Mustache

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

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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!

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A Night with Magnificent Specimens

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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



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Patrick Melcher: Beardo, Stache Champ (Skater)

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Thanks to our good friend Scott Baldwin (aka @scbaldwin) for alerting us to a beardo interview deep within the pages of GQ... we know, we know, we're pretty shocked too (but it's about damn time)... upon closer review,  we here at B-a-B have found a new hero, in one Patrick Melcher.

While we've written about awesome skater beardos before (Scott Herskovitz: Proving it Doggy Style) and we've supported beardo skater art for some time (i.e. Art Bombs creations on Tumblr)... Patrick's feat is not to be outdone -- and we're not just talking about being a proud beardo in the pages of GQ). In addition to throwin it down on the street (do skaters throw down?), Patrick got 2nd place at the World Beard and Mustache Championships, yeah that's right... 2nd place! And how could he not, check out his awesome facial DIY creation below, as well as an excerpt of the GQ interview.

Check him out, he's worth it...

"GQ: How did the 'stache come about?
Melcher: My teammate Richie Jackson was the direct influence. And I grew this really neat mustache, then put it on my webpage, and this dude contacted me. "You should join our beard club." So I joined the Bristly Chaps of Los Angeles beard club, and they invited me to the world championships in Anchorage. So I went and won second place for the Imperial Mustache. It was in the L.A. Times, TMZ, and on CNN."

Melcher has Gentlemanly Qualities from 2HeadedHorse on Vimeo.

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Build-A-Beard on Tumblr

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Many of you are wondering whether the Tumblr site we created will take over B-A-B.com... the answer is a resounding and forceful : NO, it will not. This will forever (and always) be our long form home... but as you know, we love Social Media and community engagement, as such we must tap into the various opportunities out there to promote awesome facial fuzz goodness... as such, we have been building out our bearded site on Tumblr.

If you haven't yet seen, you can find it here: http://buildabeard.tumblr.com/

Look forward to many Q&As and longer features on this site, but if you need a quick bearded fix throughout the day, check out our Tumblr or Facebook and Twitter pages (all linked up of course... so look at all if you like double up).

 

All the best and bearded,

El Beardo and Riss

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Top 10 Artists with Beards

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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)

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Presidents' Day Salute

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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

 

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The Story of the "Power W"

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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'est quoi... 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.

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Valentine's Day: Feel the Beard!

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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)

 

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Slap A 'Stache On Me - There's An App For That

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So in the midst of 100 applications for beards and 'staches, one that seriously caught our eye is 'Stachetastic.'  It's been reviewed by DVICE.com and Wired.com as one of the "best apps for $1.99," but B-A-B is happy to report there is also a 'Stachetastic Ultimate - well worth the $4.99 - which also allows you to add everything from 80's hair, beards, to zombie bites. We messed around with it this weekend - and I chose to update my face with the "Charlie Chaplin." 

What are your favorite hairy apps?  Feel free to let us know - and in the meantime, we will keep testing out others.

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Dan Patterson's Beard Reports

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Love. Decksauce. SoDak Biker Beards.  

Dan Patterson of ABC News (not to be confused with the British television producer and writer, responsible for the production of both the British and American incarnations of the improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?) sat down with the staff of Build-A-Beard and granted us full access to his sometimes-beard-sometimes-mustache.  Dan's facial hair provided the following answers to our 3-day, brutal interrogation (Note: Waterboarding was not used, but we did threaten his unruly beard with this). 

1. When did you 1st appear on Dan's face?

Well, one would presume that like most men, my first appearance occurred in Dan's early adolescence.  This is a fair assumption, and is indeed correct.  However, there is an ongoing debate on Twitter (#dansawesomebeard) within the collector community about the actual first appearance.  You see, in an alternate-reality crossover with Dan's ChestHair Comics (issues 11 - 13) Dan's Beard was actually bonded with Dan's Sideburns at an early age.  So, to answer your question, my first appearance is ambiguous and still being determined.

2. What is your favorite style?

That's a really good question... I'm a big fan of punk.  The Ramones, Buzzcocks, and Dead Kennedy's were a huge influence.  However I have always admired the Coltrane/Miles 'Blue' style and as I age I mellow and appreciate the more complicated musicianship of jazz.  If you're referring to favorite Beard Style, my favorite is Awesome.  The Awesome style is canonical and classic.

