Build A Tower, And They Will #ProveIt

By now you know that there are few things that light up our day here at B-a-B is community engagement and comments/pics/stories/advice from you all. We cherish it immensely and thank each and everyone of those that submit materials to our attention. You also likely know Riss and my obsession with Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr et al... so when these two interests blend, we really get to smile.

Today, we got a message on Facebook from a "Matthew Smith" asking us to jump in and get to commenting on a picture he took a few days ago that has garnered over 50 comments already (56 by the time we went to print), noting they are looking to test the realms of how high they can build their comment tower.

Surely, we HAD to see this... well, you know what... it was worth it (barely, as a lot of the comments seemed to come from Matt himself... tricky tricky), so here it is for your viewing pleasure.

So, go on and find this "Matthew Smith" on Facbeook, find the pic, and comment away! Let's see how far we can take this beast... You can thank us later Matt, way to #proveit

Anniversary #proveit Beard

From time to time, a beardo comes along that just warms our heart... JJ Stiedaman (aka @gopher33j) is one of the many that did so in the new year... for one simple reason... B-a-B encouraged him (as many others) to grow a beard, and he did... but moreover, Jerry grew it out in conjunction with the live launch of www.build-a-beard.com (as in when we took of the blogger training wheels in late December)... and now, we are proud to report that Jerry is going on 2 months of beard growing (and giving credit to B-a-B outright no less) and we are 2 months into a lifetime of beard blogging!

Of note is also the fact that Jerry took his beard to the streets and got it on TV! Well done young beardo, well done indeed... local TV is one of the BEST ways to #proveit.

We are SO proud of you Jerry, and hope that just like B-a-B.com you and your beard will have a long life together, we will forever be linked in our hair escapades... so don't even think about shaving, cause we wont quit (even if you do)... besides, look how far you've come!

Happy anniversary indeed... go beard or go home!

Friends Let Friends #ProveIt

We love devotion -- if anything because commitment to facial hair of any kind requires at least that quality -- and of course one of our favorite forms of devotion is people reading B-a-B and partaking in our various escapades...like #proveit for instance.

Take Amy Kundrat (aka @modernamy and the brains behind @ark_projects) a long time fan who could not attend the 2010 Beard Ball (which was a drag, cause she's awesome), but redeemed her absence by proving she was there with us in spirit, all the way in Connecticut. How did she #proveit from all the way over there AND as a girl?!? Well, she clearly read up on the Gothamist Extra Extra coverage of Beard Ball as well as was up on the rumors of stache vending machines making their rounds... Amy jumped on a fast Italian bike and raced over to the nearest Big Y for her very own 'Funky Face Disguise' to #proveit like a champ.

Sending us proof of not just her stache-y goodness, but also of the stache dispenser's existence... Supplementing your grocery store trip with 75 cents worth of stache on our accord?! Now that's real devotion! B-a-B salutes you Amy, rock on, ride on, and let your hubby scruff up ;)}}

Frosty The Beard Man

We love awesome submissions from our robustly hairy community of B-a-B devout beardos... Meet... well we're not sure who this is, but he did send in this amazing photo that should be found alongside the definition of Beardcicle in the dictionary (ok, first step would be to get Webster to approve said word... but that's semantics).

Either way, enjoy the shot below and admire the devotion to #proveit... and always remember, that a beard is the added layer of protection that every man needs.

Well done sir, and the rest of you... well, stay warm, it's a jungle out there... or something.

Teachers Prove It Every Day...

By now you know the B-A-B philosophy is that of recognition (for better or for worse) of all DIY facial fuzz goodness... well, we actually want to get serious for a moment, and recognize something beyond awesome chin manes, or follicle aptitude.

Today, we wanted to take the time to recognize the beardos in schools everywhere... not the beardos that have been left back a grade or two or four, but those behind the podium... the teachers, the mentors of the beardos of tomorrow.

