Audra Lowe: When Tom Selleck made the moustache pretty popular but that was way back in the 1980’s. Now the moustache is getting some big press. Men everywhere are being asked to grow one. But don’t worry ladies, it’s all for a good cause. Lesley’s out at the oldest barbershop in New York City to find out more.
Lesley Nagy: The moustache is making a comeback and I’m here with the man responsible for it, co-founder of Movember, Adam Garone and Mo is short for moustache and November put together. What is this all about?
Adam Garone: Yes, Mo in this favor I found is slang for moustache. So when you grow moustache and you don’t me have one, it creates so much conversation and controversy. We thought it’s contorted and we come up with that tagline “Changing the face of men’s health.” So we literally challenge men to change their appearance, grow a moustache and raise awareness for prostate cancer.
Lesley Nagy: Alright guys who’s next?
Adam Garone: So you need to be clean-shaven and then for the month of November, grow out a moustache.
Lesley Nagy: Now can man effectively grow a moustache in a month?
Adam Garone: Oh yes, you can. Over four weeks you can grow a pretty decent moustache for sure.
This is the many petty equivalent for us men during November.
Lesley Nagy: And what started out as you and couple of buddies in Australia has now become a global event.
Adam Garone: Yes, it usually started as a joke over a few beers about bringing back the moustache and that at idea is fashion and then it just snowballed from there and we captured last year, we had over a quarter of a million guys which is like globally.
We raised 42 million dollars for our beneficiary partners around the world and that makes Movember now the biggest fund of prostate cancer research in the world.
Lesley Nagy: So on average, how many times when people stop and ask you about your moustache?
Adam Garone: I would say at least 5 times a day. You can be like getting in coffee just sort of walking in the street or whatever it is.
I know it’s just this icon that people just go hey, “What’s going on with the moustache?”
Lesley Nagy: Like you have a pride in your voice too
Adam Garone: Well, it’s when you grow a moustache for the first time, it’s really a confident seeing and it’s like you get a side beard, the moustache, you wear a moustache.
Lesley Nagy: So what are the different styles that make them grow?
Adam Garone: There’s a whole range but you can go for the consort that handed by the tropic comes down like this. The undercover bottom is more like the Tom Selleck look.
The guys are participating in Movember we call them Mo Bros and the girls who support them Mo Sisters.
Lesley Nagy: Now I have to say not all men can grow moustaches so what should men who really can’t get a lot of stubble do?
Adam Garone: I was actually reading the other day that dubbing some lemon oil you’re your moustache actually put or prompts growth.
Lesley Nagy: So you want a good cheat.
Adam Garone: I mean you can do performance and dancing. You can do mascara, ball game whatever it takes.
Lesley Nagy: So this is the competition really?
Adam Garone: It is really, yes we really sort of play on the competition of growing a moustache and raising money and just having some fun with it.
Lesley Nagy: Alright, Adam, are you ready?
Adam Garone: I’m ready. Let’s do this. The ultimate goal really is to effectively cure prostate cancer.
Lesley Nagy: Well, Audra I love all the clean-shaven men but I’m curious what they’re going to look like at the end of the month and Adam too.
Good luck to all the Movember men. Back to you in the studio.
Audra Lowe: That is too funny Lesley. I have to now start paying attention to see if I notice my moustache is out there. If you want to find out more about Movember you can head to our website and look for the link.