3. Did Dan ever cut you? 

Yes, many times.  But really, I don't take it personally. Sometimes he cuts me in awesome ways, like the Mustache of Freedom (see below or here)!  Also, I'm a tenacious bastard and always reemerge within a matter of days.  And let's be realistic: Love is a wonderful thing.  We're bonded for life.  But sometimes you just need time apart.  It's nothing personal.  I use my 'away' time to read the newspaper, drink coffee, and slow down a bit.  I recently got a Kindle and have been totally digging reading about current beard trends.  You know, everyone likes to chill out sometimes and just because I'm a beard doesn't mean I'm any different.

4. Ever catch colleagues at ABC staring at you?

Everyone stares.  Really.  It's kinda embarrassing.  I mean, can you blame them?  Dan may have a funny looking mug, but I do a great job of hiding it.  And I don't want to brag (humility is a virtue, after all), but I'm a  burley beard of bristly bad-assness!

5. As a new media beard, do you tend to find yourself justifying your existence to old media beards?

Coexistance is necessary.  There's a lot old media beards can learn from new media beards, sure.  But there's a lot that new media beards could learn from more experienced beards.  Myself included!  I mean, I think I'm a facially-located shag carpet of decksauce, but that doesn't mean I can't learn from beards who have been there, done that.  There's a lot of wisdom in the beard world!  And, at the end of the day, we ALL could learn a thing or two from the beards of Sturgis, South Dakota.  I mean, those biker dudes have the most bad ass beard ever.  Word to the wise: don't mess with a SoDak Biker Beard!


I'm really flattered to share my humble beardness and wish your Build-A-Beard site and charities you support all the best!

Check out Dan's awesome facial hair creativity throughout the years:   

Mustache of Freedom!
B-A-B comment: This picture does not get any better!  FTW on multiple levels!


Mustache of Creepy!
B-A-B comment: Some on our staff would totally do you (50/50 shot here since we only have 2 on staff).  


Mustache of Freedom (Reads Warren Ellis)!
B-A-B comment: Respect points for teaching beards to read.


Beard of Awesome!
B-A-B comment: Did Dan's beard Photoshop itself into this picture?  


Beard of Awesome (On The Convention Floor)!
B-A-B comment: What a lucky beardo!

 

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VaynerMedia - Now Is The Time To (Grow Beards)

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It was brought to our attention by our staff writer and friend, Russ Marshalek, that the employees at VaynerMedia were rocking some p-r-e-t-t-y sweet facial hair persuasions at Gary & AJ Vaynerchuk's office. #crushit

And although the highly talented Gary has been saturating our airwaves and personal NYC island with ways to "cash in on your passion," he is not crushing it when it comes to his beard. In fact, he should prob stop concentrating so much on how to help others "build brand equity," and start concentrating on ways to grow a 'stache.... or even some scruff! #crushitFAIL

Example:

Lucky for him, B-A-B decided to interview the bearded fellas that make the day-to-day run smoothly for his brand consulting agency with a penchant for social media. Special thanks to Sam Taggart who submitted his fellow employees, but did not participate. Wonder why?
(Editor's note: a while after our post, Gary did grow a beard... and then... well... go see for yourself)
So without further ado...

Title: Web Developer (VaynerMedia)
Random Fact: I've had some kind of facial hair since my senior year of high school.
Worth Noting: When I do shave, I use a 1940s Gillette Aristocrat Razor.
B-A-B Thoughts: We like the way you shave, Caleb. No, seriously - we're highly impressed with the choice in your instrument. *raises martini glass to you or odd cup of yellow substance as in the picture below.

Name: Marcus Krzastek
Title: Project Manager (VaynerMedia)
Rockin' It For A Cause: Protest of Turkish non-recognition of the Armenian genocide.
B-A-B Thoughts: We're not sure what lil' project is happening on your face, specifically below your lip, but you're definitely not managing it. Also, the sweater... dude... come on it's 2009.

Name: Matt Sitomer
Title: Chief of Staff (VaynerMedia)
View Askewniverse Fetish: First grew the beard so I could be Silent Bob for Halloween in 2004, and everyone told me to keep it.
B-A-B Comment: Respect points on the Kevin Smith love, but you need to get that beard thicker and grow it over your upper lip. Also, stop posing like it's MySpace.

Title: CTO (Cork'd)
Why You Want To Sleep With Him: I dream in German
B-A-B Comment: Winner!!! We heart your pirate look - bonus points for the perfectly tweaked ends - although we had to look past your almost-too-much-asymmetrical-haircut, odd bathroom background, and shameless use of iPhone.