When we blogged during the Super bowl a few weeks ago here at Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club, we blithely dismissed the Dodge Charger Man’s Last Stand commercial thusly:

Dodge Charger Man’s Last Stand? Funny commercial, but couldn’t we go for a Lamborghini?

Little did we know that this commercial was actually stirring up a massive battle-of-the-sexes.

If you haven’t yet seen the ad, it features a series of close-ups of guys articulating all the things they’ll do for their women. I will get up and walk the dog at 6:30 am…l’ll carry your lip balm,I’ll watch your vampire TV shows with you, etc. until we arrive at the kicker. And because I do this, I drive the car I want to drive. And we see the guy revving up the Charger and zooming down the road. Check it out here.

Well. This stirred up an instant response from the woman’s point-of-view. In one response ad that went viral on YouTube, a series of women in close-ups rattle off what they’ll do for their men: I will ignore your smelly loser friend who’s crashing on our couch,I will put my career on hold to raise your children, I will see “Paul Blart, Mall Cop” twice.

Ouch. We still haven’t seen Paul Blart, Mall Cop, once!

Anyway, you can check out that spot here.

To be honest, we thought the initial Dodge commercial was funny, mostly because it finally recognized that vampires are getting way too much airtime these days. Paul Blart, for all his apparent faults, doesn’t bite mall patrons on the neck as far as we know.
More seriously, women and men are very different people most of the time, who are often after very different things. That’s why we’ve tried to create at our Kennedy’s Barber Club locations a man-friendly sanctuary, in the spirit of the hair salons that are more female-friendly.

It doesn’t mean either men or women are superior it just means we should deal with our differences. And it doesn’t mean we should carry our partner’s lip balm as a part of a master plan to get the car we want to have. We should do that to be nice.

Perhaps the real problem with the initial Dodge commercial is the fact that the voiceover was done by Michael C. Hall, everyone’s favorite serial killer on the Showtime series, Dexter. I think if we put it to a vote to all the guys out there, someone best known as a clever murderer would not be our first pick as a representative.
Maybe Kevin James, instead. He’s a nice, friendly guy.

Feel free to continue the Dodge debate at any of our at Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club franchise locations. In the meantime, we’re going to go tell our smelly loser friend crashing on the couch to at least take a shower. We’re sorry, but we really can’t do much about the loser part.

Here at Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club, we make it a point to keep up with the latest barbershop developments all across the world. If we didn’t, what kind of Barber Club would we be? A sadly uninformed one and our Kennedy’s customers deserve more than that!

So, on February 19th, when a barbershop shattered a world record in Dublin, Ireland, we, of course, were privy to the exciting news. And, as our name is Kennedy’s – a proper Irish name – we felt, in some small part, related to the event. Okay, a very small part, since none of us actually is named “Kennedy.”

Nonetheless, our excitement was also tempered by a wee bit of horror.

You see, the record that was broken in at The Style Club on South William Street was that of shaving the most heads in an hour. To be more precise, 60 heads were shaved in under 60 minutes.

We strongly believe that shaving should not be a speed sport. It’s true that it sometimes comes out that way when we’ve hit the snooze button on the alarm too many times in the morning, and we suddenly find ourselves swiping frenetically at our face with our 6-bladed razor, hoping we don’t take off part of an ear in our desperate effort to get to work on time, but that’s inadvertent speed-shaving. In that Dublin barbershop, it was a planned event.

We shouldn’t carp too much. After all, it was a benefit for the Irish Cancer Society and no heads were actually injured in the chop-shop frenzy. But a barber coming at us with a razor with the intent to cut off as much as possible in as short a time as possible… well, feels like a Sweeney Todd moment to us.

No, we’d much prefer, on this side of the Atlantic, to have the Kennedy’s Barber Club go for the slowest shaving record. Especially with our Signature straight razor shave. Imagine, being able to sit back, feel the warm shaving cream on our face and have it slooooowly scraped off by the straight razor while it creates the smoothest face we’ve felt in weeks!

Oh, sorry. We blanked out there. We think we just got a quick glimpse of the afterlife…there was a blinding white light…coming from a barber pole…?

Anyway, a tip of the Kennedy’s hat to master barber John Galway and the 60 brave souls who risked life, limb and head to make a difference to a great charity. We’re inviting all of you to visit your nearby Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club™ to help us break the kind of record we think should be challenged – the world’s longest nap.

