one.
Hair is hair... is it not? This type of facial hair profiling... which we danced around in December when we mentioned Bank of America's odd beard policy (i.e. you cannot grow one) seems to be a bit outdated for 2010. What's that song - free your mind, and the rest will follow? (Yes, I just referenced En Vogue).
