North Carolina Beard and Moustache Club

The North Carolina Beard and Moustache Club, founded by Andrew Dudek (far right), held its inaugural meeting recently in at a pub Greensboro. Fourteen charter members attended. The members chose Jason Wiggs (back row, third from left) as March Beard of the month.

The club hopes to represent North Carolina at the World Beard and Moustache Championships in Alaska in 2009. Between now and then, the club plans to
host some beard and moustache positive movies at a local coffee
shop/bar, maybe do a kissing booth for charity at all the city
festivals, and draw up a sweet logo that it can in
turn make into buttons, tee's, stickers, and pins.

The next meeting is April 3, and future meeting are scheduled for the first Tuesday of each month. The club will supply fake beards and moustaches for the ladies and enthusiasts who would like to join its evenings. Oh yes, people drink beer at these meetings.

Matt's tatt

Meet Matt Bischoff, who will be competing for Beard Team USA in the freestyle full beard category at the World Beard and Moustache Championships in Brighton, England, on September 1. Matt's long, red beard is permanent -- much like a tattoo.

Now meet Hans Langseth from Norway. According to Guiness, the late Hans sported the world's longest beard. In fact, Longseth's beard is or was on display at the Smithsonian, the same as the Hope Diamond and the Spirit of St. Louis. Someday Matt hopes his beard will be as long as Hans's was.

Not only is Matt's beard here to stay, so is the tattoo of Hans Langseth on Matt's back. Also like Matt's beard, the tattoo is still a work in progress. In the case of the tattoo, the artist is Chris Garver.

Matt, his beard, and his tattoo will be featured on an upcoming episode of Miami Ink on cable TV (TLC). Stay tuned.

Alaskan Showdown

Anchorage's David Traver (left), a member of Beard Team USA whose brown full beard is as impressive as his beard competition credentials (first in the full beard natural category and third overall at the World Beard and Moustache Championships held in Nevada in 2003, perennial champion at the annual Mr. Fur Face contest in Anchorage), gasped when he saw fellow Alaskan Opie Combs (right) sign up for this year's Mr. FF contest held in Anchorage in February. Could Traver's title be on the line?

Opie, who is also a member of BTUSA, sports an outstandingly full, long red beard.

No one was surprised when Opie won the Red Fox category or when David won the Brown Bear division, but the crowd held its collective breath to see who would claim the overall prize.

In the end, experience won out over youth, and David was awarded the Mr. Fur Face crown for another year.

David will definitely be representing the USA in Brighton this summer. BTUSA hopes Opie can make the trip too.