What’s the “Buzz” All About

“Buzz cut,” that is.

You see, a few days ago, my friend Armand Morin posted on his blog about his recent shave, and asked his fellow readers to comment and vote on which one they liked best:

With the goatie? Or without?

I teased Armand a bit about it, so I decided to grow one myself. But that’s not fair, since Armand has had a beard for years. Me, I’ve had one on and off for years, too.

So I decided to shave something else. And now, I’m exposing my “naked” self to the world, because I have shaved…

… My head! Yup, I completely shaved it off. Bald. Homer Simpson lookalike. Army style. Wana see? OK, here it is…

I’m going to ask you the same question Armand asked his blog followers, “Should I grow it back?” Just add your comment below.

But, here’s the kicker…

To create a little buzz out of it on its own (no pun intended), I’m going to make a deal with you.

I’m giving you one week. And let’s see whose blog post has the most comments. If Armand wins, I will donate $1,000 to a charity or Armand’s choice. If I win, I will donate $1,000 to a charity of MY choice. Fair enough?

One of my favorite charities is Breast Cancer Research and Breast Cancer Education. The site I will donate at is BreastCancer.org.

Go ahead. Help me out. Armand is already ahead of me by 20 comments. So spread the “buzz,” click here email this blog post and post your comments below for a good cause.

About the Author

Michel Fortin is a direct response copywriter, author, speaker, consultant, and CEO of The Success Doctor, Inc. Visit his blog and signup free to get tested conversion strategies and response-boosting tips by email, along with blog updates, news, and more! Go now to http://www.michelfortin.com.

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Posted by Michel Fortin on June 29th, 2006. Filed in News, Opinions, Personal, Questions. Tagged as armand morin, bald, beard, blog, breast cancer, buzz, charity, donation, goatee, hair, Marketing, shave. Follow responses through the RSS feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

88 Replies to “What’s the “Buzz” All About”

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From Strategic Internet Marketing Tactics

Armand’s New Groove…

Miche Fortin made an entertaining post about shaving the face for charity called “Whats all the buzz about?” and has had some interesting conversation.
Not sure when Armand shaved his face though, here’s a pic of me with him just a …
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Source Website June 30th, 2006
From Sylvie Fortin: My Teacher » The Michel Fortin Blog

[...] If you want some help, here’s a post I made a month ago where I made a “blog contest” between my friend Armand Morin and I, where I gave to an online Breast Cancer charity. [...]
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Source Website November 27th, 2006

Comments

From Harlan Kilstein

Doesn’t matter what we think….

What does the wife think?
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Perry

I’m with Harlan.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Adeane

Hey Michel,

Great Choice of Charities and well, as an observer my humble opinion is no Goatie and with hair. Why? Sophisticated Professionalism. That is how you present then. But Hey, if relaxed and really down to earth is more the go then add the beard and lose the hair.

Have a great time - Hope you win.
Adeane.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Rangoo

I posted a comment on Armand’s Blog. I am posting one here now. I hope it will be a tie and you donate for both

Your forehead looks bigger and brighter buzzing with more ideas. It seems t have added more sparkle to your eyes.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Ron Schmidt

Hey Dr. Kilstein, pay attention, Sylvie’s Michel’s fiance, not his wife yet.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From credit repair

I’m with you.

What’s good for you is good for us your loyal readers,

Edward
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Francis Macomber

I vote for beard. I also like the shaved head. Gives you the look of an alpha male…

Screw “Sophisticated Professionalism”. Look at Clayton Makepeace.

Enjoy life, get a face tatoo if that’s what good life means to you. No one can take your super-copywriting talents.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Nick Barton

That is the beauty of the internet. It doesn’t really matter what you look like!

I too have a beard and a shaved head, well bald actually, but it looks the same. I felt really good until i of my 6 year old’s classmates started taunting him about his dad’s head being upside down!

After that I’d go for hair no beard every time!

Good luck with your fund raising.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Chris Knight

Hey Michel, if you completely shaved it off, you’d be BALD.

I did bald last year for a few months and loved it…but family didn’t love it, so I’m back to having what hair I have left.

In your case, because you still have a head full of hair to grow, I’d recommend letting it grow!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Joe Lluveras

At least you have a choice to grow hair on top of your head. Since I don’t have that choice, I would say, grow it back and enjoy it while you can. Leave the bald look to us, the professional baldies.

