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Facial Hair Stereotypes in Popular Media

This section of the site will include current examples of facial hair stereotypes in popular media.  An example of what we are looking for is how the bad guy in the movie often seems to wear a beard.  If you pay attention, you will be astonished at the prevalence of such stereotypes.

December 2002

There is an episode of South Park which depicts evil versions of Stan and Kyle.  Interestingly enough, Evil Stan and Evil Kyle both have beards.

November 2002

Pirates, who are normally considered to be bad people, are generally portrayed as having facial hair.  A specific example of this is Captain Morgan.  Sure he's a lot of fun, but he's also somewhat of a social deviant (he's always trying to get people drunk, laid or all of the above).  His reckless attitude is partially characterized by his unruly facial hair.

October 2002

In the movie Gone In Sixty Seconds, the character played by Giovanni Ribisi is a car thief who has some sort of beard the entire movie (seems like he had a goatee but also had considerable growth on the rest of his face), but then in the last scene, after he's been reformed, he is clean-shaven.  I thought it was almost laughable.  I said to my friend, "Look, he's obviously gotten his act together; he's shaven." - Submitted by Bobby Massey

September 2002

When Hulk Hogan was a good guy, he was always clean shaven, but when he turned bad and created the NWO, he began wearing a beard.  I used the term "wear" because I know there was no way Hogan could grow such a manly beard. Also, when he turned good again, the beard disappeared.

August 2002

This example is a reverse stereotype.  there's a Gillette Mach 3 commercial where the man shaves his face totally bare, then immediately has a hot girl hanging all over him. This commercial implies that having facial hair makes you less attractive to the opposite sex.  What bitters me the most about this example, is that I think it presents a stereotype which becomes truer every time such a commercial is aired.

July 2002

My first example is a "drink responsibly" commercial airing in Canada.  In the commercial, a guy with a scruffy face drank way too much and committed unfaithful acts with two women behind his girl friend's back. there was no sex, but sex was implied.  Of course the girlfriend finds out about this. During the part of the commercial where the boyfriend repents for his dubious actions he is totally clean shaven.  Interesting how the sinning half of his persona doesn't shave, but the virtuous half does.

If you find any other examples of facial hair stereotypes, let me know.  I will give full credit for all meaningful contributions.

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