What Men’s Health Left Out

Recently, Men’s Health magazine listed the “12 Smart Things Every Father Should Teach His Son.” These included everything from such no-brainers as which way to twist a jar top to get it off (we usually just slam the jar top against the kitchen counter like a bar fighter cracking off the neck of a beer bottle) to what to do if you’re stopped by a cop (apparently, Dad thinks Junior’s life ambition is to knock over a liquor store).

We at Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club™ believe this list is far from comprehensive and omits some very crucial advice. With this in mind, we’d like to go ahead and add to the list. Not only that, we’re going to provide 14 Smart Things Every Father Should Teach His Son – because we believe in over-achievement in everything we do.
Please feel free to paste this article up on your boy’s bedroom wall, or write the list backwards on his forehead while he’s asleep so he’ll see it in the bathroom mirror in the morning.

Now, without further ado, 14 Smart Things Every Father Should Teach His Son:

1) Don’t leave your girlfriend alone with Charlie Sheen. She may get a reality show out of it, but there’s not much in it for you.

2) Learn Spanish.

3) When you’re having a hectic day, make time for a relaxing Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club™ Signature Haircut and Straight Razor Shave, instead of heading to a Starbucks like everybody else. Caffeine makes you jittery – haircuts make you feel warm and loved.

4) Acne is God’s way of telling you you’re way too good-looking.

5) If you’re looking for a successful franchise investment opportunity, consider Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club™. Our innovative membership pricing model means value for your customer and recurring income for you as owner. That’s why it’s one of the hottest new franchises out there today, son.

6) Don’t shave in the dark.

7) Seriously. Kennedy’s. Think about it, boy.

8 ) Lacrosse, soccer, football and rugby are all basically the same thing – a bunch of guys running from the one end of the field to the other. Basketball is different. It has a floor.

9) A dog is man’s best friend. Don’t tell your future wife.

10) Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club™ is releasing its own private-label grooming products. Buy them all, kiddo.

11) Prepare mentally for the day when there will be no more hair on your head, but plenty on your ears.

12) Even though your cable system now carries 400 channels, there is still nothing on.

13) When you’re on the first date with a girl you really like, avoid using the term “boogers.”

14) Remember, having a regular weekly appointment at Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club™ may extend life expectancy of men by up to five years. This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA.

Of course, this list is still not complete – we haven’t even dealt with golf, barbequing or why it’s inappropriate to wear a polo shirt to your sister’s wedding – but we think it will suffice for now.

Please remember to stop by www.kennedysbarberclub.com for more regular words of wisdom. Well, at least some words at the very least.

We’re watching the Super Bowl like most of America. Watch along with us…

Queen Latifah singing “America the Beautiful.” I thought we were beyond the concept of royalty in this country.

Idea for a sequel to the 70’s classic, “Black Sunday” – the Goodyear, MetLife and Direct TV blimps all crash into each other.

Peyton Manning still sounds to us like the name of a car dealership.

Saints – sentimental favorites. They need a little more than sentiment after the first quarter.

A Simpsons commercial – without a Homer “Doh!”???

Bud Light commercial: a house made out of beer cans. Don’t drink and build. Oh, and get a designated drywaller.

“Super Vision” on instant slo-mo replays. If it’s really Super Vision, shouldn’t we be able to see the players’ underwear?

We’re noticing a lot of sub-par haircuts in the stands. People really need to get to a Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club ASAP.

Phil Simms has “Phil-osophy.” He’s right on the bookshelves between Descartes and Vince Lombardi.

Jay Leno helping David Letterman advertise his show? Does this mean Peyton will start passing directly to the Saints?

Another Bud Light commercial: the “Lost” cast prefers some brewskis to actually getting off the island. They have a point. The show might make more sense if you’re drunk.

Dodge Charger – A Man’s Last Stand? Funny commercial, but couldn’t we go for a Lamborghini?

Okay, the Will. i. am remix of The Who’s “My Generation” and accompanying visuals are awesome.

The Saints stop the Colts and get another field goal before the half. Sentiment is getting more powerful.

“The Who” halftime show. Okay, the boys are old, but they still rock.

Oh, the Colts scored. Hey, wait. This is actually a good game.

The Saints score. They get the 2 point conversion on a challenge. This is a REALLY good game.

Re the earlier comment about Peyton passing directly to the Saints. Oops. It just happened. 31-17 with 3 minutes left.

Two minute warning. If only we had one of those in real life…

The Saints win!

Congrats to a team that deserved it and a city that definitely needed the lift. We’d like to cordially extend a free Kennedy’s haircut and straight razor shave offer to all the members of the New Orleans Saints – you guys can find the nearest Kennedy’s location near you at http://www.KennedysBarberClub.com.