As such, please meet Ari Leventhal, chemistry teacher at The Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science in Bronx, NY. As a child of a full-on scientific family, coincidentally with a focus on chemistry, I both admire and fear Ari... as well as his awesome beard, which he keeps for the school year, and then shaves in the summer. FYI: There is a rumor of Ari dressing up as Invincible Mario for Halloween and sporting the much needed mustache (Ari, please #proveit with at least one photo)...

B-A-B encourages you all to post comments of praise and support for Ari's dedication to his profession as well as his beard... he deserves this not just as a fellow beardo, but in all seriousness because every teacher deserves at least that.

Thank you Ari, you #proveit every day in more ways than many of us can even fathom.

The Story of Pink Beard

It really has been a long time since we've done a Twitter edition of #proveit! We take the sole blame and are not insinuating that there is less beard-ness on Twitter to #proveit than say, facebook... perhaps even on the contrary.

Case in point, meet Nicky Edwards (aka @_penski)... we've been following him for quite some time now; and how can you not when the bright, hot pink beardness is staring at your from the screen!? See solid proof below:

Of course, upon closer examination, and a zoom of the profile pic, you can clearly see this is no beard at all, these are mutton chops like no other... but if you're anything like us, you ask yourself... what happened to the beard, is it pink too, and are Nicky and Perez Hilton related (sorry man, we just had to)?

Some answers to these burning questions are as follows, quoting Twitter convo with Nicky: "bright pink hair looks stupid with dark brown mutton chops... So they went pink too. Not been coloured for about a year now... had pink, green, blue, purple, red beards before. Got a big natural full beard and handlebar mustache now. 3" since 1st Nov 2009."

Well, what does Nicky look like today? Better, worse, like he can kick Perez's ass? Yes, no, YES... see why/how for yourself, and you be the judge. Nicky, you proved it and satisfied out curiously all at the same time! Thank you for all that.

You rock, don't look so surprised either...

Proving it directly... the first batch

Wow, so we'll classify this under the growing pains category... we were smart enough to create a page where you can send your beards directly (and coincidentally #proveit all at the same time) to us... we weren't smart enough to check and see if you have indeed been sending in your facial fuzziness... well, you did, in droves. We don't know why we expected any less from our wonderful B-a-B community, so we are thankful and sorry all at the same time.

Anyway, while we commend each and every one of the first batch of these #proveit champions, the backlog we created enabled us to pick a Top-5 of the entire class, our picks are below.

If you want to take the plunge and #proveit in style, send us your beards, staches, goats and other chin manes here: http://www.build-a-beard.com/send-us-your-beards/ (side: if you want to identify yourself, that's cool... if not, that's cool too. None of the gents below did either... hm.)

Honorable Mention -- This excited guy was literally the first to use the site to #proveit and even with a nice enough looking girzzly beard, but the bad pic quality gets him only this far. Check minus...

#1) We absolutely love this guy... not only does he blend with the interior of his car but just look at his stache!

#2) If you've been with B-a-B for a while you will know that we love flannel, iPhones, and seedy bathroom shots... this has all three. Well played, sir.

#3) Matching beard to wife-beater ratio is easily above 95%... you get bronze any day, any where.

#4) You have lots to smile about sir, you got 4th... we dig the pointy length.

#5) You just snuck in there buddy... still a major accomplishment, so chin up!

Smoking Beard

Friday's edition of #Proveit comes from Brad Crowell (who may or may not know he proved it) since his friend Mark secretly snapped this photo of him last night at Century City Mall. (Side: A mall? Seriously?)  

Brad grew up in my hometown - a fabulous blue-collar city known as Philadelphia - that is even more well known for its cheese steaks (wit wiz) and the ultimate test of masculinity - The Philly Challenge.  Sadly, Brad betrayed us East Coast folk to go live in Koreatown, Los Angeles. #Fail 

That said - his beard is typical of the LA scene - fake.  It's so nicely trimmed and borderline perfect that I am almost convinced it's not real. Has anyone touched it?  Is it made of plastic? Is this the result of a steady diet of organic wheat grass?  Will we see more beards coming from the land known for glitz and glamour and horrendous freeway traffic?  Further proof of authenticity might be needed from Brad; however, his flawless beard is paired with a kick-ass bike that gives him a very distinctive edge. 

