Diagnosis: Multiple Personality Stacheorder

Clean-face Charlie Pecoraro is just Charlie Pecoraro, but slap on a Stache and he becomes ... other people. I'm not a doctor, but I'd say this an open and shut case of Multiple Personality Disorder. But since the word disorder indicates something is wrong--and clearly when you have a Stache like the one Charlie has--it should be called a Stache-order because there is not anything disorder-ish (-ly?) about a Stache.

"When I really started to grow my mustache in a committed fashion I began to see myself as a different person and I thought it was interesting," said Charlie, 28 from Burbank, CA. "As it grew into the great 'Rollie Fingers' type of curly mustache I saw a real character begin to take shape. I went out and bought a special hat. And then special glasses. Then a great bow tie."

Hmmm, uh-oh?

Now Charlie is a professional actor but his other personalities sprouted off-camera which could be worrisome, but instead it makes him pretty cool. Who doesn't like a guy with a Stache, a bow tie and special glasses--especially one that reverts to referring to himself from first person to the third person perspective ... in the same sentence. Like "I waxed my Stache, then I bought a unicycle and Charlie had fun riding it." So he may not have actually said that exactly, but I can feel it coming on in a future conversation with one of him.

Charlie isn't the only one experiencing the Multiple Personality Stacheorder. It seems he may be a little ahead of the trends because now it's pretty common--so common that they're making a movie based on the MPS plot. In the upcoming Youth in Revolt, Michael Cera's nerdy character takes on a different Stached personality with a French flair when his real self is not cool enough to catch the attention of his dream girl. Doesn't sound so far-fetched after getting to know Charlie, right? It makes me want to hang out with him. It's like making friends with several people without the hassle of shaking a bunch of hands.

Kentucky Fried Stache

Say "Kentucky" and I think of Bluegrass music, southern twangs ... and chicken. Having never visited the state, I thought this was accurate; at least until Greg Virgin of Louisville, Kentucky introduced himself to me. Now I think Bluegrass, twang, chicken and Stache. It's a nice addition.

After throwing a successful mustache party--as if there is any other kind of worthy party--Greg and three friends discovered the attention-holding phenomenon of the Stache and realized the potential of using their hair-growing faces to raise awareness and money for a good cause. They dubbed it "Mustache Momentum" and Bam! they became philstacheropists and founded Mustaches Against Malignancies (M.A.M.), an organization in Louisville that benefits local charities. Their first event (this Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009) is called M.A.M.!Fest. The organization is taking over O'Shea's Irish Pub where 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Gilda's Club Louisville cancer resource center with the goal of raising over $10,000.

Hmm, M.A.M!Fest: Support the Stache, drink and save some lives. If you're in Kentucky, why wouldn't you go? If it's not for the obvious, then go for Greg. He's only 25, claims he sometimes gets confused for Tom Selleck (or daydreams about this happening), nicknamed the Stache a "flavor saving instrument of juice" and defied Kentuckian stereotypes when he helped create the genius M.A.M. idea.

AND if that's still not reason enough, do it for Kentucky. Colonel Sanders--the one brought you the original recipe and who sported the snowy Stache and funny "bow" tie long before the founders of M.A.M. were even a thought--deserves it. Honey, do you think KFC's still open?

Comics Can Respect the Stache Too

Extralife Web comic creator Scott Johnson gets it. He even named this comic appropriately. It proves that a woman who doesn't respect a man with a Stache, just doesn't get it. It's a fact.

Check out Scott's other stuff here.