Reykjavík Grapevine - 23.07.2004, Blaðsíða 32

The competition has been appro-
priately named after Tom Selleck
who had the title role in TV series
“Magnum, P.I” for eight years (a
whopping 164 episodes) in addition
to having starred in numerous films,
including the All-American classic
“Three Men and a Baby” (actually
a remake of a French film -ed.) as
well as the lesser known “Daughters
of Satan.” One could say that mister
Selleck is a noteworthy actor, a
Hollywood staple, but more famous
than his performances is most likely
his well-proportioned moustache
that crowns his irresistable smile.
To the question of why Tom
Selleck’s moustache was chosen as a
rolemodel moustache for the com-
petitors, the answer is both compli-
cated and simple at the same time.
How many other famous people
(Adolf Hitler aside) can you name
who have carried their moustache
with pride throughout the years and
made it their trademark?
So the competitors of the Tom
Selleck competition were striving
for the the laid back masculin-
ity of a well-groomed moustache,
together with the right attitude. The
rules of the competition were not
strict, genders were not tested and
alcohol usage was not prohibited (if
anything, it was encouraged). The
competition, hosted by a puppet,
saw each one of the twenty competi-
tors descend a flight of stairs, grab
a pint of beer and walk back up
again. The competitors found plenty
of room for improvisation in this
seemingly simple task and each one
had his own way of doing it. Some
seemed so at ease in the competitive
atmosphere one could have mistaken
them for moustache competition
professionals while others seemed
shy and completed the task with
minimum effort, quickly reaching
for the beer waiting for them at the
bar and sneaking right back upstairs.
The ones who were more relaxed
took their time and stripped off
various items of clothing, teased the
audience, posed for the cameras and
flirted with the judges. After each
one of the competitors had been
given a chance to flaunt what they
got, the jury took its time to mull
over the twenty moustaches they had
just seen in action.
“Does size matter?” was natu-
rally the question on (and over)
everybody’s lips. But there was no
worry, for even the ones sporting a
not-so-fully-developed moustache
had their chance, as another title in
addition to the Moustache of the
Year was awarded - loosely trans-
lated as whiskers of the year. And
as the competition was not solely
about shape and size, but of overall
performance, the most popular boy
was chosen amongst the competitors
and, judging by the audiences reac-
tions, he was also a firm favourite
within the crowd.
One might think that growing a
moustache is simple and that win-
ning such a competition is not hard.
But it was obvious that this year
the competition was tough and the
winner had to have a few aces up his
sleeve - one moustached fellow felt
it was necessary to drop down his
trousers while another took off his
top, leaving little to the imagination
(and one can only wonder if this was
meant as a distraction from the main
thing - the moustache). Some of the
boys seemed to have well thought-
out tactics to earn them the prestiged
title - one even tried to earn extra
points by being accompanied by
two children (who were wearing
matching outfits, of course.) The
winning trick, though, seemed to be
having a pulled-together look that
even a Hawaiian private inspector
could be proud of: the owner of the
title “Moustache of the Year 2004”
competed with style, wearing a
pink t-shirt that perfectly matched
his pink and bright medium-sized
moustache. It seems as colour co-
ordination together with a very Tom
Selleck-y smile was the right choice
for this eager moustache grower who
had taken part in all the previous
competitions and finally managed
to nail down the title this year. Con-
gratulations to mister Buckmaster,
Moustache of the Year.
TWENTY MEN AND A MOUSTACHE
by Anna Koskinen
On Thursday the 15th of July, the bar Sirkus was full of people.
What looked like an audition for the Village People with cowboys,
construction workers and leather-clad bikers was actually the third
annual Tom Selleck competition, dedicated to the art of growing and
mowing a moustache.
MISCELLANEOUS
Advertising Lifestyles: Reykjavík’s Gay Scene
by Marc Mettler
When I arrived in Reykjavík last September, I was anxious to explore the gay life in a society that
embraced my lifestyle with open arms. With the gay club Spotlight having recently closed, I enjoyed the
acceptance I felt in the mixed-crowd clubs around the city. It was comforting to know that being gay or
lesbian in Iceland did not mean having to be separated from the mainstream.
But when I heard several guys utter
the words “I’m gay, but I’m not
advertising it,” I began to question
what was happening. The statement
slapped me on the face and threw
me into a state of paranoia. Am I
advertising it? And if so, what does
that mean?
For me, this declaration resembled a
hesitation to live openly, regardless
of how society has labeled gays and
lesbians. Besides a small clique of
more eccentric types, much of the
community stays hidden beneath the
straight lifestyle. This small percent-
age of visibility is common in small
communities like Reykjavík. But
wandering through artsy bars and
clubs filled with fashionable young
men, how do I know who is gay if no
one is willing to advertise it?
My first attempt was a sad scene,
staring at an empty coffee cup.
“It takes one to know one,” Baldvin
explained to me in Samtökin ’78. It
was plainly true; the smallness of the
community allows most gay Iceland-
ers to know their own. For the visi-
tor, however, going to uniquely gay
places is the key to getting to know
who’s who in Reykjavík.
Samtökin ’78 is a membership-based
organization that opened in 1978. It
has about 300 members and houses
a library of gay books and publica-
tions as well as a café (both are open
on Monday, Thursday and Saturday
nights). These evenings are typically
filled with regulars, while the oc-
casional tourist (or “new flesh”) does
make an appearance.
But whether you are new flesh or old
meat, breaking into such a tightly
knit community is trying. My first
attempt was a sad scene, staring at an
empty coffee cup and trying to strike
up a conversation with an uninter-
ested bartender. It may help to bring
a friend to chat with while you work
on the locals.
This suggestion also holds true at the
gay-friendly Café Cozy, a tiny es-
tablishment that welcomes its guests
to candlelit chats over cheap beers,
coffee or a delicious hot chocolate
drink.
Owner Ásta Williamsdóttir opened
the café two and a half years ago
when her lesbian daughter com-
plained that there were no coffee-
houses for the community. Although
“La Bamba” and “The Macarena”
may sometimes be questionable mu-
sic choices for the place, the current
three beers for 1000 kronur (from
11-23) is too good to pass up.
“I’m gay, but I’m not advertising it”
Late-night weekends at Cozy are
probably the wildest adventure in gay
Reykjavík, as the tension rises with
drunken customers jammed between
chairs and tables. Here you can
experience anything from a brawl to
a bold gesture from a seat partner.
Jón Forseti is the most recently
opened nightclub for the communi-
ty. The weekends vary from relaxed
to rowdy and the interior design
keeps the atmosphere moody. The
dance floor, however, feels awkward-
ly exposed, so it usually takes me a
few drinks and the milkshake song
to get out there.
But the milkshake doesn’t always
bring the boys to the yard, often
leaving Jón Forseti and the other gay
establishments desolate. I wonder if
there aren’t enough members of the
community to go around. Or people
think a proper gay club is unim-
portant. Maybe it threatens their
comfortable assimilation into the
straight world.
It’s been a long winter for the gay
community. But with the opening
of Jón Forseti, the drag perform-
ances and gay pride on the way,
Reykjavík’s gay scene has a chance to
blossom into something wonderful
the whole year-round. Something no
one should be afraid to advertise.
H
.S
.
Winner : Buckmaster de la Cruz
By the Reykjavík harbour
Suðurbugt Reykjavík harbour
Tel: 551 5101
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