Grow Beards for Sweden!

This past week, SoundCloud encouraged me to throw a "master class" in beard & mustache growing with a specific focus on The World Beard & Mustache Championships. But no beard and mustache presentation would be complete without the expert opinion of the incredible Phil Olsen, captain of Beard Team USA.  In the following sound, Phil gives a brief history on the global sport of bearding, while also presenting an alarming fact about Sweden & one momentous challenge to one of my colleagues in particular....

Reminder: don't miss the third annual Beard Team USA National Beard and Moustache Championships taking place on Sunday, November 11, 2012, at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The amphitheater has lawn seating for 3000 beardsmen and their fans!  

Perhaps the 1st ever Swedish beard team will show up? I know a few Swedes who could help this cause...
 (Photo: Hannes Tydén - SoundCloud genius and best beard at the company)

Whisker Wars (with a Grain of Salt)

For Build-a-Beard, this week it's all about Whisker Wars, as the last year has been for many beardos... so it's hard to distill a weeks' worth of hype and madness into one post... or video, or picture... moreover, it's even harder if your technology (e.g. FlipCam mega fail coupled with no WiFi at the launch event) fail worse than hair-sparyed facial hair in the rain... That said, we always try to bring you the story in that beloved gonzo hairy fashion regardless of technological, follicle or sense of humor deficiencies... this post is no different.

First off, I must say I loved the launch event; from the wooden mustache combs, to the Carstache love, the free food and drink, and even the complimentary beard trim courtesy of The Blind Barber (I survived)... but most importantly, it was because it's awesome to see all of our beardy friends again. Namely, Brooklyn Beard King Mark Krayenhoff, the many Coney Island competitors, and of course Myk, Phil, and (THE) Jack, as well as the other Whisker Wars and bearding stars (specifically Alex LaRoche - Austin Facial Hair Club, whom I had the privilege to follow onto the stage at National's, as seen in this video).

Now, sometimes a tech fail is a blessing in disguise, and because I really do not want to do the talking and writing and biasing you for or against reality TV and docucomedies like Whisker Wars (or any other "Wars" related shows)... I'll leave it to Phil, who said it best in my failed attempt at an interview early on in the launch event festivities. 

Keep this sage advice in mind when watching tonight's premier episode and any of those that follow... (the full interview and 2nd attempt can be found here). I will just add that, the beards on Whisker Wars transcend reality, they then for sure transcend reality TV.

Beard on America, beard on...

10Qs with (Beard Team USA) Captain, Phil Olsen

It was about 120 days ago when we first told y’all about the first ever Beard Team USA National Beard and Moustache Championships to be held on Saturday, June 5, 2010, in Bend, Oregon (Get all the Nationals info)… well, it is organized by, like every major bearding themed event in the US, the US Captain at World Beard and Moustache Championships, the father of American competitive bearding overall, and the headlining photo we used for our original story, Mr. Phil Olsen (aka @tahophil).

Phil’s the founder and self-appointed captain of Beard Team USA. His first WBMC was in Ystad, Sweden, in 1999. Noticing that the event was dominated by the Germans who invented the game and that United States was underrepresented, he dedicated himself to making the USA a powerhouse in international facial hair competitions. In 2003, he organized the worlds held in Carson City, Nevada.

Build-a-Beard co-founder El Beardo had the pleasure to meet and mingle with the captain at the recent Magnificent Specimens exhibit by Dave Mead; where they chewed the fat about World Championships, German tears, Jack Passion, the legality of hair spray in competitive bearding, and the potential of El Beardo’s Corporate Beard. Capt. Phil is not a man of many words (though we did spot him with 4 beers at one time at the exhibit… read: our kind of man), and chooses his words carefully (it’s the lawyer background)… but as scores of beard enthusiasts across from the world before us, we heeded his every word… and so should you.

#1) Oh Captain my Captain you are like Moses for the beardos of America (he who brought bearding to us all)… And how did it all begin?! (Hopefully no burning beard sights in the middle of a desert)

I wandered into the World Beard and Moustache Championships in Sweden in 1999.  Wow!  What an event!  But America was underrepresented.  And not enough people knew about it.  Since then my mission has been to make the WBMC into the world class event it ought to be, with everyone included.

#2) So the Germans have occupied the sport pretty heavily until you came along… do they resent you, or do they welcome the competition (and their loses) with open arms?

