I'd demand my money back...

[Lord Jim]

France's Socialist President Pays Nearly $11,000 A Month For Haircuts



French President Francois Hollande's coif — dark, thinning on top — hasn't really been a subject of conversation, until now. He's facing a scandal after it emerged that he pays a hairdresser nearly $11,000 (9,895 euros) every month.

The scandal, which has been dubbed #CoiffeurGate, was first reported by French satirical and investigative newspaper Le Canard Enchaine. French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll later confirmed the story and "tried to defend his boss," according to The Associated Press.

"I can understand the questions, I can understand that there are judgements," said Le Foll, as AFP reported. "Everyone has their hair done, don't they?"

The amount Hollande pays his personal hairdresser is roughly the same as a government minister's salary, according to The New York Times. The job comes with significant responsibilities: the hairdresser is "committed to secrecy and needs to be available 24/7," France 24 reported.

"He missed the birth of his children," the hairdresser's lawyer Sarah Levy told Le Canard Enchaine, according to France 24. He's been identified only as Olivier B.

The scandal has "the French public bristling over such extravagant spending by a Socialist president," as AFP reported. He faces "persistently low" approval ratings, as the Times reported, and "has been forced to agree to a primary among left-leaning parties, including his own Socialists, to settle on a candidate for president next year — a first for a sitting president."

Hollande's former partner Valérie Trierweiler defended him in a post on Twitter. "Let's be fair: F. Hollande was not aware of the hairdresser's salary," [yeah that makes it a lot better...Here's who you want managing your country's finances; a guy who doesn't even know that he's paying 11 grand a month to his barber...] she said. "I can attest to his anger when he learned about it later."



Meanwhile, French citizens are posting pictures on Twitter of haircuts that they see as more worthy of such a handsome price tag. Here are a few suggestions:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/ ... r-haircuts

[Long Run]

Echoes of the Clinton hairgate. The article is vague about who pays for the stylist, but the Washington Post states that this is a taxpayer funded expense. On the other hand, if they elect a Socialist, why would the voters be surprised that the wealth gets spread around.

[Crackpot]

I somehow doubt that he's the only "customer" for that price.

[Crackpot]

And that was John Edwards long run.

[Lord Jim]

It was both of them:

EDWARDS: HAIR CUTS FROM $1,250 to $12.95

In 2007, U.S. Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, who pledged to alleviate poverty, raised a brow or two after his campaign disclosed that he'd received two $400 haircuts.

The pricy hairdresser Joseph Torrenueva said he upped the regular price of $150 because of travel expenses involved in going to meet the silken-haired Edwards on the campaign trail. Torrenueva added that one haircut cost $1,250 as he had to fly to Atlanta and miss two days of work.

The exorbitant haircuts didn't help Edwards, with then-Senator Barack Obama winning the Democratic nomination.

In 2012, Edwards was spotted at the humble, no-appointment chain SuperCuts — where a men's snip sets you back a populist-friendly $12.95.

BILL CLINTON'S HAIR FORCE ONE

In 1993, President Bill Clinton provoked consternation when he grounded the presidential plane — Air Force One — in Los Angeles, causing two runways at the airport to close for an hour.

The reason? His hair.

Belgian-American stylist Cristophe Schatteman gave the president a $200 haircut as the giant taxpayer-funded plane sat on the tarmac with its engines running. The move delayed some flights, but some media later claimed those delays were exaggerated by Clinton's critics.

More:

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/cb2cd9db ... over-years

[Guinevere]

Makes a $200 haircut look like nothing, was my thought.

I probably spend $1000 a year on my hair upkeep. Apparently I'm getting quite the bargain.

[dales]

She asks me why, I'm just a hairy guy
I'm hairy noon and night, hair that's a fright
I'm hairy high and low, don't ask me why, don't know
It's not for lack of bread, like the grateful Dead, darlin'

Give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen
Give me down to there, hair, shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there, momma, everywhere, daddy, daddy

Hair, flow it, show it
Long as God can grow, my hair

Let it fly in the breeze and get caught in the trees
Give a home to the fleas, in my hair
A home for fleas, a hive for the buzzing bees
A nest for birds, there ain't no words
For the beauty, splendor, the wonder of my hair

Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow, my hair

I want long, straight, curly, fuzzy, snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty
Oily, greasy, fleecy, shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen
Knotted, polka dotted, twisted, beaded, braided
Powered, flowered and confettied
Bangled, tangled, spangled and spahettied

Oh say, can you see my eyes if you can
Then my hair's too short
Down with here, down to there
Down till there, down to where it's stuck by itself

They'll be ga-ga at the go-go, when they see me in my toga
My toga made of blond, brilliantined, biblical hair
My hair like Jesus wore it, Hallelujah I adore it
Hallelujah Mary loved her son, why don't my mother love me?

Hair, flow it, show it
Long as God can grow
My hair, flow it, show it
Long as God can grow
My hair, flow it, show it
Long as God can grow
My hair

[oldr_n_wsr]

Makes a $200 haircut look like nothing, was my thought.

I probably spend $1000 a year on my hair upkeep. Apparently I'm getting quite the bargain.

Other than the cost of the clippers ($30 some ten years ago), my haircuts have been free as I do it myself.

[Lord Jim]

Other than the cost of the clippers ($30 some ten years ago), my haircuts have been free as I do it myself.

Gee oldr, there seems to be no end to your self-sufficiency...

Do you churn your own butter and make all your own clothes too?

[MGMcAnick]

I usually get my hair cut about every eight weeks, with a Mrs Mc touch up in between. I'm spending about $60 a year. My barber, of 30 years standing, is a retired police officer. He gets $12 per cut, unless you're a current police officer. Those, mostly buzzcuts, are free. I recently qualified for his senior citizen discount, done to encourage those no longer in the workforce to come in while others are at work. Since I'm still working, I usually try for the first (9:00 AM) haircut on a Tuesday or Thursday. Sometimes a friend of mine beats me to it. We like them fresh...

[oldr_n_wsr]

Do you churn your own butter and make all your own clothes too?

I prefer pure lard and going naked.
sometimes together.

[Lord Jim]

I prefer pure lard and going naked.
sometimes together.

[oldr_n_wsr]

Glad to help

[Bicycle Bill]

Do you churn your own butter and make all your own clothes too?

I prefer pure lard and going naked.
sometimes together.

Please pass the brain bleach.  I desperately need to try to that image out of my mind.

-"BB"-

[Econoline]

Here ya go!

[Bicycle Bill]

Thanks, Mr. Weisenheimer.

-"BB"-

[rubato]

I get my hair cut every one to three years. 5 minutes or less, usually. My wife has done it since we married. I think I'm at 1.5 years right now.


yrs,
rubato

[Econoline]

Down to here
Down to there
Down to there
Down to where
It stops by itself

• (Don't ever have to cut
  'Cause it stops by itself)

...works for me.

(Of course, I'm also balding, so that helps, too. )