Oh, and Jay and Dave? You guys are welcome too, as long as Conan can come along.

Has it been a while since you’ve changed your look? Do you even understand what the words “change your look” actually mean? Well guys, it’s a new decade, which we at Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® see as a perfect opportunity for change. It’s time to modernize your wardrobe or finally ditch that mullet and join the 21st century – even if you’re a decade too late. That’s why we tackled this delicate subject in our recent article, “The Kennedy’s Barber Club Guide to The Manly Makeover.”

But then we realized that we only told you what to do and left out what not to do. And a manly makeover can be pretty scary – if certain rules are not followed. So before you embark on your New Look for a New Decade, here are three makeover no-no’s to keep in mind.

1. Makeup is for women. Period. It is not 1982. You are not Billie Joe from Green Day or Adam Lambert. So leave the mascara, the eyeliner and the glitter in your wife’s (or girlfriend’s, or sister’s) drawer where it belongs.

2. Respect the hair you have on your head. Why? Because it looks like you. Different hair = a different guy. We’re not saying cutting it, shaping it and even shaving it all off is a no-no. But changing its color or (horror of horrors) curling it is. Ever seen a guy sitting under a hair dryer with his head covered with pieces of foil or little pink rollers? We rest our case.

3. Dress your age. That tight t-shirt with the hip slogan and men’s capris may look ever so slammin’ on the 16-year-old kid in the photo (although, in our humble opinion, no one really looks good in men’s capris). But you’re 40, and you’re the guy who has to wear it in public. So think before you buy.

Let’s face it – trying a new look can be a risky proposition. At least when it comes to your hair, you can count on Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®. We’ll give you “The Best Haircut and Straight Razor Shave You’ve Ever Had or It’s Free”™, and a style that will get you noticed…in a good way.

So look for the nearest Kennedy’s location near you – and find out about our awesome franchise opportunities – at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com. We promise, we don’t even own any hair dryers.

The Style Update You Might Not Know You Need

You brush and floss. You use antiperspirant. You make sure you’re wearing a clean shirt, and chances are it maybe actually matches your pants. You shave every day and visit the barbershop when your hair starts to resemble a small, furry animal. Maybe you even work out. But beyond those very basic basics, you probably don’t give all that much thought to your appearance. And why should you? You’ve got bigger things to worry about. Like your job. And golf.

We understand your predicament. You’re a guy. We’re guys too.

But that’s the whole problem. Because you’re a guy – because you probably don’t obsess over every little detail of your appearance at each and every moment of the day — your look might be stuck in a rut.

Seriously. You could be in one right now and not even know it.

So how do you find out? Well, for starters, take a good look in the mirror. And ask yourself these Very Important Questions.

#1. Are you sporting the same ‘do that worked wonders with the ladies back in high school? Even if you graduated in 1988?

#2. Are you wearing the exact same style of shirt you’ve favored for the past…say…15 years? And we hate to have to ask, but does it go beyond being the same style? Have you actually been wearing the same shirt for 15 years???

#3. Do you resemble, in any way, shape or form, Kenny Powers from “Eastbound and Down?”

If you answered “yes” – or even “maybe” – to any of those questions, we have some sobering news for you, friend.

You need a makeover.

Now before you lock yourself in the TV room with the Steelers and a case of beer, hear us out. A makeover doesn’t have to be some frou frou Tyra Banks thing with mud masks and eyebrow shaping. A guy’s makeover can be very…well…manly. Provided you go about the makeover process in the right way.

First, and this is very important – DO NOT ask any of the women in your life to make you over. You want to look like you, only updated. Not someone who was just visited by the team from “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.”

Second – consult some reputable men’s style magazines for a few ideas, or just check out websites like www.menshealth.com/style or www.gq.com/. Remember, the idea is not to completely duplicate the looks you see, but to get an idea of what might work for you. A style of jacket, or a new t-shirt cut. Nothing drastic. Just more modern, stylish versions of the kind of stuff you like anyway.

Lastly and most importantly, talk to a barber – we, of course, recommend a Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club™ pro – and let him or her know you want to update your look. An experienced barber will know what will and will not work with your face shape, with your hair texture and with your general look. He (or she) will know how to keep you looking like you. Only in this decade. Not the one where Guns ‘n Roses was popular.

For the ultimate male makeover, drop by your local Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club™ – where they guarantee “The Best Haircut and Straight Razor Shave You’ve Ever Had or It’s Free”™. Visit their website at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com to find the nearest Kennedy’s location near you – and if you’re in a moneymaking frame of mind, check out the great franchise opportunities available.

