A Shave, A Haircut and a President

Finally one of the most honored traditions of election-year news coverage has reappeared – the interview of the guy sitting in the barber chair. It’s never in a big town or a fancy salon. We always get an introductory shot of the rotating barber pole out front (in red, white and blue, naturally). Ah, Main Street USA.

How could anybody be more credible than a guy who’s basically sitting in a big high chair, with an over sized bib around his neck! It’s a ridiculous place to be. You’re sitting there the same way you’ve sat since you were two years old. Your mom probably still has the pictures of your first shearing. Nobody could be calculating or anything less than totally honest, just sittin’ there, getting his hair shaped up. (“Not too short on the sides, Ed.”) Guys who go to barber shops are the backbone of this country. They wouldn’t be caught dead in a “salon” wearing one of those slinky, supposedly unisex (but they never really seem that way) smocks. No, sirree! We need that big bib to keep the cut hair off our lap and pants, not just our shoes. Skip the blow dryer and don’t even get close to us with mousse. Unless Brylcreem makes it, I don’t want any of that goo on my head.

Course not. We’ve got our image to uphold and this year, a president to pick. Have to look serious at all times.

And don’t expect to see any women interviewed while they get their hair styled/done/fixed. Women seem to know better than we do what photo ops are most attractive for TV -- and which ones are not.