We are back with James L Doran, AKA @renegadepriest. James is a public speaking instructor, beardsman, actor, communicator, blogger and OneDTQ Brand Advocate. Today we are chatting about his upcoming trip to the North Carolina Beard and Mustache Competition of 2016 in Greensboro, North Carolina hosted by The Beard and Moustache Club of North Carolina (BAM). The event runs from March 18th through March 20th.
Barry:
Hi James, thanks for joining us today.
James:
My pleasure! Thanks again for having me.
Barry:
Always a pleasure. Well, this is getting really exciting. You’re headed to Greensboro in a couple of days for the competition where you’ll be enjoying the camaraderie and good spirits. How do you feel about it? Any thoughts you’d like to share as you get ready to go?
And sorry, before you answer, I should thank you and let everyone know that you’ll be manning a table with some of our products and literature and spreading the word about OneDTQ, which is just amazing for us.
James:
I have had a particularly busy week teaching classes and bracing myself for the last five weeks of the semester, but it has been difficult to focus on my work because of my excitement for this upcoming competition. I have been in contact with the BMC of NC - Greensboro chapter and they have been really easy to coordinate with and they are just as excited about my trip as I am.
And I am always happy to spread the word about OneDTQ. In fact, the main reason why my beard looks particularly good this week is because I have been using Big Forest Beard Shampoo exclusively as of late. That wash not only smells manly, but it also makes my beard look particularly healthy and fluffs it out like a lion’s mane.
Barry:
Thanks for the plug! I love it myself. So amazing to have you on our side! You know, Rachel and I really wish we could make it. But it’s exciting, you rolling into Greensboro from Atlanta with our Brooklyn Made products in tow. Doesn’t get much better than that. Fantastic. And Kyle DeLoach is joining you for the trip? He’s just a great photographer so I’m sure he’s going to take some excellent photographs of the competition, festivities and events.
James:
Yes, I am really excited about having Kyle DeLoach along for the ride. I have known him for many years and have also had the privilege of working with him in the past. He is professional and has a great deal of natural talent. I highly recommend that anyone reading this check out his website and portfolio. He is also fun to hang out with, which is a bonus!
I should also note that I’ll be posting pics on Instagram, so stay in touch @renegadepriest. I’ll be sending you pics too so you can post on @beard_care_by_onedtq. So anybody that wants to see the latest from Greensboro, that’s the place to go!
Barry:
That’s fantastic, really looking forward to that. Let’s talk about the venue a bit. I hear it’s at the Greene Street Club which looks really cool. I also understand there will also be a tour of some of Greensboro’s best pubs. A walking tour I presume? Should draw quite a bit of attention. I picture the group swelling as it moves from pub to pub, as the bearded and unbearded unite. Is that what happens? Is this standard procedure for beard events? Maybe you can describe what the scene is like.
James:
The great thing about beard competitions is that they are always different. It is a combination of the location, the host, and the participants all coming together bringing with them their own personalities. One thing is for certain, it will be an absolute blast!
I remember how much fun it was in New York last November when I was touring the city with several other beardsmen and all 12 of us holing up in an Air B&B. Another thing I always get excited about is how many familiar faces will be at each new competition along with how many new individuals I can meet and form relationships with.
While I do not know entirely what to expect with this upcoming Greensboro competition, I am looking forward to touring the city and getting a true taste of what this splendid location has to offer. I am also looking forward to meeting the BMC of NC - Greensboro chapter in person and getting to know them.
Barry:
Sounds good. Look what I found:
It’s a great pic of the Beard and Moustache Club of North Carolina when they organized in 2007. Founder, Andrew Dudek is on the far right. In a 2104 interview with 88.5WFFD , Mr Dudek revealed the story behind the club that is now running its third competition. I believe It offers insight not only to the beginnings of BAM but is representative of how and why many beard clubs get started across the nation and around the world and why they run beard competitions.
