Trudeau’s mane has become a national sport
Counting the days under virus lockdown by the length of Canadian PM’s hair
It’s moppish. It’s unruly. It’s mesmerising. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s hair has long been a subject of fascination, ridicule and adulation in Canada. But three months into the coronavirus pandemic, as he has appeared day after day at televised briefings to answer questions — and sweep the bangs off his face — commentary on Trudeau’s mane has become a national sport.
Was it the pandemic version of a hockey playoff beard? Was he embodying the inner haggardness of the nation, stuck at home for months?
Letters to the editor have been written and newspaper columns crafted. Videos of his hair flip — and the beard he started before the virus struck — have been set to various styles of music and uploaded to YouTube. One has garnered more than 265,000 views.
Trudeau might be the country’s prime minister, but he is following the rules and not getting a haircut like much of his unkempt nation, with residents of Ontario, the most populous province, and Montreal barred from visiting barber shops and salons since March.
Still, Trudeau is a master of image branding, and most people believe there is a political point.
For three months, Trudeau has held the briefings as often as seven times a week, speaking directly to a captive audience. For many, his briefings have become daily goalposts, his growing hair like a wall chart documenting the days under lockdown.
“It’s this intimate, almost nervous reaction,” Katy Jean said of the prime minister’s habit of running his hand through his locks.
Jean, a stay-at-home mom in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, has watched all but two of Trudeau’s briefings since March 16. She calls him ‘Handsome One’ in tweets and has posted various gifs of his hair management.