Hope you win. Great charity choice.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Kristine Wirth

LOL!!!!

Ok, well, my husband has BOTH a shaved head and a goatie so I’m probably a bit biased. I agree with Harlan that you most definitely need to check with the women in your life.

The women will say “Honey, I don’t care what you look like keep the [whatever].” Pure bunk! We like you one way or another for whatever reason.

Ok, my rant being voiced, keep the goatie and grow the hair back.

Best
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Jim Greene

Shave and grow!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From phillip skinner

Hi … hair today gone tomorrow comes to mind …why be a baldie if you donâ€™t need to be … beards are meant to hide something … I know I had one once … eerrrr talking about the razor here guys …its just great waking up in the morning and not having to shave … thatâ€™s the rewards of working from home … but then came voip …. now every day is like being in an office, the smarter you look the cooler you feel …. you two guys are already cool … what a great idea … no losers the charity wins … which every way this vote goes … good luck to all who take a few minutes to help you guys out

Phillip Skinner

It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.
Jim Rohn
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Sean Kelly

Heck, I’d pay $100 to see Michel Fortin, John Carlton, Harlan Kilstein and Perry Marshall in a photo together shaved bald!

lol
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Mike Sigers

I’d say it matters little if you have little hair, but it matters a lot of you have little friends.

You’ll win Michel, BECAUSE you have big friends !

BTW - the prison cut ain’t workin’…grow it out a bit !
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Ted Crowder

Speaking as a follically challanged individual myself… I’ve been a big fan of hair since I started losing mine. People tell me I should shave my head, but I insist on clinging to the few remaining hairs that I still have.

So my advice is, grow it back and give it to me!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Jason James

Hey Michel, I just shaved my head 2 weeks ago.. I love it and I think you should keep it short or shaved. It’s a great look!

Take care.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From ken calhoun

Harlan’s right again. Gah! Will he ever be wrong? I doubt it.
Sharp guy. One of the few.

Anyways - hmm… personally I think if you’re continuing to do the seminar circuit, your “brand” and “positioning” (hey I know someone who wrote a book on that, great stuff)… depends on your maintaining a CONSISTENT IMAGE….

remember UPAs?

So if people are expecting, based on seeing you as “A”, that you look completely different, then that causes cognitive dissonance, and you lose some positioning advantage.

Of course this means though, if you’re ‘rebranding’ your look, and this will be a permanent change, it may take your customers/clients a year+ to get used to your new look …. and that causes a short-term hit…

personally I’d keep your hair the way it was… but Harlan’s right, it’s your family that counts first…

my .02,

ken
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Sylvie Charrier

Well, since it seems to be the general consensus that my opinion is important about this particular issue…here’s my vote.

I LOVE the goatee! There’s just something about the way it makes him look that I adore.

Now, the hair is a little shorter than I would prefer, but that is on purpose. Michel’s hair grows really quickly, so he wanted it shorter than the actual desired length. Give it a couple of weeks and it should be just the perfect length.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Carole Friesen - World Expert in Face Reading

Dear Michel and Armand,

You might want to understand what hair is all about in relationship with the Body Mind. Read this, then ask yourself what hair means to you.

The Hair acts like antennae reaching out into the energy fields that surround us. They seek out vibrational reactions and transmit them through the skin into sensory tissue in our body. Whenever hairs grow there is an enhancement of sensory awareness to the environment. This relates to hair growth wherever it may be on the face or body.

Short hair or a shaved head, is most often seen with men. The cut “short back and sides” keeps the mind clear of emotional contact like in the army. This heightened mental state is preferred by men in general so they can focus on mental tasks without being clouded by their feelings. This also isolates them from their feminine aspect and could create less understanding of the women they interact with. When women stepped into the corperate world they cut their hair short or pinned it up to get into ‘The man’s World’. Men who grow their hair long are connecting with their emotional feeling body, their feminine aspects

Facial Hair or Beards

To understand this fully! I will explain the 3 zones to the face. The mental zone is the top of the hairline down to the eyebrows. The emotional zone is the eyebrows to the bottom to the nose. The physical zone is the bottom of the nose to the base of the chin. Hair can connect or disconnect to energy flow in these areas.

