Tag Archives: beard

Of beards and men

Of Beards and Men by Christopher Oldstone-Moore

Although this book by Christopher Oldstone-Moore on the history of facial hair came out in December of last year, I’ve not yet had the opportunity to read it.  I will now be reading it a time or two and will write a proper review of the book.  Meanwhile, if you are curious to learn more right now, take a look at the book on Amazon using the link below.

All about beards is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Three miles from Paisley Park

Scott

This beards.org photo shoot with Scott took place three miles from Prince’s Paisley Park.  And I did not know it at the time.  What’s more is that I’d driven right by Paisley Park on the way to and from the photo shoot without even noticing it.  I was a visitor to the area.

Scott wanted a photo shoot at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.  He even sprang for the fee for the Arboretum’s photography permit.  It was a perfect location for a photo shoot.  Little did I know, however, that we were in Prince’s neighborhood.

Following the shock of Prince’s sudden passing this week, I was curious to learn more about his Paisley park studio and residence.  I was surprised to discover that it is right next to Arboretum Boulevard, the main route to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.   According to Google maps, it is a distance of three miles from Paisley Park to the Arboretum.

I never would have been considered to be a big Prince fan.  I liked “1999” and “Little Red Corvette” well enough to buy the album.  Apart from that, I was familiar with some of his music by hearing it played on the radio.  But I did not really follow him.

I never saw Prince with a beard.  I took notice when he appeared with surprisingly dense stubble, sculpted into designer shapes.  I would have liked to see him grow it all out at least once.

Now that he is suddenly gone, I’ve learned a lot more about him.  I admire his fierce independence as well as his extraordinary musical talent.  What really surprised and pleased me were the numerous accounts of the many ways he interacted with and remained a part of his hometown community.

I’ve gained a new appreciation for Prince and wish that I’d done so while he was still alive.  I’m sorry that I passed by his house twice in one day without even knowing it was there or that he might have been there.

Rest in peace, Prince Rogers Nelson.

¡Déjate crecer la barba! Grow your beard!

¡Déjate crecer la barba!
All about beards is very proud to announce our first Spanish-language video on YouTube! If you don’t know Spanish, it’s no problem. There are English captions available. Just click on “CC” on the YouTube player to enable them. Regardless of language, the video is a tribute to our good friend Vincent and his spectacular beard. Congratulations, Vincent!

Click on the image above to view the video directly on YouTube.  Or you can watch the embedded video below:

beards.org’s second grow-a-beard commercial

The second video in this series is now up on YouTube.  This one features footage of Christopher, shot during his latest beards.org photo shoot.  Scott still serves as an official spokesperson for beards.org in this video.  Check it out:

Watch in full 1080p HD on YouTube.

Vote for Phill’s face!

Phill has written in to tell of his outstanding beard’s upcoming disappearance.  But before it disappears, he’s taking votes on what to do with the beard.  The voting goes to support a charity that Phill has selected.  You may vote through September 30th, 2010.   See below for all the information.

After it’s all done, though, I think Phill should grow that full beard back again!

Phill

Here is Phill’s message:

I hail from London, England and, as happens to many of us, I’ve decided that it’s time for the beard to go, but not before one last hurrah!

In a nutshell, I’m shaving off more than a year’s worth of hair and four month’s of beard for charity, a homeless charity, Centrepoint – partly on the basis that I look like a homeless person, if I’m honest…

But there’s a twist.

I have to go through an intermediate stage that will look ridiculous/spectacular – and I don’t get to choose what that is, Joe Public does.

I’ve had a website/blog up and running for a couple of weeks now http://phillsface.wordpress.com/

And I’ve invited almost everyone I know and everyone they know to submit ideas for how to shape/shave my beard and hair – anything goes (that I’m actually capable of.)

More than 80 ideas from nearly 1,000 people have been shortlisted to five and these are now online for people to vote and donate as of today.  The one that gets the most donations is the one I have to sport for a week, at work from October 1st.

So, whatever they vote for, I have to go through with… and every vote is by way of a donation.

It would be great if you wanted to share this with your readers, Facebook, Twitter – anything to get some expert opinion involved.

This is what it’s all about: http://phillsface.wordpress.com/about/

And this is the Final Five:

http://phillsface.wordpress.com/the-gallery/

I hope you enjoy it and would love it if you could share it!

Cheers

Phill

P.S.  This isn’t a corporate thing in any way.  I’m doing this all of my own back,  so there are no endorsements or anything except me having chosen a designated charity.

hockey fans: grow one for the team!

Beardathon!

There’s still time to grow a beard to support charities during the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.   Click on the image above to see the official television spot on YouTube.  Here’s the press release:

 

HOCKEY FANS INVITED TO “GROW ONE FOR THE TEAM”
Goal to Raise One Million Dollars for Charity

This season, hockey fans across the United States will be sporting their very own playoffs beards. In addition to participating in a great hockey tradition, they will also be raising money for charities across the county.

The Beard-a-thon® program was launched last year when nine NHL clubs raised a combined $350,000 for charity. This season, the goal is to raise $1 million dollars with twelve NHL clubs participating.

Participants in the Beard-a-thon invite family, friends, and business associates to pledge their playoff beards. By receiving pledges, participants promise not to shave until their team wins the Stanley Cup or is eliminated from the playoffs. Fans who are unwilling, or unable, to grow playoffs beards, can also pledge their favorite player, other local celebrities, or build their own beard with the “Build-a-Beard” web application.

Last season, over 8,000 fans nationwide participated in the Beard-a-thon with former NHL player, and current Director of Development for the Boston Bruins Foundation, Bob Sweeney leading all beard growers by raising over $21,000 for charity. Other celebrity beard growers last season included NHL Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux and the lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys, Ken Casey.

-more-

“The intensity, both on and off the ice, goes to a whole new level in the playoffs. The Beard-a-thon gives fans a chance show their passion and raise money for charity,” stated John Cimperman, the Principal of Cenergy, a New York based sports marketing agency that manages the program. Cimperman added, “Last season, the Penguins led all teams in fundraising and also hoisted the Stanley Cup. Coincidence, we think not. It is the power of the beard.”

This season’s participating clubs are the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Redwings, Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals, and defending Stanley Cup and Beard-a-thon Champion, Pittsburgh Penguins. A ‘just fans’ site was also created for fans without a team in the playoffs. Proceeds from this site will benefit Hockey Fights Cancer™, a joint initiative by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

For more information on the Beard-a-thon, log onto www.beardathon.com [Link currently out of service]. All donations to Beard-a-thon are tax deductible.

About the Playoff Beard

A playoff beard is the superstitious practice of a National Hockey League player not shaving his beard during the Stanley Cup playoffs. The player stops shaving when his team enters the playoffs and does not shave until his team is eliminated or wins the Stanley Cup. It is believed that the four-time Stanley Cup Champion New York Islanders started the tradition in the 1980s. In recent years, other sports and other players have claimed the playoff beard tradition, but it is, and always will be, a hockey tradition.