Beardpocalypse now: Conan O’Brien not the only one to take off a tonsorial trademark

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Yes, as expected, comedian Will Ferrell made good on his threat to shave off Conan O’Brien’s beard on ‘Conan’ Monday night (the much-hyped Beardpocalypse). But, interestingly enough, that was actually the second-most interesting beard-removal story to come out of the last two days.

On May 1, Gary Weddle, a 50-year-old middle school teacher living in East Wenatchee, Wash., shaved off an impressive faceful of fur he’d been cultivating for nearly a decade.

What made Weddle’s whisker whacking so noteworthy was that the beard was the result of a vow he had made nearly 10 years ago: that he wouldn’t shave until Osama bin Laden had been captured or killed.

It will be hard for anyone who hasn’t grown a beard past the five-month mark to fully appreciate the intestinal fortitude Weddle’s whiskers required. I know from where I speak, having grown out a skunk-striped solidarity beard in advance of covering the 2009 World Beard and Moustache Championships. At six months, when it was barely casting its own shadow, I felt felt like my chin was wearing a straitjacket.

According to Reuters, Weddle’s beard had grown to some 15 inches. Once he was sure the news reports weren’t a joke he began to prune his facial forest, first with a pair of scissors and then with a razor.

Weddle wasn’t apparently the only one happy to see the beard go away. He told Reuters his wife Donita ‘is just full of smiles.’

-- Adam Tschorn

More ‘Bearded & Tschorn’ coverage from All The Rage

With Bin Laden dead, U.S. man finally shaves