The connection or sideburns verses goaties.
Sideburns are grown by those who feel a need to connect their thoughts to more emotional and physical needs and issues. They are often used to join the hair of the head and the beard on the chin and jaw to feel a sense of grounding in life. The fathers of the nation, religious leaders and those “wise men” that sat in judgement sported beards and sideburns that they “stroked thoughtfully”.
Goatie or tailored beards are seperated from the emotional and mental zones and creates a greater focus on physical implementation of ideas with less emotional involvement.

After watching The Secret, we all understand fully the importance of keeping our feelings connected with our thoughts for manifestation. Enjoy your experience with full awareness.

Contact me if you would like anymore information on The Art & Science of Face Reading.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Eric Graham

Well Michel… There you have it. Sylvie is the one you need to keep happy. Definitely keep the goatee (she LOVES it!) And, grow the hair out a bit.

But… I would have to agree with Ken as well. From a personal branding and positioning standpoint, whatever “new look” you adopt, maintain consistency and make it a permanent change.

As for Armand’s picture… I think the “shaved” version make him look about 13 years old! (And I wonder how Michael Lee Austin feels about Armand “messin’ with his look”?)

Eric
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From David

If it feels good and your significant other also likes it, do it.
Seriously, looks good. Hair is a pain everywhere!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Andy & Shawn

Hey the shaved head and goatee works for me. (It was either that or a comb-over!)

Couldn’t go for a better cause.

Andy & Shawn Catsimanes
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From DJ Dave

Michel has this great John Malkovich look going….
(see http://usuarios.lycos.es/BoigCinema/Amistat/picture08.jpg )

Now, unlike Armand, with the “Bad News Bears” look, my 5-year-old still recognizes Michel.

Alright, I’m wimping out - you need an answer -
Here’s mine…
…if you can grow it, keep it
…or give the hair on top to ME!
- DJ Dave
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Eileen Coale

Bald is beautiful! I know that for a fact, because i’ve been married to a wonderful fella for 20 years who has the balding look - except his is all natural.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Ray Edwards

Michel,

I think I prefer the look you have in your header - medium length-to-shortish hair, cleanshaven. But that may be because that’s how I’ve come to think of you (because I see that image so often).

But…you look more like a drummer right now.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Armand Morin

Dang… I’m even contributing to you winning. How wrong is that?

Well, as for my opinion on your recent loss of hair, I think you should get out the razor shave the head clean and shave off the goatee and then see if you can get a Mr. Clean commercial contract. (Just my opinion) Hey you’ve gone this far why not all the way. LOL

Seriously… I’ld grow it back just a little more.

I’m already in the process of my regrowth. Can anyone say “itch”?

One more thing…. LOVE THE T-SHIRT!!!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From josh

I like it like this
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Shawn Casey

Michel,

I definitely think you should shave it all - head, face and… - for the wedding. That would allow for some very interesting wedding night activities. Hey, you do this right and you might get Sylvie to cover the donation!

Shawn
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Kathryn

anything for charity,
stylin’
but definitely do whatever your woman says!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Bonnie Fournier

You both have very nice faces. Armand looks great with the goatee but Michel, you need the smooth face to match your smooth talk! Love your Blogs…!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Josh

Looks good!!! Less hair less wok = more time for copy!!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Bob Strand

AUGGH!
Armand NEEDS his beard. How else can he sing country tunes? He looks too young without it to be an IM guru.

Michel,
You just GOTTA go back to the clean-cut format (and I don’t mean cut off). You come across much better with a good shave and a business cut. I’ll bet you even sound better….

As for vacations, go with whatever you like, as long as you can get back to “normal” afterwards.
Lot’s of fun to see the pix, though. Thanx
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Jordan

Keep the goatie, grow the hair. (However, you do look pretty tough with the buzzed head!)
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Jane

Michael, I believe hair styles should be a personal choice. Myself, I prefer hair on a man if they can grow it. I wonder what Sylvie thinks. I hope she likes it..

I really like your choice of charity.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Stephen Davies

Michel,
Thanks for contributing to one my main charities as well!

It doesn’t really matter what we think…

Just glad to know your helping out a worthy cause.

