The Iron Sheik @ the NYCBMC

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Originally uploaded by chronic-shock

I just got back from the New York City Beard and Moustache Championships. I had a blast. It was a killer party. I've never gotten so much attention or had my picture taken so much in my whole life. There were at least three documentary teams filming everything. I was interviewed and even read a beard poem for one of them. It being NYC, there were tons of press-NBC and NY Times to name a few. That's me in the pic, #33. I stepped it up this time and went all out-I wore my authentic Middle Eastern outfit. The people in the crowd referred to me as "The Iron Sheik", an homage to the popular '80s WWF wrestler. I lost to the dude standing beside me in the picture, #32.

Phil Olsen, founder and self-appointed captain of BTUSA, was in attendance and was one of the judges. He sent an email to all the BTUSA members:

BTUSA member Beardzzz Saccoman and his very capable assistants (Cindy, Justin, and Sue) raised the bar last night for facial hair competitions in the USA as hundreds of screaming beardsmen and their fans sardined into the Public Assembly building in Brooklyn for hours of raccous [sic] fun and facial-hair camaraderie at the New York City Beard and Moustache Championships.

The big winner was BTUSA's Burke Kenny who walked away $500 less poor after the audience chose him as the people's favorite. Burke also took home first prize for full beard freestyle. Other winners were were Nate Stahura for the best recession beard, Kevin Byrne for the best patchy beard, and Ben Davidson in the moustache category, Leon Lutz in sideburns, Steve Cline in goatee, and Jack Passion in full beard natural. I am sorry, I do not have the name of the winner in the ladies' artificial category.

There were representatives of at least nine local chapters of BTUSA in attendance, including Branded by Beards (Connecticut), Life Behind Beards (New Jersey), the Albany Beard and Moustache Federation (New York), the Gotham City Beardsman Alliance (New York City), the Rochester Beardsmen Society (New York), the Lancaster County Bart und Schnauzer Friendship Society (Pennsylvania), the Western Pennsylvania Beard Alliance (duh), the Holy City Beard and Moustache Society (South Carolina), and the Alexandria Chapter of BTUSA (Virginia).

Be sure to watch, record or TIVO Live with Regis and Kelly tomorrow, March 16, for more on the competition [there was also coverage on The Today Show -Shock]. You just might see some people you know.

Once again -- thanks, Beardzzz, for a job well done!

I couldn't have described it better myself. Here are the few pics I took. I'll post more pics and video of the contest when they become available. Let me know if any of you come across any coverage of the NYCBMC. You can post the links in the comment section. Let it grow!

Alexandria, VA Beard & Moustache Contest

I participated in my first beard contest on Friday, the Alexandria, VA Beard and Moustache Contest. It was a local contest hosted by the local beard team lead by "The General". It's one of many "warm-up" events for the world contest. It was a small contest. There were only about a dozen contestants, including a couple kids in the "artificial" category. I entered the partial beard category, which had a total of three contestants. I ended up third of three. Hooray for me! That's me holding my third place certificate and trophy in the pic. The judges were two random women picked by The General. They had never judged a beard contest before. I was robbed. I should have been second. I clearly had a better beard than the rasta dude who came in second. Wyatt Earp came in first. He had the best goatee with styled moustache I've ever seen. It was no contest. Here are pics of the event: Jennifer's pics and a set by another photographer.

On Saturday the local beard team marched in the Alexandria St. Patrick's Day parade. We were the novelty act. It was the first parade I've been in. Jennifer held the banner. Picks of us are on page 20, pics 350 and 351.


This Saturday me and The General are heading up to NYC for the NYC Beard & Moustache Championships. The NYCBMC is going to be a major event. Beardzzz, the host, was a participant in the Alexandria, VA contest. He drove down from CT.

"Beards...They Grow On You"

The title of this post is my new motto. Lots of "beards are back" in the news of late. MSNBC looks at the current full-grown trend (pun intended) in this article. My favorite quote in the article epitomizes why I'm a 'beardsman'-

“For some it’s a trend, but for others it’s a way of life and simply self-expression,” [Paul Roof, assistant professor of sociology at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina] says. “At the heart of the revival, I think, is the ‘reclaiming of masculinity.’ Beards are a direct backlash against metrosexuality and the feminization of modern man. But beards are also the only accessory route that men have — the only way men can change their looks.”

Be sure to check out the video featuring MSNBC's Willie Geist with Beard Team USA member Matt Saccoman who is organizing the New York City Beard and Moustache Championships in Brooklyn on March 14. I've also submitted this post pic to the MSNBC "Return of a Hairy Trend" First Person gallery. I'll keep you posted when it gets posted.

Fellow hirsute pogonologist and blogger furface posted a comment to this very blog regarding the 2009 World Beard and Moustache Championships. Furface is member of the Alaska Beard and Moustache Club and host of this years competition. He's also created a blog where he encourages beardsmen and wannabeardees to "lay some smack about the event".

I've added a whole host of new beard links in the links section.

Check out the cool WBMC logo:

Progress Report 1/22/09

I decided to change it up this time and went with the beard ponytail to showcase the length. The moustache was becoming unruly, getting in the way of all mouth activities, so I got it trimmed at my last haircut. Other than the moustache the rest of the goatee is untouched. Seven months and counting. As a warmup for the World Beard and Moustache Championships, I'll be participating in a local beard contest in March at the waterfront in Alexandria, VA. The contest is part of the Old Towne St Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday 7 March 2009.

Speaking of the World Championship, something big has come up and I won't be able to participate. Mrs. Shock is pregnant! My baby's mommy is due July 5. Momma Shock can't travel in late May, and I'm not going without her. I'll compete in the next World Beard and Moustache Championship in 2011. The beard world can wait for me to conquer it later. For now, I'm taking one for the home team.

P.S. I'm not shaving anytime soon so I'll keep updating this blog with my beard growth progress and the results of the local beard contest.

P.P.S. If you are one of the awesome contributors to my beard quest, I'll be in touch with each of you separately to discuss a refund.

Beard Progress as of 8/7/08

Here is the first beard progress photo. Atom decided that for the competition, he would like to compete in the Musketeer category. This style is a long, curled mustache with a long goatee. We have come up with a costume/outfit to go with this style, but we can not divulge that information. It will remain a surprise until we get to Alaska. So he will be growing a full goatee, which will look some-what normal for a while...until it becomes an unruly patch of fuzz. Next beard progress photo, I will include a ruler so we can start measuring growth.