The mustachioed face of Birthright gets handlebarred in Anchorage

Alas, it wasn’t meant to be for Alexander Antebi.

The reigning World Imperial Moustache Champion of the world could not defend his title.

Instead of repeating the award he won in 2007, Antebi, the lead singer for the band Conquistador, placed third in the World Beard and Moustache Championships held in May in Anchorage, Alaska, according to the LA Times.

Antebi, pictured above in his contest-day best, became the first Jew to hold the title when he took the award in England in 2007.

And the Los Angeles-based musician, who is also a DJ and fashion designer – and an alumnus of Birthright Israel — told JTA via email before the championships that he had hoped to be a spokesman for the Jewish people in Anchorage.

“Unfortunately and not like our past, these are anti-Jewish times. As a unique member of the tribe, I feel a responsibility to be Jewish and visible in order to take apart the boxes, stereotypes and preconceptions that people have formed world wide,” he wrote. “I attribute my reaffirmation of faith and culture to Taglit-Birthright Israel. I have benefited tremendously from my trip to Israel and would very much like to work with your organization to target opinion-leading taste makers, trend setters, cultural influencers and other mavens.”

Even though he didn’t win, perhaps we can take some helpful hints from Antebi on how to grow a killer stache at the time.

“There are certain nuances to having a good moustache,” Antebi told the Forward in an interview shortly after his 2007 victory. “When I get out of the shower, I wait until it’s still slightly damp. I use a moustache comb. Then I apply Hungarian moustache wax to my moustache evenly. If I get the timing wrong, then it is a nightmare.”

For more insight into who is Alexander Antebi, check out this interview he gave to the American Mustache Institute.

Within it, you’ll find such golden nuggets as this:

Q: How do women react to your mustache? Are you single?
A: I am a single dependent, when and who you catch me with. Looking is free, but touching costs. The good news is that you get a free mustache ride with every purchase. Women and girls alike are intrigued by it. They always want to touch it and want to know what it feels like to kiss a geezer with a big mustache.

I was talking with a beautiful Australian strawberry-blonde creative director from London, who was telling me that men of the stache can get away with a lot more than those with a lack thereof. For example, when we wink it is cute and funny as opposed to the man with a lack of upper lip machismo whose wink comes off as weird and slimy. A wink and a kiss from a man with a mustache tickles the soul.