The Mane Attraction

Also known as The Bi-Level, The Kentucky Waterfall, The Missouri Compromise – the mullet has actually been around since ancient times but soared to popularity in the late 1980s.

Known as business in the front and party in the back, the mullet has actually been a part of Beaver Dam’s Scott Collard’s life for over 30 years.

His “party in the back” hair is most likely the first thing one notices if they run into Collard – all 22 inches of it to be exact.

It is quite the attraction when he is out in public, he said, as people often comment on it and ask if they can get a photo.

“I started letting my hair grow in 1987 when I was in high school and just kept letting it grow from then,” Collard said. “I trim the back up every once in a while to try and keep it healthy but I have not cut my hair short since I was in high school.”

While it isn’t short in the back, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t get a haircut. In fact, it is his mullet hairstyle, with the “business” cut in front, that Collard is best known for.

“It has become part of who I am and what I’m kind of known for,” he said.

It is this hairstyle that has landed him some national attention as a finalist in the USA Mullet Championships.

Collard said the USA Mullet Championships began last year when a contest for kids showcasing their mullets went viral in September. The contest now has divisions for adults as well with a 55+ contest called “The Legends” and a women’s competition for the best “Femullet.” Currently, Collard and 25 other men are vying for the title of men’s mullet champ.

“I think there was something like 100 people who put in (to be in the competition). They had to send in like 10 photos and those were posted on Facebook and the 25 with the most likes made it into the championships.”

Although he originally had no plans to enter the competition, Collard has served as a spokesperson of sorts for the website as they had sent him stuff in the mail such as t-shirts and banners. When he learned that half of the entry fee from the event goes to the Stop Soldier Suicide organization, he wanted to donate without entering.

“They said, ‘No man, you’ve got to get in on it.’”

Voting is now taking place at mulletchamp.com through 11:59 eastern time on Aug. 29. All you need to vote is a valid e-mail address. The USA Mullet Championship has teamed up with sponsor Manscaped to offer a cash prize of $2,500 to the first-place winner as well as a trophy and other prizes.

Collard said that many of the guys in the competition have only been sporting mullets for a couple of years, his has been around for over 30 years which has earned him the nickname of Mullet “Godfather” on social media.

“I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t have (a mullet),” he said. “My wife wouldn’t know me (without it) if I walked in the door.”

He said that his hair isn’t hard to take care of and is something that you just get used to over time.

“I’ve learned what to do and what not to do,” he said, such as wearing it in a ponytail while at work or sticking it down his shirt while working on cars.

Since he was a young boy, Collard said he has had a fascination with hair. One of his favorite Bible stories as a kid was Samson, who got his strength from his uncut hair. He waited until high school before he started growing it out because his “momma didn’t like long hair.”