Most of the Germans welcome the competition and all of them welcome the camaraderie.  They also point out that they did better that us in Alaska when you consider the ratio of trophies to contestants.

#3) We understand that there are still some inconsistencies in the definitions and categories for the World Beard & Mustache Championships… who is the governing board, and have you been able to debate with and convince them in anything, given your lawyer background?

There is no governing body that everyone recognized.  The host defines the categories.  I have tried hard to address issues with the categories but without much success despite my lawyer background.  I am hoping the simplified, inclusive categories at the Nationals will be an improvement.

#4) Well enough about the krauts… let’s talk about you. Yours is a Garibaldi Beard. How long have you had it? When did you decide to start grooming it, or was it never ‘natural’?

For years my beard came and went with the season.  I was bearded in the winter and naked in the summer.  But since I discovered the WBMC in 1999 I haven't shaved and have barely trimmed.  As my beard got longer I gradually developed a method for grooming it that did not involve trimming. Unfortunately, my beard won't get any longer.

#5) What are your top secrets/advice for beardos looking to get past the itchy first few months and get the thickness and mass akin to yours?

Do nothing.  Bearding is a great sport for couch potatoes.  I have never had itching problems, so I am not sure what to advise.  There are some kinds of moisturizers that supposedly work.

#6) The national championships are around the corner… give us your best pitch on why everyone who’s anyone in the world of bearding should be in Bend Oregon on June 5th.

It's THE event of the season.  Bend is a great place with spectacular outdoor recreation opportunities, a super hip, welcoming local population, and more breweries per capita than anywhere else in the known world.  And five beardsmen are going to go home $1000 richer.

#7) Jack Passion isn’t competing in the national’s so that to give others a chance to place atop the natty beard category… will this hamper the defense of the US title globally?

No, not at all.  Like the Pack, Jack will be back.  He's Woods, Ali, and Gretzky all in one.

#8) I can totally see Jack on the ice... No stick, he'll just slap the puck around with his beard... Anyway, can you describe the first time you met Jack and his beard, and perhaps comment on how he changed the game of competitive bearding?

I first met Jack when he came on the official BTUSA trip to Berlin for the 2005 worlds.  He took third place, but all of the other beards in his category were older than Jack himself.  The Euros were astounded that such a young person already had such a great beard.

#9) 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?

Facial hair is about individuality.  It's hard to say one style is better than another.  Everyone has to find a style that fits his look and personality.  For me, my favorite is what I have.

#10) Finally, how did my beard look to you at Magnificent Specimens exhibit… do I stand a chance if I enter into freestyle (or any other) category at Bend?

Your beard looked GREAT, Alex. Solid, thick, excellent color.  But I doubt you will do well in Freestyle.  You don't have enough length to do anything outlandish with your beard.  I am expecting some crazy concoctions.  And in full beard others beards have much more mass.  Unfortunately there is no trophy for best potential.  So wait 'til next year BUT remember there is a $1000 prize for a contestant chosen at random.  That could be you!

Well Phil, it’s been a pleasure… I’ll see if Dave Mead agrees with your sentiment about my beard and whether I’m indeed a Magnificent Specimen… in the meantime, I WILL ENTER THE FREESTYLE CATEGORY IN BEND, as a Corporate Beard (and the Best Potential Beard)… after all, you are the perennial “also-ran” at these things, so I’ll be in good company at the bottom of the leader board!

Fantastic, Alex. See you soon!

A Night with Magnificent Specimens

There are many treasures that we've uncovered here at B-a-B throughout our tenure... but few (if any) can compete with the night that Dave Mead organized recently for his exhibit of "Magnificent Specimens." We'll get to the hairy goodness shortly, but first, a bit of background...

In 2009, Photographer Dave Mead and sponsor James Moody traveled to Anchorage, Alaska to capture portraits of the countless ‘Magnificent Specimens’ who had converged to compete in the World Beard and Mustache Championships. This summer, a large collection of Mead's beard portraits — unpublished and being seen for the first time — has gone on display throughout the retail concourse of the Chelsea Market in NYC... The celebrated images will be on display May 9th through June 30th, and are available for sale!

There, consider yourself informed... now, let's talk about the launch party on May 8th...

