Bald and Proud of It!

I can remember a time in America when men went to great lengths to conceal their balding heads. 

Balding men used all sorts of transparently fake means to disguise the fact until several things happened.

By the mid-sixties bald heads became a staple of ridicule by stand-up comedians. 

We had a generation that revolted against all things fake.

Finally, TV ads began appearing with solutions for baldness. Bald was not cool. Long flowing locks were in. Before this happened, most men wore dress hats, and it was impossible to tell if they were going bald.

Then a hatless President Kennedy changed all of that and men began shedding their dress hats. 

They also sought more ways to conceal their shiny domes, like combovers and snake doctor cures which came in pills and ointments. Many actors just wore toupees.

Today a shaved head is very much in fashion. Two of my three sons shave their heads rather than deal with pattern baldness. All of those old rock stars with long hair are now electing to go bald while they try to extend their careers into another generation.

Caution. Not all men have a head that looks good bald. (Photo of Marc Andreessen) 

In Army bootcamp they shaved all of our heads. That's when I discovered my head looked like an egg!

Pointed heads (think Saturday Night Live's Coneheads) need to have hair. Lots of hair. But these day's actors like that bad boy bald image.  

Take Vin Diesel (right) for example. He's famous for his shiny head and sunglasses.

There was one actor back in the day who managed to pull off going bald before it was popular. 

Yul Brynner, a Russian-born actor, director, and author became a Hollywood icon with his live performances of the King and I. 

He's also remembered for his many movie appearances like Future World, Westworld, Anna and the King, Adios, Sabata, Death Rage, The Serpent, Catlow, Fuzz, and The Light at the Edge of the World.

It's interesting that Yul Brynner was brave enough to carve out a look in Hollywood when men were busy concealing their baldness.

As it Stands, I would prefer to shave my head these days, but my wife won't have any of it because I still have a full head of hair. Maybe she's right. My dome isn't a pretty sight!