New York City Beard and Mustache Championship in Williamsburg

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amd_beards-davidson-smallIt was a wild and wooly competition.
Hirsute competitors from all over the U.S. gathered in Brooklyn over the weekend for the New York City Beard and Mustache Championship, proudly sporting Rip Van Winkle-like beards, curly waxed mustaches and muttonchops. But it was one man’s “recession beard,” grown out over the course of five months of unemployment, that took one of the competition’s top prizes despite boos from the audience. “It feels awesome,” said a visibly drunk Nate Stahura, 27, who said he let his wild and unkempt beard go crazy after he was laid off as a financial broker. “I’m awesome!”

amd_beards-kennyApproximately 80 contestants competed in eight categories, including goatee, sideburns, and, in an economically appropriate gesture, the recession beard.

Judges selected winners based on each beard’s proportion and personality, of which there was plenty to spare.
The overall best beard or mustache was voted by the rowdy crowd of about 1,000 facial hair fans, with the winner receiving $500.

“It’s a tough competition,” said David Grams, 22, surveying his bewhiskered opponents after driving eight hours from his home in Oil City, Pa., to the Public Assembly in Williamsburg.

“It’s anybody’s game.”

The competition was organized by Matthew (Beardzzz) Saccoman, a 31-year-old high school special-ed teacher from Meriden, Conn.

He decided to revive it after he attended a similar one in Brooklyn three years ago.

beard & mustache competition“I felt the sense of camaraderie I hadn’t experienced prior,” said Saccoman.

But camaraderie wasn’t enough to ensure a win for Brendan Doyle, 20, an out-of-work theatrical technician who drove in from Boston for a chance at the prize money.

“The company I’ve freelanced for fired half its full-time workers and doesn’t send out calls to part-time workers,” Doyle bristled. “Luckily I have a beard to catch my tears.”

{NY Daily News/Matzav.com Newscenter}


2 COMMENTS

  1. Chaim, Firstly, it shows us what happens if we don’t shave! But more important, it shows us ashreinu ma tov chelkaynu – that we have a mitzva to have kempt and neat appearances.

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