Blood Sugar Sex Mustache

Red Hot Chili Peppers have just released their video for the first single off of 'I'm With You,' the troupe's latest album... Love it/them or hate it/them (the new guitarists is a robot, we are sure of it), what we absolutely love is the now permanent (and prominent) stache on the upper lip of front-man Anthony Kiedis. Kudos!

Mustache Hope

"The time is always right to do what is right." Martin Luther King Jr

Honoring the memory of Dr. King we often forget, the man also rocked a pretty amazing stache... we musn't forget Dr. King's willingness to not conform to the fresh faced madness of the 50s and 60s and rock what he wanted, when he wanted, because it was the right thing to do... The memory of his daring actions, ideals and ideas should linger longer than one day a year.

Tyrannical Hirsute-ness

All praise be to Sacha Baron Cohen and his forthcoming new film The Dictator. Cohen, who plays a Middle East dictator who is very well represented in the hairy chin area... Keeping up his support of facial fortitude he started with other characters from such classics as Borat (stache) and Ali G (chin strap).

We approve this movie, without support of the actions Cohen is so capable to pretend to endorse... Tyrants are bad, beards are good. Dont blame the beard and enjoy the show!

Stache 2012

We have always said at B-a-B that facial hair transcends politics. Our love and devotion to promoting global hirsute appreciation goes beyond and above any other social issue (or fiscal)... that said, it should be the goal of all beardos and stachemates to eliminate pogonophobia from all corners of the world. Arguably, the best way to do this is to elect officials with facial hair.

Those mates are hard to find (and even harder to find are the gals)... but, we have found one. If you haven't met or heard of him yet, please meet Herman Cain, he is currently running for president of the United States. Like or dislike his politics, or that of his GOP compadres (all of whom, including Michele Bachmann) are facial hairless.

Herman, who recently won the Florida Straw Poll, you have our support... just don’t shave. Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can grow for your country.

Bubba Smith, Stache God, NFL Star and Actor... Dead at 66

Long live the stache of Bubba Smith, long live Moses Hightower... we will miss you greatly. RIP you glorious Stache you.

Welcome to the US Spotify, Way to Prove It

So, Spotify has finally hit the US... The award-winning music service that’s taken Europe by storm has now come to U.S. shores. Millions of tracks ready to play instantly, on your computer and your phone. the site boasts it's awesomeness by this tagline gen: Any track, any time, anywhere. And it's free!

That's cool and all, but what's cooler is this 'about' video who's lead role is a stached drummer! From this day forth, to us, you will be known as Stachify. Way to prove it brethren.

Heavenly Staches -- BEHOLD!

Thanks to our friendly scout Peter Ha from The Daily, we have been alerted to signs from the above and the many greater forces than man (and some women) in suport of facial hair. If you had any reasons to doubt that there is something greater out there, somewhere, consider this your pie in the face.

First came this from Peter:

Followed by this via the Googles:

Then this...

Then THIS:

 And finally this gem:

Way to #proveit Stache Gods... beard Gods, you're on next.

#mugshotmonday & #mustachemonday

Picture is worth 1000 hashtags.

Have a happy #mugshotmonday, #mustachemonday and #stupidweekday. Stay strong and hairy.

10Qs with a Stache-o Ben Davidson

Ben (or Benjamin as facebook calls him) Davidson is a man who needs an introduction... his stache however, does not.

At the 2009 World Championships, By Mathew Rainwaters

I first met Ben back stage at the National Beard and Moustache Championships in Bend Oregon this past summer, and his stache followed him everywhere, so i met it too, and what a stache it was... while of course not a match to the winner of the natural stache category in Bend, Ben's tache is something to behold, envy and of course in our case, commend.

This gent is a quiet yet fierce competitor whom has taken the gold (and bronze) both nationally, locally and even internationally (full scorebox for Ben's stache is as follows, all for natural stache category: 1st place, 2009 NYC BMC; 3rd place, 2009 World Championships in Anchorage AK; 1st place, 2010 Coney Island BMC; and most recently 1st place in the 2010 Ohio BMC, Dayton OH).

Given this track record and this being the month of the stache (Movember), we decided to award Ben the coveted (and arbitrary) title of "Beardo of the Month!" I sat down with Ben and talked bearding (or stache-ing), grooming, thunder, arm wrestling, and much much more... read on!

When did you first grow or start growing it? how long as it been since your upper lip saw any sun?
I started growing facial hair in 2007, I think. I had a small beard for a while and then shaved that off leaving just the stache in the summer of 2008. So it's been about 3 - 3 1/2 years since my upper lip saw some sun. 