Other fun fact: Rumor has it Brad calls his newly purchased bike, 'Vanessa.'  (B-A-B can neither confirm nor deny). 

'Stache Braid

B-A-B recently (and quite randomly) stumbled upon The GASLAMP KILLER from Los Angeles, California.  They've ignored our requests for #proveit pictures, but sometimes, the 'stache looks so good that exceptions must be made to every rule.  In this braided case, The GASLAMP KILLER, is the exception.   

They have soulful beats, sometimes beards, & bitchin' braids.  Check out the photos of Willie below via their MySpace page and photographer Theo Jemison.  You can also order cool merch: here.  
 

Why Is Daddy Crying Beard

Have you heard of www.whyisdaddycrying.com? Well you have now, because this guy just had the balls to #proveit (meaning had one of his minions send us a twitpic upon request, which triggered a twitter scuffle involving the phrases"boy with chin-pubes" and "beard above ass crack")

ANYway, this father of two is evidently continuously immersed in insanity out there in the familial and overarching suburban 'weeds' day in day out (that is from what we can gather from his site thus far... anyone that describes children as his “fuck-trophies” seems like a great follow, no?).

Either way, here is to your version of #proveit, sir... and while the beard's origin is sad -- started upon loss of job (ouch) -- the fact that you promised and committed to keep it (trimmed) once you finally get a new job or at least an interview is a hairy, selfless and honorable act.

Consider this your salute and a good luck charm, cheers.

Update on Jan 22, 2010 at 1:03PM by Buildabeard

It's been almost a month since we've checked in with our www.whyisdaddycrying.com #proveit candidate, but here's the long awaited update. Also, let this be a lesson to all you #proveit family members of B-A-B... we will follow up, follow through, and make sure you never shave... beware, you heard it here first. Don't make us cut out out of the will...

Anyway, back to the matter at hand... here's the 6 week worth of growth that @WhyIsDaddyCryin has presented us with last night. Congrats man, looking good, and look at it this way... beards are yet another thing to keep the kids hands busy so that they don't draw on the walls, or shove an ice-cream sandwich into your x-box... y'know, gotta keep those "Fuck Trophies" in check.

Consider yourself proven!

Proving it in analog...

We like the personal touch here at Build-a-Beard – from stroking our beards as we pretend to ponder the future philosophically, to the touching words, letters, and tweets from our fans to boost that hairy self esteem of ours – we enjoy it all.

Ryan, a musician in Detroit based band Group Therapy (nice name, even better cover of Eleanor Rigby), presented just that type of personal touch through the use of a handwritten note to show us his true devotion to the mission of #proveit… that, coupled with his clear Twitter addition (which we sympathize with) made us smile in the fuzziest way possible.

Welcome to the #proveit family, we’ll let you know about Beard Ball Detroit (timing TBD)… you stay cool and old school, we like that.

Calibeards

We have received yet another awesome #proveit submission all the way from the left coast. Meet Tim Widmer (@tkwidmer) a theatre wannabe/geek hoping to get a job, which is highly unlikely (considering the Website he listed on Twitter doesn't work) so he's going to rack up more debt in grad school.

Nice beard & camouflage cut-off!

#proveit -- Stop Motion

Here at Build-a-Beard, we want to encourage the beardo community to opine, so that to tap in to the #proveit quality of every facial fuzz sporting man out there... that said, stop motion proof is always welcome, wanted, and accepted with open arms.

Today's #proveit champion is Ben (or @okbeatnik) from Tulsa, OK, who documented the growth of an awesome beard for 2 months worth of competition at work. Apparently there are about 5 days left to go in the competition...we are behind you Ben, onward and upward!

Also, sounds like a swell place to work, beard competitions and all... any openings?