beards

Check out: Away We Go

I highly recommend the movie Away We Go, the newest from director Sam Mendes. I don’t think it’s for everybody, but for me, a dude really close to 30 who is in the first sort of nascent stages of starting a family yet who’s still waiting to discover what Adulthood is supposed to feel like, I think this movie was utterly, totally for me.

I won’t link you to the trailer or anything though, because with all due respect to my friends who worked on the marketing, this movie (like pretty much every movie) is better off seen totally cold, without anticipating the big moments that the trailer and commercials give away. So, don’t watch the marketing, but do see the movie. (Oh, and if you don’t like it — well, there’s no accounting for taste. I liked it. Let’s not argue about it, huh?)

Finally: take a look at John Krasinski up there. What do you notice?

He’s bearded.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is the only mainstream, non-period American movie in a great while in which the primary romantic protagonist wears a full beard. Leave me a comment if I’m wrong; I’d like to know if there are others!

Today’s comic comes from medical dramatist and prolific guest-stripper John Keogh of Lucid TV. In this strip, John has imagined a terrifying world that some of the people who email me are eagerly looking forward to.

Guest comic by John Keogh

  — June 24th, 2009

[ Tags: , ]     Permalink: https://wondermark.com/c/guest-jk/

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The World’s Foremost Beard Expert

You are going to love the results of yesterday’s Beard Portrait Booth experiment! The photos will be posted a bit later — I’ll be sure to keep you wildly updated. My initial reaction is that there is no reason that this shouldn’t be a constant presence at every event I ever organize, for the rest of my life, forever and ever. Thanks so much to the fine folks who came out to make the event so much fun!

In the meantime, here’s a treat for beard fans everywhere. Earlier this spring, I spoke at length with Dr. Christopher Oldstone-Moore (pictured above), a history professor at Wright State University in Ohio and quite likely the world’s foremost beard expert. Dr. Oldstone-Moore is currently working on a book about the history of the beard in Western civilization, and in our conversation, we discuss the origins of shaving, the various ups and downs the fashionable beard has suffered throughout the ages, and of course, the current beard renaissance. Enjoy!

Download the MP3 (24 minutes; 27.5 MB)

[audio:https://wondermark.com/audio/COM_final_441.mp3]

UPDATE: I have transcribed the audio! Here is the full text of the interview.

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Introducing the Beard Portrait Booth!

Come to my Clever Tricks to Stave Off Death launch party in Beverly Hills this Wednesday, and experience the Beard Portrait Booth! I’ll have wonderful photographer Noé Montes on hand to help you experience the thrill of beardedness. Have a beard already? Try a new style, or simply accessorize with a fine display of hats and baubles. Perhaps even create a new you. All photos will be posted for the world to admire afterwards. It is a thing that will be tremendous fun!

The party will be from 7-10 PM this Wednesday night, June 17, at the Crescent Hotel — 403 N. Crescent Dr, 90210. Click here for directions or here for a Facebook thingy!

OH AND ALSO — apparently there is another voting round of the “Tweet Me a Story” contest! I am currently in the finals with my succinct tale of a shoddy ninja academy. View the entrants, and vote, here.