Negative Response

I have never responded terribly well to criticism. I've always taken it too personally and let it affect me negatively instead of taking the content and using it to my full advantage...until now.

Last month in a previous blog (entitled 'Nice Look' here it is if you want to see it again: http://funnydannyblog.blogspot.com/2005/12/nice-look.html), I was kind enough to offer a public service announcement about how the male pony tail is always terrible. I think I offended one of my pony tailed readers.

Ponytail Guy said: "...and everybody needs to fit into a neat little box, and everybody needs to look exactly the same, and I'm right and everybody else is wrong. You suck. "

First of all ponytail guy, I've had a mustache, a mullet, a bowl cut, a flat top, a shaved head, and had my jersey # shaved in there. None of those terrible looks approach the day to day awfulness of the pony tail on dudes. I'm a comic dude, my whole gig is that I'm outside the box. I could go corporate like many of my boys are doing where you could be my IT guy, but I don't. Maybe you're in the box playing the role of 'pony tailed guy that rejects the rules and does his own thing 'cause the man can't tell me how to have my hair'. Wow, spun it around on you there didn't I. People who live in glass houses with pony tails should cut off their pony tails.

Second, I have friends that go across the entire spectrum of humanity: everything from a dude that wears blazers to bars, a hippy that doesn't eat meat, a knew jersey kid that new his turnpike exit before he knew his phone number, and so on. No one has to look the same or behave the same. The thing we all can have in common, is that at no time in the history of humanity, has the pony tail been a good look for a guy. I could drop science here about the tension it creates on the forward hairline, the tightening of the pores, or the framing of the face in an unflattering way but I won't do that. What I will tell you is that despite whatever it is you may be crusading for with your pony tail, the reality is that people are going to judge you based on what you give them. The first thing you are giving them is 'Why does this guy have a pony tail?' That is what you are showing people, a pony tail.

Even ponies don't like their tales. I challenge you to come up with a likeable character in any movie that had a pony tail. Take your time and really search that internet chief.

I'm not right and everyone else isn't wrong on everything, but I'm right about this big guy. The pony tail is just not a good look. Take it or leave it. Ask around though. Seriously. Ask some people who wouldn't lie to you. Ask them, "I'm thinking of getting rid of my ponytail. Do you think I should?" Watch their eyes. You will see a glimmer of excitement and hope despite what they might tell you about 'whatever you want' or 'either way'.

Thanks for reading though. I'm glad I was able to stir up enough emotion to get a response. Good luck and Godspeed.