I guess for the naked eye (and chin) going to Chelsea Market after hours is a bit of a drag... walking in and seeing one massive beardo after another could indeed be daunting and even breed some anxiety and definitely some envy... I, however, have friends in high places... namely, (THE) Jack Passion and Beard Team USA Captain Phil Olsen... and the (hairless) man of the hour himself, Dave Mead (note: the Q&As are to follow).

I made the rounds pretty quickly at the party, mingling with local beardos, out of state facial hair aficionados, red faced devils, hot chicks, open bar and swag tables... thanks for the stache/beard comb and mirror combo, just what I wanted!

What I uncovered, in addition to the aforementioned awesome beardos and the resulting hangover, are some of the friendliest beardos and the best artistic facial hair shots I've ever seen... and trust me I've seen a TON, as you can imagine... I culled my Top-3 below. All are copies straight from Dave, excluding the bust of Jack Passion to give other's a chance.

In addition, check out my own artistic foray, which I call the 'Ghost of Beardo Past' (note the beardo in the reflection starring down the stache in focus), plus more beardos I met at the exhibit.

I highly encourage you all to come see this hairy shrine to all things hirsute... it's nearly as magical as watching Jack field questions and greeting fans while floating around a room like a giant ball of hair in the wind... almost.

B-a-B's Top-3 Magnificent Specimens (by Dave Mead)

#1) B-a-B Title: Farm-a-Beard (reality: Jordan of Wheatsville)

#2) B-a-B Title: Taxidermy Beard (reality: Fox Jerem of Kenai, Alaska)

#3) B-a-B: Ghost Beard (reality: Burke of Olympia, Washington)

B-a-B Shots from Magnificent Specimens Launch Party

10 Qs with (THE) Jack Passion

No doubt you’ve heard the name… it rolls of your tongue like the feel of a cool breeze going through your beard on a hot summer day. Jack Passion (http://jackpassion.com and @jackpassion)… say it with us… Jack, Passion… yes, the very same that has amassed two wins in the Natural Beard category at World Beard and Mustache Championships at the age of 25… yep, that author who tackled beards chin on with The Facial Hair Handbook the must have beard growers book… the very same Jack Passion that signs his emails “Love and Passion”… people like that just warm our heart…and yes, the very same with a giant orange beard.

“Jack Passion is to the sport of bearding what Tiger Woods is to the sport of golf.”

— Phil Olsen, Founder and Self-Appointed Captain, Beard Team USA

B-a-B edit: Written on 5/29/2009… yes, that matters.

We try to be inspiring here at B-a-B, but truth be told we like nothing else than being inspired by the bearded community as well… Clearly, Jack is in a league all his own in terms of inspiration; Jack even was one of his graduating class’ speakers at UCSC among other things… we should probably continue writing up this interview while bowing our heads, and you should probably read it as such as well.

Either way, when we heard that Jack wasn’t competing in the 2011 World Championships we raced to meet this bass playing beard oracle to get some answers and gauge what this means for competitive bearding, do German’s cry, what the end of Street Fighter II looks like and much, much more… so, enjoy!

It’s an honor to be here by the side of such a beardo… your follicle awesomeness is an example to us all… how and when did you decide to grow it out and grow it proud?

The honor is mine!  I never gave bearding much thought until I placed highly on the world stage.  Prior to that, my beard was just another in a long line of facial hairstyles that I had worn.  At some point, I had no choice but to accept my role as America's beard ambassador; the alternative would have been to shave - no thanks!  Since that time, a great deal of thought and discussion has brought me and my beard to where we are today.  My beard is my career, and I work hard.

When did the decision to participate in competitive bearding come to be? And why, how’d you even hear about Beard Team USA?

Initially, I just wanted a story to tell my grandchildren one day.  I did not know the caliber of my beard, nor did I even know a fire burned in my heart to crush other men's dreams of bearded glory. Sometimes the spirit of competition must be awakened in the soul, like the premise of any good 80s action sports movie.  I heeded the call to brush and condition my way to the top, a position from which I can hopefully lead by example that a bearded life is an authentic, honest, and honorable one.

Tell us about your first competition on the global level … did other beardos give you a hard time because some of their beards were older than you?

The first world competition I attended was in Berlin, and I "only" got third.  There was quite a bit of outrage, but since it was in German, I had no idea.  Later on, I was told that the older, German elite thought I was totally un-serious and that my pirate costume was disrespectful.  They don't have to like me, as long as they fear me.

