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Matthew Tucker

Journalist, Theatre Critic and Deputy Picture Editor, Huffington Post UK

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Remember Remember the Cause of Movember

Posted: 16/11/2012 00:00
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As men dip their upper lips in the mustachioed moat of Movember, the UK is that little bit more hairy than it was two weeks ago.

I too am indulging my facial hair - earning some rather favourable comparisons: Clark Gable, Poirot and Charles Bronson have sprung to colleagues' minds as they gaze upon my baby handlebar Mo. I've even been googling reputable retailers in search of quality moustache wax (I hear Foad Wax can give that 1930s slick finish).

movemberlookalikessplitcropped

My Movember lookalikes: (l-r) Clark Gable, David Suchet as Poirot and Tom Hardy as prisoner Charles Bronson in the film Bronson.


A celebration of the wild side of grooming, a celebration of not shaving, a celebration of ... moustaches.

Isn't there more to this stubbly race than experimental hair growth? Growing a straggly unconvincing tache is all rather fun, but are we all on board the Movember movement?

Out of the moustaches reading this blog - which ones are raising money for the cause? I suspect there are a few guilty whisker twitches, including my own.

At the time of writing, I have not raised a single penny for Movember. I am simply another tache enjoying a ride on the Mo-wagon.

So is my neglect of the Movember campaign causing an unforgivable disservice to men around the world?

Movember raises awareness and vital funds for men's health, including mental health issues and prostate and testicular cancer - three sobering subjects with startling facts attached.

As we all know, on average women live longer than men - five to six years. But Movember say there's no biological reason for this to be the case. Up to half of male cancer cases could be prevented by making healthier diet and lifestyle choices.

It is the male suicide rate that rings alarm bells. A report this year revealed that middle-aged men from disadvantaged backgrounds are ten times more likely to commit suicide than more affluent men, due to the recession and changes in western society.

Many Mo-Bros may not be reaching deep into their pockets to support organisations like Prostate Cancer UK and The Institute of Cancer Research, but perhaps taking part is enough. Movember calculates that one moustache grown in their name generates 11 Facebook updates, 10 tweets and 36 face-to-face mentions of the campaign - totalling an impressive 2,413 conversations.

So, growing a moustache for all to see is in itself helping to demolish the crippling stigma of male depression and the awkwardness surrounding testicular and prostate check-ups.

My fellow Mo-bros and I are half way through our hairy journey - no need to shamefully shave off our lovingly grown growth for lack of sponsorship - simply talking about Movember is changing the world.

But every little helps - I've set up my Movember page here, raising money so men can live happier and healthier lives.

Loading Slideshow...

  • The final product

    Ed Nelson models 'the trucker' with girlfriend Jemma Thompson's grudging permission.

  • Day 1

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 1

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 4

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 5

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 5

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Mo day unknown

    I've joined Movember and Sons for the 30 days of Movember. As a wise man once said, "If you want to make a change, if you want to promote conversation, then grow, or support the growth, of a moustache". Please check out my Movember campaign at <a href="http://mobro.co/mdaffonz">http://mobro.co/mdaffonz</a> and see how I'm changing the face of men's health

  • Day 5

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 5

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 5

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 5

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 5

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 5

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Mo day unknown

  • Day 6

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 6

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 6

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 6

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 6

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 7

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 7

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 7

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 7

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 7

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Mo day unknown

    <a href="http://mobro.co/mattblank82">SPONSOR Matt Blank HERE</a>

  • Day 7

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 7

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 7

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 7

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 8

    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/BruceSCrawford"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/twitter_profile_img/4167987.png" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/BruceSCrawford">BruceSCrawford</a>:<br />Thursday Movember 8th. It ain't pretty, but neither is prostate cancer.

  • 8 days. Want to shave now..

    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Luke_Julie_Lount"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/715702530/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Luke_Julie_Lount">Luke Julie Lount</a>:<br />8 days in, its going to be a long month.

  • Day 8

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 8

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 8

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 8

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 8

  • Day 8

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Mo day unknown

  • Day 9

  • Mo day unknown

    Currently the #172 Mo in the UK. Let’s push it higher.. HTTP://Mobro/NickyTwoHats

  • Day 12

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 12

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 12

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 12

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 12

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 12

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Mo day unknown

    This is Andy Collins who works at Tottenham Jobcentre doing his bit to raise money for prostate cancer.

  • Day 12

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 12

  • Day 12

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

  • Day 12

    Courtesy of <a href="http://uk.movember.com/">MovemberUK</a>

 

Follow Matthew Tucker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Matt_Tucker

FOLLOW UK LIFESTYLE
As men dip their upper lips in the mustachioed moat of Movember, the UK is that little bit more hairy than it was two weeks ago. I too am indulging my facial hair - earning some rather favourable com...
As men dip their upper lips in the mustachioed moat of Movember, the UK is that little bit more hairy than it was two weeks ago. I too am indulging my facial hair - earning some rather favourable com...
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James Wallace

James Wallace: Mr Movember- A Guide to Top Lip Based Japery

Richard Herring tried to reclaim the toothbrush moustache by dedicating an entire stand-up show to it in 2009, saying "it was Chaplin's first then Hitler ruined it'. Working by this logic, if you see this moustache on the street it is fair to assume the person sporting is either thought-provokingly funny or abhorrent.

 
 
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llohan
0 Fans
17:27 on 22/11/2012
It's an annoying campaign to get young men in the prime of life to become neurotic about their health via a campaign that is all about conspicuous caring and saying 'look at me....no plrease, really...look at me everybody' - incredibly new lab inspired irritating tosh
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ShredRipmaster
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12:16 on 19/11/2012
Great article; It's always a bit of a struggle to get people to donate. The main hurdle you come to is the reaction: 'You want me to give you money just for growing a moustache'?'. Keep at people though, remind them and you do get some donations. Something is better than nothing I suppose!
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Elliot Lord
0 Fans
23:46 on 18/11/2012
I know what you mean. I'm also putting up with having a tache but none of my friends have sponsored me yet, either. I think Apathy in the UK fits with this, too.
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apollo99
58 Fans
13:55 on 17/11/2012
ALL MEN TAKE VIT D SUPPLEMENTS IT WILL PROBABLY STOP HALF OF YOU GETTING CANCER .....VERY GOOD ODDS FOR A SIMPLE VIT D PILL.............
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keithuk
2 Fans
02:16 on 18/11/2012
Why did they call it Movember? It's a bit lame. Surely it should have been Novetache?
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ShredRipmaster
1 Fans
 
12:14 on 19/11/2012
I dont think you quite understand the idea of a play on words?
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