How'd you get into competitive bearding (or staching in your case)?
I basically just happened upon an ad for the First Beard and Moustache Competition in Coney Island, NY in September of '08. I really had no intention of entering the contest, and just wanted to check out some crazy and hilarious facial hair. When I got there everybody said I should enter, I did, and won first place in the natural moustache category. That spurred me on to go to future competitions.

The staches are always well represented at competitions, but think often also get a back seat to the beards, why is that?
I assure you, I don't know. I suppose it could be because it can take a lot longer to grow an immense beard. I can grow my stache out in 6 months or so. Also beards are easier to see from a distance.

Aren't you happy/thankful that (THE) Jack Passion trims his stache and does not (yet?) compete in your category... be honest.
Haha, I love Jack's beard as most people do, but he derives most of his power from his beard's immense volume, and the fact that said volume is bright ass orange. If he were to shave down to just the stache he would lose some of his shock and awe. I think it would be a pretty close competition between us. I don't think I've ever seen a large orange handlebar moustache. That would be pretty sweet. But I suppose in the end, I'm pretty content with him competing in the beard category.

You had to arm-wrestle a guy at the Coney Island BNC for your title... not quite the traditional way to win, but it seemed to work in your favor (what was the age of that guy, 95?). Do you like traditional rules of say the national Competition or those on the local circuit like at Coney Island?
No way, that guy was 75 at the most! I'll take traditional rules any day. At least arm wrestling could be considered kinda manly. If anybody asks me to start singing and dancing it's over for me. I don't go there.

Let's talk grooming... Your stache is glorious, and it really really suits your face... how'd you train it to do what you want, or are you just blessed with the coveted stache gene our scientists are working tirelessly to isolate?
Well, I could go on all day about this, but I'll keep it short. I do have good moustache genes cause my hair grows fast and really straight. If you have really straight hair and a somewhat thick moustache, you can probably have a moustache similar to mine. Anyway, make sure you condition it in the shower but not too much. I have to find a happy medium, if you condition too much or too little, it frays out a lot and is harder to manage in general. Immediately when I get out of the shower I smooth it into the general shape, and put two little clips into it to hold it back away from my mouth. I leave them in just a few minutes then take them out and add some lotion. Regular hand moisturizer will do, you may have to try a few different kinds to see what works best. That's basically it. If you want to know more, hit me up on facebook or at a competition.

Seriously though, what are top 3 tips you can give on stache growing and upkeep?

1. When you first start growing your stache, don't trim the hairs that grow from the middle of your lip. There's an awkward period when all those hairs will go in your mouth, which is kinda a pain in the ass. If you stick with it though, they will get long enough where you can spread them to the sides and they stay out of your mouth 90 percent of the time.
2. Stay Healthy. If you're healthy, your facial hair will grow faster and more luxuriously. Have you ever seen a really fat guy with a terrible beard?
3. Try using Elmer's glue to hold your styled stache in place. It dries in seconds and holds better than any wax I've ever tried. It washes right out with water, is non toxic and safe for kids.  

Who are your top 3 stache wearers through the years?
Rollie Fingers for sure… Ben Davidson (a football player from the 60's and 70's, he had a great stache)… I don't know... Tom Selleck?

It's Movember, or nearly the end of it, why do you think it's the staches that get the largest facial hair donations to charity each year? Our good friends at Bearduary is a distant second, but overall Movember is in a class all its own... is it just because its' easier to show the growth progress on a daily basis with staches, or is there something magical in the wax?
Because moustaches are funnier? Maybe because you have to make a concerted effort to grow a moustache. You could accidentally grow a beard, but you have to make the effort of shaving most of your face to have a stache. Also, people just want an excuse to grow a moustache.

Would you ever shave yours and start again if you couls have some high paying sponsors?
Oh Hell yes! I'd do it for low paying sponsors as well, if anybody has an offer.

Are you going to bring the thunder for the New York BMC?
I will be in attendance although, I'm still undecided about bringing the thunder…

P.S. While Ben's stache is amazing, and awesome, and hairy and all that... dont be fooled, Ben can grow a pretty sick ass beard too. Kudos!

Start Wearing Purple (and staches)

In honor of today's #SpiritDay (http://glaad.org/spiritday)... and in keeping with our love of all facial hair styles... we wanted to break the rules of our newly created "Beardo Of the Month" and award it to a STACHE.

Namely, to the front man of Gogol Bordello, a Gypsy punk band from (where else) Lower East Side NYC, Mr. Eugene Hütz.

To you ladies and gentlemen of the Gogol Bordello, and to your song Start Wearing Purple, kudos... you are our beardo(s) of the month! take a bow!!!

