The Red and Black

If you've looked around the classroom over the past few weeks, you may have noticed the strange growth taking over campus. Variations include black, brown, red and tawny, and it's creeping over the faces and legs of your fellow students.

Although these friends may appear to be "Planet of the Apes" extras, they made a month-long vow of razor celibacy to benefit local musician resource/support center, Nuci's Space.

This be-tressed troupe of men and women allowed their hair to take its natural course from the razor stroke of midnight on Oct. 31 to 9:30 tonight when they will host the No Shave November Gala Celebration.

 The celebration will take place upstairs at Transmetropolitan on Clayton Street.

During the event, members' manes will be judged on various criteria, and local musicians Michael Patrick, Telenovela and Claire Campbell will perform between rounds.

The competition is parted down the middle: unaltered and creative follicular growth. Unaltered growth will be judged initially on fullness, color, texture and overall beauty.

The creativity round evens it up for those who may not be as follicularly endowed. In this round, hair will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, effort, time spent, props incorporated and overall beauty.

Mason Savage, a junior from Savannah who coordinated the event, plans to model his performance after the inside cover of the new Justin Timberlake album, "Futuresex/Lovesounds," which features a be-suited Timberlake crushing a disco ball with his foot.  

"Imaginations can go wild. Some people put a lot of time into this," Savage said.

Michael Bykhovsky, a junior from Alpharetta, said he needed to rethink his creative strategy.

He had planned to shave spirals into his sideburns but discovered this had been done by a contestant last year.

"You need to think of something good that you'll never regret - because there will be pictures," he said.

Contestants will be divided into groups based on gender and category - "sprinters," who began the competition clean-shaven, and "marathoners," who came into the competition already sporting a facial mane.

The panel of judges includes fashion columnist Emily Samuels and possibly world-famous air guitarist Jace Bartet. A mystery judge also will be pulled from the audience the night of the celebration.

Savage said the group's executive board chose to benefit Nuci's Space for several reasons. Rock and hair are perfect complements, and many of the group's members already supported Nuci's mission.

Savage sighed when he said approximately 10 to 15 members have dropped out or been disqualified, though far more have persevered despite the challenges that hairiness impinges on their everyday lives.

Michael Hotard, a senior from Savannah, said his dad was unhappy with his involvement with the group from the beginning.

"I went to a wedding with this, and I had to meet President Adams last weekend," he said. "It makes for awkward situations when you're supposed to look your best, but you can't."

Although Savage estimated that men constitute 85 to 90 percent of the group's membership, some women have disavowed the razor and made fur-covered limbs of their legs, some for months at a time.

"Kate Grace is one of our female members. I believe she has permitted free follicular growth since Follicle Appreciation February. Her determination to the cause is unprecedented," Savage said.

The group coordinated its first No Shave November in 2004 when Savage was a freshman. The following November, Savage was chosen to be Spike, the basketball team's inflatable mascot, and in accordance with Athletic Association rules, was not allowed to grow facial hair.

Although some members tried to carry on the tradition, none survived the entire month.

To make up for lost time the group rescheduled the event and held Follicle Appreciation February in 2006.

Now with nothing to bar him from participating, Savage coordinated this year's event. He said the group hopes to establish a tradition that will continue indefinitely.

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