Thanks Michel!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Hear Jeff Paul, Jim Fleck & Mal Emery

Grow it back, and chop the beard.

You definitely look better in your Blog Header!

Regards
Justin Bryce
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Robert Lehrer

Michael, my opinion is unimportant. It’s your’s and your wife’s that counts. Buts as long as you have asked, I’ll give you an honest answer. With hair, you’re a handsome guy. With your buzz cut, you look a lot less handsome. Frankly, you look a bit scary now. Well, you asked. Whatever you do, it doesn’t change my opinion of who you are professionally. All the best.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Ralph Zuranski

Hi Michel,
First of all I want to say your hair cut looks awesome. Take it from some one who wears it short because you look good when you go to sleep and night and even better when you wake up. Plus, what a huge time saver because you don’t have to comb, gel or hair spray you new to look good. Also you don’t have to spend very much on barbers. With a steady hand you can save yourself big bucks on you hair stylist. And I am sure Sylvie will love to rub your new rug because short hair is so sensual and irrestible to be petted.
Forget the face hair because you look younger and more handsome with out it. People always wonder if individuals that are short on the top are only trying to compensate for growing hair in other places. According to the hair increase plan, they could always take plugs out of your face and transplant them on top or get hair from other places, but I’m not sure it would match what you already have. Final comment: SHORT HAIR AWESOME, CLEAN FACE BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Jason Leister

Has shaving bumped your response? Less hair, higher response… could there be a correlation?
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From AGW

OK -
Marketing is fine. But I really don’t need to get THREE notices of this blog in FOUR HOURS. It may be time to put a lid on it - literally.

The hair needs to either go completely or grow back, this in-between thing aint happenin.

So, my vote is to can the whole thing - discussion, hair and most of all THE CONSTANT UPDATES.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From me

great cause. thanks for caring.

original looks-classic, regal, bonding, trust building

new u’s- laid back, free-spirited, fun

go for what you know. you only live once!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Elaine Smith

Michel,

I like your hair in the header photo. Grow it back.

Armand definitely looks better with a beard, but you could go either way. You look good with and without it.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Ralph Zuranski

Hi Michel,
Sorry for the mispellings.

I was in a hurray.

It is my 10th year anniversary of marriage.

I was racing for a bottle of wine and a few shots of Jagermeister before partaking of barbecued beef short ribs with fresh corn and yellow squash sauteed in olive oil.
Ralph
(-:
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Ralph Zuranski

By the way, Armand looks much younger and more handsome without the face hair. An investment in a couple of hours at the gym and some trips to the health food bar and he and Michael Lee Austin would be positively the ultimate internet marketing gazillionaire, country music mega star and almost new father stud poster boy.
(-:
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Edward Han

Hi Michel

A clean cut looks much better …
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Bailey

Since the men whom I care about the most in my life are almost all balding, I think bald (or partway there) is HOTTTT…

LOL!

But, Michel, you wear hair well. How’s that for a polite way of voicing my opinion?

I am glad that Sylvie thinks the goatee is cute. Give her some time… after a while she will grow tired of a raw, scratched chapped face from kissin’ ya and soon enough it’ll be time to lose the goatee. I always thought facial hair looked nice enough, but dang it’s tough on the lady showin’ ya’ some love!

Remember that facial hair ages a person’s appearance, so when you want to re-grasp youth, haul out the razor and reclaim it.

Bailey
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From John Ritskowitz

Hey, Michel.

You are the man! What a great way to raise awareness and raise money for a good cause.

Hey, if Johnny Damon could do it with eBay…

Ok, if Sylvie likes the goatee, that doesn’t surprise me. Every time I consider shaving my beard, my wife makes her views known loud and clear…NO!

As for shaving the head, my wife liked that too when I came home for holiday break after Army boot camp in 1991.

And for those considering the other end of the spectrum, I think Harlan has everyone beat when it comes to growing your beard like ZZ-Top, so don’t even try! (although where Sampson gets his strength from his hair, I wonder if Harlan gets smarter with his).

Hey, it’s all in fun and for a good cause!

John
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Shariq

Michel… the short french cut looks killer on you!!

keep it!

Shariq.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From The Cat

Dude, seriously you look like you just got out of a 20 year sentence in the big house and went right back on the sauce.

