Symbols of San Francisco:

1. Golden Gate Bridge
2. Transamerica Pyramid
3. Lombard Street
and until recently…

4. Mayor Gavin Newsom’s famously shellacked hair

Take a look at the before & after:

If you’re not a San Francisco resident, you probably don’t realize what a big deal this is. But for those of us who live here, Mayor Gavin Newsom’s hair was something we didn’t necessarily like, but that we could depend on, much like like our earthquakes and cold summers. Landing at SFO, one looks out the window and admires the San Francisco Bay, Twin Peaks, the bridges, and Gavin Newsom’s Hair. And now, without fanfare, the city is changed forever.

This is certain to shake up local politics. Up until now, it was accepted wisdom across the San Francisco political spectrum that Gavin Newsom would easily walk away with the title of America’s Most Handsome Mayor, were it not for The Hair. Without The Hair, we can expect to see heated debate over whether or not Gavin Newsom is more, or less handsome than before. Science has shown us that that a handsome mayor is a good mayor, so a split on this critical issue could result in a divisive reelection campaign. In addition, in San Francisco’s gay community The Hair was seen as proof positive that despite his good looks and strong advocacy for gay marriage rights, he could not possibly be gay. Is San Francisco really ready for a Mayor who is perceived as gay?
For more information, visit: San Francisco Chronicle, “Where were you the day Gavin changed his ‘do?” (10/06/2006)