Al Lamberti Faces Tough Questions -- About His Mustache

Flickr: JayMon

Wyatt Earp: Pioneer sheriff; pioneer mustache

​Way back on Friday, when it was still October and Scott Rothstein was still a pillar of Broward County society, I spoke with Sheriff Al Lamberti. Not about Rothstein, who was a major a campaign fundraiser of Lamberti's. Rather, I spoke to Lamberti about his mustache.

I realize that such topics seem a bit trivial compared to the topic that will rule today's news cycle, but I still feel obligated to post that interview if only to correct the record to reflect Lamberti's being a good sport for a goofy blog series and a charitable cause.

In promoting "Movember," I sought to convince locals that mustaches really are a mark of distinguished, powerful gentleman, and I recognized Lamberti for boasting the region's third-most formidable 'stache. That post, however, lists several hard-hitting questions that went unanswered. After the jump, Lamberti himself solves his own mustache mysteries.

Before I could even ask my first question, Lamberti turned the tables on me: "What I want to know is whether you are growing a mustache?" I explained, feebly, that the contest lasts only a month and that's not enough time for my facial growth to make itself evident. Totally emasculated, I pressed forward with my questions, which I listed in last week's post.

When did you first grow your mustache?
I was right out of high school, so I guess I was 18. I had to shave it off in boot camp. But I grew it back before the police academy. So I guess I've had it for 32 years.

And during this period, did you have the support of friends and family? Or did you grow this mustache against the grain?
I think it helped that my father always had a mustache. Every picture I saw of him, he had a mustache. I saw a picture of him in the Navy at 18 and he had one. I asked my mom, and she said she had never seen him without a mustache. He must have had his for about 63 years.

Flickr: shin furukawa

Rollie Fingers

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Why are mustaches so popular with men in the law enforcement community?
I've been thinking about that question, and the best theory I have: I think it must go back to the Old West. Sheriffs and lawmen in the Old West -- at OK Corral, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday -- they all wore mustaches. And I think it's just a continuation of that tradition.

Your colleague to the north, Ric Bradshaw, sports a 'stache. Care to offer a commentary?
He beats me out in the fullness department -- mine's a little follically challenged. But I still think I have the better mustache.

Who was your mustache icon?
Well, of course, my dad was my role model, but if you're talking about famous person, I would have to go with Rollie Fingers.