My world standings are as follows:

2005, Berlin, 3rd place, Natural Full Beard

2007, Brighton, 1st place, Natural Full Beard

2009, Anchorage, 1st place, Natural Full Beard

We know that people love the beard… did having a few titles help to milk even more love from envious women (and scores of men)?

Yes.  ;-)

Nice, we dig… Anyway, then comes Alaska… you win that championship too… how’d you do it? What is it about your routine that you think sets you apart?

I spell out my entire regimen and all of my trade secrets in my book, The Facial Hair Handbook.  My program is pretty simple in concept, but I actually follow all of it to a tee, and I am unrelenting in my pursuit of perfection -- no detail is to be overlooked.

We will most certainly get to your hairy manuscript a bit later…Why is the natural beard the most coveted title? Did the Germans cry like little babies after your 2nd win in a row?

I don't know if there is one title more coveted than another, but Full Beard Natty is certainly the most competitive because of its size; more than half the competitors at the Anchorage contest were in my category.

I don't know if they were crying, nor do I care.  Nobody can hear their pitiful sobs over the roaring cheers of Passionate victory, anyway. Really though, everyone's a beardsman and after they warmed up to me, the Germans have always been really happy for me when I win.  And if you've ever beaten Street Fighter II as Ryu, it's like that: I'm already on to the next match; I live for the thrill of the fight.

Also, despite the sometimes (ok, often) inflammatory rhetoric, I grow and wear a beard for many reasons higher in priority than competition.  I have made some men jealous, but if there is envy or rage, it is only because I have yet to connect with these guys on a personal level.  If I have a beard and you have a beard, we have something in common of great social and moral significance; a bond that makes us real friends before we even meet.

So now you are a two time champ, and yet you chose to not compete in the upcoming National Championships… what’s the deal? Is winning THAT boring?

I've logged the forest bare, and I need to let a few bearded trees grow again so that I can obliterate and tarnish their family names for all time once again.

I've been a very prominent figure on the team, and since we're hosting it, I thought it'd just be a good move to sit it out.  When I brought this up, the event planners offered the MC gig, and that's right up my alley, so I took it.  I'm excited to relax and just have a good time with a bunch of good guys over a beautiful weekend in the Pacific Northwest, which to be fair, out-beards Brooklyn 10:1.

I really encourage everyone in beards to come to Bend.  It's super cheap to fly there, and this is not only your chance to do really well in a beard contest, but it's also shaping up to be the biggest facial hair event in history.  Guinness will be on hand to record the number of contestants and spectators.  Beard competitions are finally rising to the level of sports like World's Strongest Man and hot dog eating competitions.  Anyone can do roids and get overpaid to play with balls.  I say let's eat hot dogs, throw kegs over walls, and grow beards!

We'll start booking our trip tomorrow! In the meantime, tell us about your book… is a sequel planned? Perhaps a guide to manscaping, or a tome about sideburns? Stache excellence? Do tell… and also, who is your favorite author?

There is a lot of information on facial hair care in the world, but let's be honest:  There's still a lot of shitty beards, and a lot of guys trying to grow beards end up quitting (and I say quitting instead of shaving, because it really is quitting; as in giving up, folding, submitting, and forfeiting) because it itches or someone tells them it sucks.  I provide the motivation to go beards out, and the skill set to grow and wear facial hair to the best of your biological ability; in a practical and easy to follow format.  Facial hair is an honest and natural thing, and I take a very holistic approach to equipping you with everything you need and nothing you don't.  I know it sounds like a shameless plug, but it really will change a man's life. Plus, it makes a great gift. :)

The book has done really well, and I'm just about to release a revised second printing.  The content is almost identical, but some design things have changed, most notably the cover.

I don't really have a favorite author, but I tend to read a lot of philosophy and other non-fiction if that helps. But when you ask about a favorite author, I have to ask, were you guys trying to get me to plug garyvee? 

Haha, thanks for that… but not since he shaved... You’re an author and we figure you must be inspired by someone… bearded philosophers surely fit that bill. Finally… have you heard of Mane n’Tail, if so… would you recommend it or even use it?

It smells good, it's inexpensive in bulk, and it gets the job done well, but it's a age-old myth of the beard community that it's some miracle beard wash/condish.  Beard hair isn't head hair, but it sure isn't horse hair, either!  That said, if they offered me an endorsement, I'd take it.  You can do better ($$$$), but you can do muuuch worse.