P.S. To be fair, we want to commend the whole band for their style, but more importantly for having nearly 75% of their male members for having some sorts of facial hair, KUDOS!

3rd Annual Coney Island BMC Wrap Up

As you know by now (given the myriad of live postings and up to the minute results updates), El Beardo went to the 3rd Annual Coney Island Beard and Moustache Competition... presented by the lovely Joanna Firneno and the curly Donny Vomit.

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.

Also check out the Competition's fan page on Facebook, goodies galore.

The Crowds, Setting and Judges

   

    

   

Natural Mustache Finalists

Natural Beard Finalists

Sideburns Finalists

Styled Mustache Finalists

Styled Beard Finalists

Fake Female Beard Finalists

THE WINNERS! (and judges)

Dr. Phil Shaves... B-a-B Unfazed (but disgusted)

I guess we're 'sorry' to bring you such news this late... but it's because we're not going to pretend we watch the show...Yes, it's true. "Dr. Phil" McGraw... the twang-y, knee-slapping therapist... has parted ways with his stache of nearly 40 years. What's worse is the reason (O Magazine's 10th Anniversary Celebration Episode) and at whose hands... Oprah's.

Stache-acide (as well as Beardicide) are crimes punishable by banishment from our extended communities... but then again, we are more than 10 days late on these 'news,' clearly signaling that we've banished Dr. Phil from our psyche's long ago, so added punishment may be moot.

Besides, look at him now... kind of pathetic... not the therapist I'd like to treat me or my family... with or sans stache that is.

Either way, as you all know, you can slap a stache on a pig but it's still a pig.

Patrick Melcher: Beardo, Stache Champ (Skater)

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."

Read More: Why Every Professional Skateboarder Should Look Like Patrick Melcher

Melcher has Gentlemanly Qualities from 2HeadedHorse on Vimeo.

Update on Apr 20, 2010 at 10:47PM by Buildabeard

Build-a-Beard, by Patrick Melcher

"The man's man's Beard-blog."

"Your one stop beard and moustache internet info site."

-- Enabeled modern fabelism in an unshorn future

Sunday Morning Cartoons (stache edition)

Mustache love for all, this morning! So much so that we've nearly doubled our Sunday morning cartoon count to 5! Sure, 3 of them are Family Guy snippets... but it's the thought that counts. Stache owners rejoice, we love ya'll too... love us back, hug a beardo today!

Spotted: Stache of the year

Given the gull (and frankly the audacity) of the Beard Liberation Front (BLF) to declare unauthorized (and frankly unsanctioned) honors on the facial hair community that dont represent the full scope of the world's most facialy hairy... we decided to hold our own rankings and awards... Recognizing the sensitivity of the situation, we decided to start small and build from there... so we chose staches, and dare we say (and frankly we do... yes we are only frank in parentheses) that our choice for Stache of the Year has more clout above his lip than BLF's choice for Beard of the Decade has all over his face.

ANYway, we saw Terry Taylor (accomplished author over at Lark Books and self proclaimed Craft Whore) walking the halls of the Museum of Art and Design and could not help but think that his stache had to be immortalized with its own exhibit... The halo-looking light that appeared above Terry's head during our photo shoot is no coincidence, neither is the fact that Terry is writing a book titled "Stache" (you heard it here first) an inside look at stache styles, symbolism and the resulting culture and craft trends... we'll be on the lookout in 2010.

So without further ado, below please see the glorious stache that stole our hearts in 2009... congrats Terry!

And a close up of the winner, for posterity's sake...

'Stache Love

 

 ** Ultimate brand 'stache **

Not to neglect our 'stache brothers (and unfortunately, some sisters) this holiday season, we wanted to flag some cool gift ideas for last minute mustache shoppers. 

First up - mustache crayons - which are fucking awesome.  No need for us to edit - they. are. fucking. fantastic!  Buy them for your kids or yourself - who cares what the reason - you don't need one.


Fuzzy Ink is our new favorite place to shop! See below for one example on why they rule:


Mustache Pint Glasses.  I've purchased 4 of these to be delivered by next week.  This is the definition of multitasking - growing a 'stache with no effort while drinking.  2010 is looking up already.  Not a fan of pint glasses?  Try these.

Coolest belt in the world award!  How could you not buy this for $14.00?

Are you debating growing a mustache, but unsure if the look will suit your face?  The Mustache Mirror will solve all you problems (and provide a few laughs every a.m.)

Forget expensive jewelry for your female friends - we're in a recession!  Rather, buy her a gift that she will be able to stroke fondly for years to come.  The Mustache Necklace... because nothing says love quite like it.