February 5th, 2008
Parading. Bearded hipsters. Poachers, Chinese iPods, and Tiger Penises.
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9 Responses to “WRI 11: Bearded Hipsters”
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WRI SHIRTS
The bearded hipster is, to be sure, a troubling phenomenon. But I think the trouble lies not so much with the beard, as with the hipster. The beard may be the most honest and human thing he/she does. Trim it, shape it, pomade it, whatever, it is still honest grown human hair, brought forth by conscious choice and not purchased, as if it were a ratty old caridigan, from some thrift store or taken from Grandpa’s closet.
a) As a Pasadena-area native, I can tell you that I am pretty sure the Tournament of Roses only sponsors the Rose Bowl and the Parade. The bands and the horses are just there for the parade. They don’t get any other events, and the Tournament people have their hands full with those two, and dealing with Rose Bowl-related shenanigans. Please don’t get me started on the inaccuracies in Beverly Hills 90210′s depiction of the Rose Court selection process. I’M SO SURE DONNA MARTIN WOULD MAKE IT ON THE COURT. SHE’S INELIGIBLE, ASSHOLES.
b) When I was a senior in high school, we had a scavenger hunt and one of the items we had to procure was something from that Old Pasadena Sex Store. They carded me when I bought a yellow condom on a stick, (like a lollipop). It was really old-school sex-shoppe gross inside, not all Well-Lit and Womyn-Friendly like many of today’s sex shops. It actually had a sort of skeezy guy in there browsing the porn when I came in. Considering that at least ten girls in private school uniforms must have come in that day and bought items, he must have felt like he hit pay dirt.
c) Listening to this is like being back in the edit bay, so soothing.
Knowing that it has never really gone away, and knowing that it’s always dangerous to speculate about the origins of any hipster trend, my sense is that the Silver/Echo/boho beard began appearing as part of the uniform for visual artists (some of whom were undoubtedly in bands) seven or eight years ago. I’m going to make the very unscientific suggestion that the artist Jorge Pardo, who got MOCA to give him money to build his house in Silver Lake on the grounds that it was one of his works of art, is the flashpoint for this trend. Artistes such as Mungo Thompson et al soon followed suit, and the home grown complement to the 70′s windbreaker, cardigan,or Members Only Jacket began its wild fire spread. Just one theory.
p.s. I think powdered rhino horn may be near the top of the list of aphrodisiacs sought after by Chinese of all classes. My bet is that it works if you think it does — otherwise known as the Placebo Effect.
I like it, but I could have used a simple, “Fuck the Chinese, I know four guys with beards who would kick the shit out of anybody who limits the amount of sushi I can get in some trendy little raw fish joint in Silverlake”
Welcome to the new WRI, all of you.
Jessica–thanks for the information on the Tournament of Roses (and 90210).
Ethan, who are Jorge Pardo and Mungo Thompson?
Yes, well, the only thing worse than bearded hipsters wearing holey cardigans is aging bearded hipsters wearing holey cardigans. And Sketchers. But I suppose that’s where the tiger penises come in.
“I suppose that’s where the tiger penises come in”
I THINK this is directed at one half of the WRI team. I can say that Mark–to the extent that he might need such an aid, WHICH HE DOES NOT–would use a non-charismatic-megafauna-killing method, such as the much-overlooked Cialis.
Thanks for sticking up for me Francis, but you’re wrong. I prefer the tiger penis powder. But as I’m sure Stacia can tell you, rhino horn will do in a pinch!