Sunday, February 8, 2009

A Clean Shave!

In the last few weeks there have been a few "news" reports that got me thinking. Apparently George Clooney and Brad Pitt have both been seen wearing mustaches! Now I hope that this is only for a movie role. If this is their way of making a fashion statement, then men will follow it assuming that if the hot celeb's are doing it, then they can do it too!

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

I will admit that their are some historic and iconic figures, such as Charlie Chaplin, Clarke Gable, President Abe Lincoln, Santa Clause and others, who would seem a little strange without a mustache and/or beard, but that doesn't mean that every guy that is old enough to shave should forget how to do it or throw away their razor!

Okay, so you probably have guessed that I am not a fan of beards and mustaches. You're right, I'm not. It's not that I haven't been exposed to them, as there have been several men in my family who have tried various styles of facial follicles over the years.

My dad never wore them and neither did his three brothers as far as I know. My oldest brother wore a beard for many years and actually won/placed in several beard grooming contests - including the annual beard growing contest at "Festival du Voyageur". He always kept his clean, neat and well groomed. An uncle on my moms side of the family, also had a beard for most of his adult life. In his later years, he could have passed for Santa Clause when he wore a red cap and scarf! My other brother wore a handlebar mustache for many years and it looked okay I guess. A few cousins on my dad's side have also worn beards and mustaches, but most have been clean shaven.

I've dated a couple of guys that had mustaches, but I just can't get used to that fuzzy, hairy feeling against my face when things are getting interesting. If it is really short or just growing in, it can be very prickly and irritating. If it is longer and somewhat softer, it just plain tickles and annoys me.










Villains, are often depicted as having a mustache or beard. Just look at Snidely Whiplash and Boris Badinoff - they both wore mustaches and they were some pretty shady characters! Okay, I'll admit they were only cartoon characters, and wore black, but you have to admit, that their facial hair, was a part of what made us believe they were evil.

Please don't misunderstand me. Not all men who wear beards or mustaches are villains. Not all clean shaven guys are good or trustworthy. Maybe it is all a false misconception, but it is the way that it is perceived and frequently portrayed/depicted.

Some men grow beards for religious reasons. For some, it is a right of passage into manhood. There are a lot of musicians and sports figures who have facial hair. It's kind of hard to picture Eddie Rabbitt or Kenny Rogers without their beards. Some guys just look plain silly with a bit of growth such as Apollo Anton Ono. That little tuft of hair under his lip looks ridiculous! Most newscasters are clean shaven. It may well be a form of prejudice but somehow people just don't tend to trust a newsman with a beard or mustache. The facial hair just doesn't carry the same "Trust Me" factor as a clean shaven face. I just can't picture Walter Cronkite, Tom Brokaw, Sam Donaldson and other well known newsman with beards or mustaches.

Beards and mustaches are often used to "hide" a facial feature such as a mole, scar or something that would make them more identifiable. They think that by wearing facial hair, they can slip under the radar, but it makes me wonder what they are really trying to cover up or are they just to lazy to shave?

I've known some guys whose facial hair can grow in fairly quickly. The five o'clock shadow can appear by early afternoon. They have that Fred Flintstone look! I do feel bad for them, but that still doesn't mean that they should grow a mustache or beard!

Then there is the whole issue of food and other particles that get stuck in the beards and mustaches. Or how about the little bits that appear during cold weather. Oh, those are attractive sights, aren't they? EEEEWWWW!!!!

I know lots of women find the scruffy look, beards and mustaches to be really sexy and a complete turn on, but I just don't get it. It does nothing for me. Sorry guys, but not everyone enjoys your scruffy, fuzzy or furry features.

So please, do us and yourself a favour - get a good razor and use it regularly.

Trust me, most of you will clean up pretty good!!

dn

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