"Facial Hair and Rebellion"

It was 1969 and I had been working at CBS, (and loving every minute of it), for a little over a year when a mini disaster came upon me. I had been away from New York for a couple of weeks, and what better time would there be for growing a mustache? Why did I want to do that? I don't have a clue now, nor did I have a clue at the time. It was not a puny growth, but rather a very dark, almost handlebar one. Several people were anxious to tell me that I looked like "Snidely Whiplash" the animated cartoon character.

A little background as to "where I was working". CBS was at 51 West 52nd Street, and the building was clean and classy, and everything in it looked perfect. I reported to Willard Block, and we both reported to our company head (CBS Enterprises), Ralph Baruch.

There were CBS rules, both real and imagined. Always wear a suit, preferably a dark one. Never, ever wear loafers. If it didn't have laces, leave it home. Shirts could have color, as long as they were white and ties should not make a statement. All offices were decorated the same, other then the bigger deal you were, the bigger your office. Very, very senior people could have different furniture, and that was also considered to be a big time status thing.

I was back for a few days when I was summoned into Ralph Baruch's office. I always got along well with Ralph who did have a tendency with some people to be difficult. After exchanging pleasantries for a few minutes Ralph finally arrived at the reason for my being summoned. I could see that he was not happy about what he was about to do when he said "Norman, it would be better for your career at CBS if you shaved off the mustache." I thanked Ralph for telling me that and replied something like "Ralph, I am not prepared to do that, but I do appreciate you telling me what you did"

In the normal course of events, I would have shaved off the mustache in a couple of weeks My Snidely Whiplash name was adopted by many people at CBS and elsewhere, and that did not thrill me. I kept the mustache for 10 years, long after I had left CBS. I still ask myself why I kept it, and myself is keeping it secret.

Several years later when at Screen Gems, a workplace without style or grace, and while away on a trip, I grew a full beard. That was the good news, the bad news was that it was all gray, and while the Snidely Whiplash name never came to any ones mind, boy did I look old. I was a few days away from shaving it off, when my then boss, John Mitchell summoned me into his office and started to utter the words I new he would about my beard, when I quickly interrupted him by saying "John, don't say a thing, if you are quiet about the beard, it will come off, but if you make an issue of it, I will keep it on. He was quiet (not easy for John) and a few days later I became a decade younger when I shaved it off.

I am now 72 years old, my hair is gray and very long, and I am growing a beard again. Many will comment on it, and the more negative things that are said about it, the more I will be convinced to keep it. Many of my male friends have told me how much they dislike my long hair (including my bald barber of 30 years), and my simple reply is that women think it is sexy, so why would I care what they say.

I will never understand what makes me so rebellious, but I do need to recognize that I am and modify my attitude as much as possible when called for.

My attitudes about women, politics, and the media reflect my rebellious attitude, and I would like these things to stay exactly the way they are.

Norman Horowitz
The Hairy One

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