Oh, and if you’re not an “Eastbound and Down” viewer…this is Kenny Powers…

If you’re getting married – or if you know someone who’s getting married – we invite you to review our article, “Grooming the Groom”, which contains some useful tips to help any groom look his best.

All of us at Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® want whoever’s “taking the plunge” (isn’t there something vaguely threatening about that phrase?) to look like a million bucks on their wedding day. Of course, you’d prefer to just have that million bucks – that would make for quite the honeymoon – but we all do what we can.

And what Kennedy’s can do for you is offer you “The Ultimate Groom’s Experience,” our new special package for grooms, and, more importantly, their groomsmen.
It’s a delicate subject – what the men who will be standing up with you look like. After all, they’re your buds. Your pals. If you were in Australia, they’d be your mates. You can’t insult them.

But at the same time, you don’t want to have a bunch of guys that look too unruly for ZZ Top standing next to you as your beautiful bride approaches. You could end up guilty of being Unkempt by Association.

The answer? Drag them into the barbershop with you. Because “The Ultimate Groom’s Experience” includes a relaxing haircut, straight-razor shave, nose/ear and back waxing where available, complimentary beverages and, best of all, customized Kennedy’s cigars for all the groomsmen. Imagine all of you, puffing away on our luxury stogies, as the ceremony commences.

Also imagine all of you getting slapped in one single round like the Three Stooges. You don’t smoke cigars while you’re getting married! That went out in the 1930’s!
The “Experience” package is available to all grooms with a minimum of three groomsmen. Kennedy’s is also offering the groom three free months of membership, if one of his groomsmen becomes a new Kennedy’s member.

What better place for male bonding pre-wedding than a Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® location? If you said, “Well, there are bars,” we would have to reply, “Yes, and wasted grooms are so appreciated at weddings.” Plus, they’re usually the ones smoking cigars when they’re trying to repeat their vows.

Find out more about this special offer at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com/news/barbershop-franchise-kennedys-all-american-barber-club-now-offering-the-ultimate-grooms-experience.php . Because, gentlemen, and please don’t repeat this to any women, but you and your buds’ time at Kennedy’s just might be the best part of your wedding day!

It’s only one day, gentlemen – that is the primary thought to keep in your head.
After the wedding day, of course, you can feel free to spend as many hours as you wish sporting a two day stubble and your hair resembling a flattened squirrel. Well, we should say, as many hours as your new wife will tolerate – and don’t expect miracles in that department.

For your actual wedding day, however, the groom has just got to be properly groomed – or, for the rest of your married life, your spouse will be pointing emphatically at the large framed wedding picture of you two on the shelf and explaining in great detail just how horrible you look and why. She may do that anyway, but why aid the effort?
Instead, all of us at Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® want to give you a few general tips on how to look like a star as you walk down the aisle – and, when we say “star,” we’re talking Brad Pitt, not Seth Rogan.

It all really happens at the barbershop – preferably a Kennedy’s location, of course, where our barbers and staff are trained to make you “look like a gentleman – and feel like a man.”

Make a barber appointment well in advance of the morning of your nuptials – so you make sure to get in with your favorite barber at the time you wish to be attended to. And this is not the time for a Supercuts special or a quickie at the mall. Go to a quality barbershop that offers a lot of extras. We can think of one particular one that starts with a “K” but we hate to belabor the point.

Your face will end up being constantly photographed – much to your horror. So get a mini-facial, if it’s available, as well as having what we call “The Gent’s Wax” – which involves getting your ears, nose and eyebrows attended to so you don’t resemble the Wolfman. That would confuse many people, especially if it’s not even a full moon.

Then, you must – we repeat, must – have a professional straight razor shave. We don’t want to say your face will end up smooth as a baby’s bottom – we really don’t like the imagery – but a skilled barber (such as one that works at a barber franchise whose name rhymes with “Fennedy’s”) will leave you with a soft and silky magnificence. Whereas if you attempt to shave yourself, your nerves causing your hands to shake like Britney Spears in her latest music video, you just might wind up walking up the aisle with little pieces of toilet paper stuck to your various facial cuts. Not a good look.

Finally, let’s talk hair. Obviously, this isn’t the time to experiment with a Mohawk or the Bruce Willis’ chrome cranium look. Work with what the Lord gave you and what your barber knows he or she can do with it. You may want to get the haircut a couple days before the wedding, if you tend to want to spend the hours immediately following a trim hiding under your desk at work. You know your hair. You know what works. Go with that – and when in doubt, let your barber be your guide.

