Pardon our Absence

As finals leave us, spring break is upon us and both Lachrista and I will be out of town for the duration.

To apologize for our lack of updates, please accept these pictures of famous beards, who may or may not be named Bob. Enjoy!


Robert Downey Jr.
While he's better known for being clean-shaven or sporting a righteous goatee, this rare bearded photo of Downey shows some salt-and-pepper popping up.


Robert Plant
Once again, this 70s rock sex symbol was better known for being clean-shaven during his days with the legendary Led Zeppelin but in this photo as well as recently he has been sporting some chin growth.


Robert Redford
Okay, I cheated. This is only a moustache, but I certainly imagine that there was a beard to go along with that moustache at one point.


Jason Sudeikis
This one is not like the others. Jason Sudeikis is absolutely one of Audrey's favorite SNL castmembers. Sudeikis is known for being a total A-Hole (along with Kristen Wiig) and his various impersonations of Joe Biden and Glenn Beck. The best part? Jason can grow a serious beard. This photo doesn't even do his various beards justice, but for now it will have to do.


Kevin Smith AKA "Silent Bob"
Kevin Smith is not a Bob, but he plays one in the movies. Silent Bob is one of the most endearing film characters, right up there with those of Charlie Chaplin, because his actions in his films speak louder than words, but when he does speak, it's usually pretty brilliant.

Doesn't he just make you smile?

Bob Ross paints clouds

How I "met" Bob Vila

No, I've never truly met him, but this post is about my introduction to the great, Bob Vila.

My dad, who loves building things and architecture, would make me watch "This Old House." Okay, not really "make" me, but it would come on after the cartoons I would watch on PBS back in the day. I remember thinking, "God, I hate this show. What do I care about building houses?" I didn't care. And I still don't care about building houses. However, even back then, I felt an affinity for the man with a full beard and head of hair. He reminded me of my dad; I guess that's why I always liked him and thought, "This guy is alright in my book." He was always so smiley (like my dad) and he definitely knew how to build things.

Bob Vila has a fucking DOT COM now! If you feel inclined, check it out here.

New Segment

I'm introducing a new segment called "Beards we admire."

Once again, while his name isn't Bob, we can all agree that despite his hormone disorder, Conan Christopher O'Brien can grow a sweet beard.

These photos pay homage to Conan's admirable strike beard of 2007-08, but there are plenty of paparazzi photos depicting Conan's recent (and much more tragic) "unemployment" beard out there as well.

Random PBS sightings

Yesterday afternoon after I finished watching my obligatory two-hour block of WGN Mid-day news, I began channel surfing for something else to fill the silence in my room. It didn't take long before I stopped dead in my tracks. I landed on PBS and there in all his glory was Bob Ross, painting a stream of clouds on a black canvas. Suddenly, I knew it was meant to be. Clearly, this blog created some sort of explosion in the universe. What's next? Home Improvement on Nick at Night? One could only hope.

Ross' picture was magnificent as always. He calmly added some "happy bushes," scrapped some dirt onto the canvas with his trusty trowel and then painted a single Pine tree in the background.

As I watched him paint, I thought about something Lachrista said. Sure when you watch you think, "Yeah! I could totally do that!" However, as the show continues onward, you realize it's the details that Ross goes back and fills in at later points that make his paintings so much more than what they appear to be at first. It's the shadings and the lightening that bring out the details you didn't see and subsequently make it much more difficult to replicate if you are not an artist, which I am not. By the end of the show, you realize how absurd you sounded for thinking it was that easy.

Viva Bob Ross and his happy foliage!

A quote about Vila...

"Sometimes I wish I was Bob Vila." -my Dad

My thoughts on Bob Vila

Growing up in the 1990s had its perks. Sure there was the music, “alternative” was at its height, but there was also great TV programs like “Family Matters,” “Boy Meets World” and, of course, “Home Improvement.”

I religiously watched “Home Improvement.” No, I wasn’t in love with JTT (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) like every other girl my age; I just loved seeing what kind of trouble Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor (Tim Allen) would get himself into and then resolve by the end of the half-hour. Plus who could forget Tim’s lovable, and bearded, sidekick Al (Richard Karn)?

It was through “Home Improvement” that I became aware of Bob Vila and his program “This Old House.” I have to admit I wasn’t a regular viewer; "This Old House" wasn’t made for someone with my low level attention span. However, Vila’s various cameos on Tim Taylor’s show “Tool Time” as Taylor’s rival who constantly one-uped the Tool Man, were certainly impressive. Anyone remember the episode where Tim and Bob compete in a charity lawnmower race?

Fun facts about Bob Vila

- Vila is of Cuban descent
- Vila received his Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism in 1969
- Vila served in the Peace Corp from 1971 to 1973 in Panama.
- In addition to his long-running show “This Old House” and the ABC series “Home Improvement," Vila appeared in the 1993 film “Hot Shots! Part Deux.”

Bob Ross: A Simple Man

I was first introduced to Bob Ross back when I was a youngin' in elementary school. I remember watching some episodes of his PBS show, "The Joy of Painting" in class. I wasn't exactly sure why we were watching this show at the time, but now I understand all too well--because Bob Ross is amazing. He can paint clouds and trees like no other. Also, he painted in a way that made me think, "Shit, I could do this!" (Even though I would try and fail countless times). He was soft spoken and had an "everything's gonna be alright" attitude.

So, a little bit about Bob, for those of you who don't know:
-born in Florida in 1942
-was in the Air Force
-"The Joy of Painting" ran from 1983-1994
-died in Florida in 1995 from Lymphoma at the age of 52

Yes, you read that right. Bob Ross hasn't been with us for quite some time. Though, you can still buy his many paint products here.

I bet wherever Bob is, he's still painting the best damn clouds and trees ever. You know it. I know it. He knows it.

Honorary Bob

One crazy afternoon while waiting for our bus to arrive, Lachrista and I reminisced about Bob Vila’s “This Old House” and how we wish he could do something about our apartment. It was then that we realized Bob Vila isn’t the only celeb with a pretty nifty beard. Suddenly we thought back to those days where we would sit and watch Bob Ross paint his majestic landscapes filled with trees, mountains, and clouds. It was at that moment we knew we had a duty to the world to share our thoughts on these Bobs with glorious beards.

Now, I haven’t always been a fan of beards. My mom never hesitates to remind me that men with beards probably have something to hide. I don’t know if I buy that, but I do know the moment when I began to admire the bearded. One day, many years ago, I happened to be watching Comedy Central, as I often do when the present is just too ‘real,’ and Zach Galifianakis’ first standup special was underway. He was absurd; he was creepy; he was absolutely hysterical and, damn it, quite attractive.

To this very day, I continue to admire Zacharius Knight Galifianakis for his wit, his musical ability, his odd choice of TV roles and his sexy dance moves.

For these reasons, if you will indulge me for a second, I nominate Zach Galifianakis to be an honorary Bob. He already has the beard; now he’s a Bob.

Vila knows how to relax

Well, it's been about an hour since my last post, so I feel it's time to post again. Here is a picture of Bob Vila that I enjoy. I love this picture because it's so casual and relaxed. It's like Bob just built a house, so now he's going to sit in his La-Z-Boy chair, pop open a beer, and watch some tv.

In the immortal words of Salt 'n' Pepa, "What a man, what a man, what a man, what a mighty, mighty good man."

The reason for this blog...

Audrey and I love Bob Vila and Bob Ross. This blog is for them. Two men who know how to have a full head of hair and full beards.

...and as Audrey said, "Bob Vila lives in all of our hearts." He does. And so you, Bob Ross.