“I started the Beard and Mustache Club of North Carolina to just have a community of men – and women, actually – who wanted to band together and just have an organization that would do something different. We didn't know what we wanted to do to begin with, so at the inception of it, really we just wanted to get together and see what we could do with the club. It evolved into a charity fundraising organization”
James:
That is what I love about these competitions! Men and women coming together to have fun and cultivate relationships, while also doing charitable work for the community. That is another thing that I find unique about each competition. While most (if not all) competitions have one or more charities involved, each event has a charity that is specific to that community.
This not only brings women and men together as club members, but these events also bring the community together. So, I will not just be meeting competitors and members of the BMC of NC, but also members of the community at large. This is why I think it’s a wonderful idea to have this weekend extravaganza at various places in downtown Greensboro.
Here is some information about the charities benefitting from this weekend’s competition:
Safe Alliance - Serving Charlotte and Lake Norman, Safe Alliance provides hope and healing for people in crisis through a variety of programs and services to help in cases of sexual assault/rape, domestic violence, child abuse, trauma and victimization.
BackPack Beginnings - Serving Greensboro and High Point, BackPack Beginnings provides children in need with nutritious food, comfort items, or basic necessities through the use of backpacks and other means. Serving over 4,000 children annually, their vision is a community of healthy and well-nurtured children.
Barry:
Great, thanks for sharing that. I was looking at the event page and I see that there’s a category for just about everyone with some kind of whiskers. Very nice, here’s the categories - doesn’t look like they’ve missed anything. What do you think? Which categories are likely to be the highlights of the competition?
James:
I always love the similarities and the differences among facial hair competitions because each venue provides its own spin on popular categories. I also find the full beard categories for this event quite inclusive. Even if a competitor feels like their beard is not as impressive as most of the other beardsmen, they can enter into a category that is better suited to their beard.
Generally speaking, in my experience, Freestyle Beard is one of the most exciting and competitive categories because anything goes! It takes a tremendous amount of patience and creativity to style a beard without any specific regulations. I always enjoy the freestyle category in particular.
Barry:
Nice. So how does it feel going to a competition and not competing? Or, are you planning to do a little of that too?
James:
One thing that stands out to me as I prepare for this competition is that I will not be competing this time, which figures because my beard has looked better than ever this week and I’m not going to show it off on stage. I am, however, looking forward to meeting all of the great people who will be in attendance and sharing a fun weekend with one another. As I said in my very first blog post and as we’ve previously discussed, I have come to enjoy the camaraderie more than the competition.
Barry:
That seems to be the spirit of these events and the beard community. The competition is secondary. Would you say that that’s the way it is in most competitions? What about the really big ones? The World Championships, for example, does it get pretty competitive or there like a dual thing going on? Both at the same time?
James:
I think that The World Championships will always be the next level of competition, not only because you will presumably have competitors from around the world, but the stakes are always much higher. What I mean is that it is not as easy for anyone to have the capacity or the means to travel to a world competition, which means that those who do get to travel take it very seriously. By the same token, the camaraderie is also much more elevated because it’s such a special experience, making the relationships made that much more significant.
Barry:
That makes sense. So when you say stakes you are not speaking of prize money. Or is there some prize money involved at different levels?
James:
I am speaking anecdotally, but it is my understanding that most (if not all) of the money raised at any facial hair competition will go to support local charities. For instance, if I remember correctly, the 2009 World Championships (held in Anchorage, AK), raised several thousand dollars for various local charities. That is not to say there is never any prize money awarded, but I do not think it is enough to earn a living or to pay your way through competitions. Most of the time, a trophy, commemorative mug, or a medal is the prize awarded.
It is my understanding that competitors who compete at a high level and would be considered “pros” are typically sponsored by various organizations. Those sponsorships are what allow them to travel to competitions to which they may not have otherwise been able to travel. Again, this is all based on anecdotes. I am sure there are beardsmen who have different experiences.
Barry:
That’s really interesting, so we are back to the companionship, camaraderie, community and charity and then the rugged individualism, independence and free spiritedness of the beardsman. It’s not about money or competition but community, brotherhood and charity. I like it!
Well James, we’re out of time now. Drive safe and we’ll catch up when you get to Greensboro.
James:
OK Barry, looking forward!
Barry:
Great!
Make sure to read James’ latest blog post please see: Does Facial Hair Make the Man?