Dave Gorman illustrates the risks of drunken bearded Googlewhacking.

08.9.2008 | 8:20 pm | Great Beards in History, Pogonophobia

You’ve got to be a pretty lonely and bored individual to take up Googlewhacking with any seriousness. What’s Googlewhacking you ask? Googlewhacking is where you do a Google search for two words and get just one result, or to quote Googleswhack.com, “Your goal: find that elusive query (two words - no quote marks) with a single, solitary result!”

Apparently, this was some type of fad back in the early part of this decade. I guess I missed it being too busy, you know, having a life. It would make sense then for a man drawn to such an obsessive compulsive and private pursuit to probably end up with a beard. Who has time to shave when you’re endlessly pairing obscure words together to find a Googlewhack?

Around 2003, English comic Dave Gorman got into Googlewhacking, grew a beard, and then decided to write a book about his search for other Googlewhackers called “Dave Gorman’s Googlewhack Adventure.” He also created a one-man powerpoint/stand-up show to help promote the book. As it usually does with great British comedy (Ali G, The Office) it takes a while for it to get across the pond. Anyway, better late than never, here’s a clip from the show where Dave explains why he’s going to be bearded for life.

Also, as a challenge to the pathologically bored that might be reading this, see how much of a Googlewhack you can get using the word “beard.” Here’s the best I got:

dommerers beards: 1 of 5 results

Most Googlewhacks make no sense, but I thought it’s more interesting if it does. A dommerer is a person who pretends to be a deaf, mute just to get money. I thought that dommerers would have beards, you know, for effect.  Alas, still not a true Googlewhack.

M. Meschery