With the bald head and those bugeyes you would scare the bejeezus out of someone in a lighted alley.

Oh, and Armand Morin would look better with a burka instead of a baseball cap.
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Nick Teetzel

Hey Michel,

Great response…

Who’s taking a count on Cialdini’s principles at work here?

I think Harlan and Perry had it right from the start … First and foremost, make the wife happy and you’ll have the force of nature on your side.

I think the “Cluck-Whirr” cartoon in Cialdini’s book is the perfect illustration for the occasion - I wish I could post it for the readers who haven’t seen it.

Page 5 of Influence: Science and Practice : )

Just keep writing & teaching to keep the rest of us happy.

Nick
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From David

Michel: Man, what were you thinking? You look like you just got out of Auswitz! Grow it it back!… fast! David
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Kay Mitchell

We say…keep the goatee, but grow back the hair.

Enjoy the process!!
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Author's Website June 29th, 2006
From Kim Crowder

You know what they say, happy wife = happy life

So if sylvie’s happy. I’m happy!

See ya soon
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Author's Website June 30th, 2006
From Geoffrey Smith

Hey, As I have had hair on and off for manuy years, I’m with Harlan… Check in with the wife
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Author's Website June 30th, 2006
From Clint Gray

For you Michel, hair with not goatie…Armand with goatie…

Nice meeting you and your wife at the World Internet Summit in London.
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Author's Website June 30th, 2006
From Richard Burke

You looked better before the buzz.

Why would you want to mess with perfection? :-))

But, like everyone else says - if Sylvie likes it, keep it. Hers is the only opinion that should matter to you.

All the best in life, love and happiness!
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Author's Website June 30th, 2006
From Judy Kettenhofen

Decisions, decisions, decisions…

Ohmy…I agree with the person who asked what Michael Lee Austin had to say about Armand’s shave…glad to hear you are growing it back, Armand!

Think Michel should definitely grow the hair on top back … not sure about the goatee — have to wait to see what it looks like with the hair longer.

Wait! Are you guys *sure* you did this, and this isn’t some clever photoshop work?

And the person who would pay $100 to see Michel, John Carlton, Perry Marshall and Harlan shaved…

How would Harlan keep the yarmulke on his head…? Come to think of it…where DO Jewish bald guys put the bobby pins ?
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Author's Website June 30th, 2006
From Robert J Hardy

Unshaven and bearded males are thought to be 20% less trustworthy than a male with a clean shaven face.

A beard on a man suggests that he is lazy and can’t be bothered about personal hygiene.
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Author's Website June 30th, 2006
From Nigel J Britton

As long as you guys are happy and money goes to charity,
everyone wins!!

Well done Bhoys!!
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Author's Website June 30th, 2006
From Dave Ryan

Michel,

You crazy Canadians never stop amazing me

Do whatever you want. Last time I took action based on what my blog polling told me I almost lost more money than my house is worth….No Joke.

But hey, it’s summer time…who needs hair?

I wonder if I could write some copy that would convince people to take action and shave their heads….for no charity…

Now that would be book-worthy.

-Dave
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Author's Website June 30th, 2006
From David Cavanagh

Michel,

What can I say?

I see you in UK… sit opposite you at dinner… dine with you and Sylvie in Wembley (which was lovely of you both)… talked on stage with you at the World Internet Summit… then this happens!

Was it something in the UK water? Was it something I said to you?

Aaaarrrggghhhh…. what you doing Fortin?

Do you want me to send the photo of you and I at our “office” at dinner in London? (remember the “toilet” shot - hehehehe)

Okay, opinion time:

Hair’s the go Michel!

Lovely working with you and Sylvie, and I hope to do it again really soon,

David Cavanagh

PS… Love to Sylvie and yourself my friend.
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Author's Website June 30th, 2006
From John Gilvary

HI Michel,

I think both you and Armand should go back to your old looks. (I guess I just got used to it.) My wife only saw me without a mustache one time… and then insisted I grow it back.

Harlan’s right though. Silvie is the one you should be asking.

John
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Author's Website July 1st, 2006
From Jeanette Cates

I generally go with the clean shaven look - probably because I married a military man. But heh, I have to agree. Whatever Sylvie likes…Sylvie gets!

Jeanette
Reply