So I’m watching Comedy Central’s “Royston Vasey” show, “The League of Gentlemen.” One of the running scenes from show to show is a job-seeker seminar for the locals who are trying to find employment. A character in these scenes is a thick-as-a-brick moron, a tallish guy with bad skin and a mullet haircut who probably needs help dressing himself in the morning.
Then it occurs to me: a mullet haircut?
For anyone who doesn’t know what a mullet is, it’s a style of haircut which is short on top but long in back. Here in the U.S., it’s the stereotypical hair of Camaro drivers and other assorted lowlifes. For pictures, check out Mullethead.com.
Making a long story short, my question is this: Is the mullet a universal sign of subhuman-ness? I was surprised to see that on a TV show based in some remote central/northern part of the United Kingdom, the mullethead has exactly the same role he does here. So I couldn’t help but wonder, is that true elsewhere? What does the mullethead signify in, say, Germany? Or Singapore? Or Swaziland? Or anywhere else our international Dopers might be? Are all mulletheads morons, across the globe? Or are there some places where this is the “cool” cut, a sign of higher status?
The readers of the SDMB want to know. (At least this one does.)
“What’s with the haircut? You know the haircut I mean. Short on top, long on the back. Only lesbians and Billy Ray Cyrus have that haircut. I call it the Mud Flap. That haircut is an achy-breaky-big-mistakey.” - Lea Delaria
A small clarification, based on matt_mcl’s post: My personal definition is that mulletheads are exclusively male. I’m not saying anything bad about lesbians here. Just in case there was any confusion.
Interestingly, aside from photographs/drawings, the one lesbian I knew personally who had this haircut was, indeed, an incredibly unpleasant individual.
I knew a few lesbians, almost all of them had a mullet haircut.
I think it is a universally ‘butch’ hairdo, regardless of sex. men wear it to look macho (pfft!), and then their hair doesnt get in their faces while they drive their camaros.
Goodness knows what North American’s make of shows like ‘The League of Gentlemen’ – does it make any sense to you (not being as in tune with social foibles as the locals) and how many of these kinds of shows do you get to see ? It’s very worrying.
I’d say a mullet (on a bloke) is pretty much a crime against humanity anywhere in the world – unless you happen to live in small town Deutschland where it seems compulsory headwear. Goes well with the lederhosen. “Suits you, sir !!”
Isn’t this just a longer variant on the hockey player haircut?
[hijack]
LondonCalling,
No offense meant, but League of Gentlemen is about as subtle as a whack in the forehead with a hammer. Knowledge of rural English social foibles isn’t needed to get the humor.
Speaking of “The League of Gentlemen,” is it truly filmed in the U.K.? I know at least 3 of the guys from Kids in the Hall are in it, but didn’t know they had hopped across the pond for doing a series.
Great link Quadzilla! I can’t tell how much I appreciate knowing that there’s a name for this stupid trailer-trash haircut that I’ve been seeing since the early eighties.
I recently saw one of the worst mullets ever. Fair warning folks… If you’re around 30 you’ve worked REALLLLY hard to supress the memory of this band, so maybe you want to skip this.
Anyone remember Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam? Lisa had the biggest baddest mullet ever. I dare you to name a worse one. Sorry for bringing back traumatic memories.
While this may not qualify as a mullet, this has to be the second stupidest hair cut ever. In fact, I would even venture to say that an ape-drape could considered a step up. As an added bonus you get the unique privledge of views from multiple angles.
Hah. Try cutting those stupid things. Whoever thought of that style didn’t take us poor haircutters into consideration-do you have any idea how hard it is to blend the area where the short and long meet? sob
[ Quick side-issue hijack]
The cast of ‘The League of Gentlemen’ are indeed English - there are only 3 (I think) main cast members play numerous characters.
Granted, they do like some of the guys from TKITH (…I’m crushing your head… :))
[ /Quick side-issue hijack]
ahh, the mullett. It was once the european sighn of a checkoslovackian hockey player… but is now more a sign of the 80’s DJ then stupidity… (Pat Sharpe, where are you now)
(London_Calling) I dont think they’d get the “Suit you , Sir” line. "Does she like it sir, does she???
According to section 401(k) of the U.S. Tax Code, employers are allowed to set up a retirement program for employees where the employee can elect up to 15% of their income to be withheld before taxes and placed in an account for their retirement. The employer can optionally match some of the employee’s contributions, up to a total of 20% of the employee’s salary. (I think.) In any case, there is a maximum dollar amount the employee can contribute, $10,500 this year but it increases roughly with inflation.
The accounts as set up by the employer typically have a handful of investment options - the employee can decide how to allocate their funds among them.
When you quit your job, you can receive the money in the 401(k) account directly, after paying a 10% penalty and any tax you need to pay on this money, or you can roll it over into an IRA which is a similarly tax sheltered account, but which is entirely in the employee’s control.
At age 59.5 you are allowed to start withdrawing money from the account without paying the penalty.
Erm, wait a minute. Weren’t we just discussing mullets?