Make yourself look good – maybe even spring for the above treatments for your groomsmen – but, whatever you do, don’t make yourself look too amazing (if that’s an option – with many of us, we don’t have to worry about that ever being a possibility). It’s your bride’s day to shine – you merely have to appear to not have anything wrong with you. It’s harder than it sounds – but we’re sure you can pull it off, with the help of a quality barbershop that specializes in serving fine gentleman. Have we mentioned Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® , for example?

Find out more about how we can serve you and your groomsmen at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com/news/barbershop-franchise-kennedys-all-american-barber-club-now-offering-the-ultimate-grooms-experience.php. You might as well look your best before you spend the rest of your married life in old sweat pants and that ripped Nike t-shirt watching ESPN. Take it from us – your future wife will love you for it. The wedding day part, we mean, not the old sweat pants part.

It’s no secret that one of the reasons we started our Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® franchise was to help resuscitate one of the last bastions of guy goodness – the traditional barbershop. Before the 70’s came along, a man could count on going to a barbershop and being treated like a man, not to mention having ready access to a Sports Illustrated that was seven years old.

Then came the unisex chop shops with their weird yellow-green-pink color schemes and the next thing we knew, old Joe the Barber was selling out his business to make room for another pilates studio.

Today, men are under attack from all sides – they’ve lost jobs at a faster rate than women, they’re portrayed as moronic husbands on TV sitcoms, and Clint Eastwood is officially too old to ever play Dirty Harry again. No wonder testosterone levels have dropped about 20% in the past 20 years – soon, we’ll all be watching “Project Runway” and sipping Cosmopolitans.

That’s why all of us at Kennedy’s are excited at the new ad campaign for Dockers, just starting to roll out now. The “Wear the Pants™” ads are designed to sell manliness – and not a retro brand of masculinity where you have to go drink deer blood in the woods (sorry, all you “Red Dawn” fans), but one that fits modern life today.

The Dockers Revolution will be televised.

“The intent of the campaign is to put forth a new definition of masculinity, one that embraces strength and sensitivity and appeals to men who can change a tire AND a diaper,” says Jennifer Sey, Global VP of Marketing for Dockers. “We’re not trying to shame men. We want to make them laugh at themselves and at the state of manhood. And, at the same time, encourage them to dress up, man-up and embody today’s new definition of masculinity.”

Since Dockers is introducing their new manly campaign, we’re also going to introduce our new one – “Kennedy’s. Look like a gentleman. Feel like a man.” Meaning, we can make you can look your best, but, thanks to Kennedy’s classic barbershop ambiance, you’ll still get the most out of your guy-ness.

So man up yourself and head over to the nearest Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® franchise location for one of our signature straight razor shaves. Let’s all start increasing our testosterone, instead of watching it slowly seep away.

Start by switching from “Project Runway” to “American Gladiator.”

Find out more about us, our franchise locations and our franchise business opportunities at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com.

There’s been a whole lot of talk – and a few new laws created – over the safety issue of using cell phones while you’re driving a car. It’s unbelievable that some people try to text while they drive – there’s a reason why keyboards never became one of the standard dashboard instruments.

But while that particular problem has gotten all the media attention, another safety issue has gone completely ignored – that of using cell phones in a barbershop. Well, in little old New Zealand (which is not a part of Australia, by the way), one barber has taken a stand. Peter Bradley, co-owner of “The Stylish Man,” a barber franchise in the city of Auckland, has banned his patrons from using cell phones during haircuts.

“When people are running around trying to answer their phones it could be quite easy for them to get their ears cut,” Bradley told “The New Zealand Herald.” “It’s never happened but we’ve had a couple of close calls.”

While we can’t say any of our Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® customers has ever had a painful conclusion to one of their cell phone calls during a haircut, we understand Mr. Bradley’s point.

And we would also have to say that having a cell phone to your ear could also be dangerous on aesthetic grounds – the barber might be forced to trim around the phone, leaving the visible outline of an iPhone in the hair on the side of your head.

Nevertheless, we aren’t going to launch an official ban on cell phones at any of our Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® franchise locations. Frankly, most of the men who come into a barbershop are looking for a place where they won’t be told what to do.

However, there are a few additional activities, besides answering one’s cell phone, that our customers shouldn’t attempt in the barber chair, especially when receiving one of our sublime Straight Razor Shaves. They include:

• Flossing
• Forehead exercises
• Playing the harmonica

The management thanks you in advance for your cooperation.

Find out more about Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® , our franchise locations and our franchise business opportunities at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com.