an Interview with Wyatt

Q: How and when did you establish The House of Wyatt? A: I STARTED THE NAME AS A JOKE IN 1977 WHEN I FIRST STARTED CUTTING  HAIR FOR FRIENDS...AND THE NAME HAS STUCK EVER SINCE.   Q:  Is THoW a club, or are you open to all comers? A: THE HOUSE OF WYATT IS OPEN TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO HAVE A  GREAT OR A DIFFERENT HAIRCUT.   Q: Where exactly is your BarberShop? A: I'VE BEEN CUTTING HAIR OUT OF MY HOME OUTSIDE OF LENA, ILLINOIS.   ABOUT 2 HOURS WEST OF CHICAGO.   Q: Do you have a traditional salon or is a home workshop? A: I LIKE TO CALL IT A BARBERSHOP, ALTHOUGH I JUST CUT HAIR IN A ROOM  OFF  OF MY LIVING ROOM.   Q: What hours do you barber? A: IF I'M UP, I'M OPEN. I'VE DONE HAIRCUTS AS EARLY AS 6AM AND AS LATE AS 3AM. ONE NIGHT I HAD A FRIEND STOP OVER AT 3AM FOR A CUT. HE WAS IN THE ARMY RESERVES AND HAD BEEN HOME ON LEAVE FOR 3 WEEKS. I WAS OUT OF TOWN FOR HIS LAST WEEKEND HOME AND HE NEEDED TO GET HIS HAIRCUT BEFORE HE WENT BACK.   Q: Do your Clients have to make an appointment? A: NO THEY DON'T HAVE TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS, BUT I ASK THAT THEY CALL ME FIRST SO THAT I CAN LET THEM KNOW WHAT TIME WILL WORK OUT BEST. WALK-INS ARE OK, BUT THOSE WHO CALL AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT GETS THEIR HAIRCUT FIRST.   Q: What is your average charge? A: I DON'T CHARGE FOR MY HAIRCUTS.  IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GIVE ME A DONATION I WOULD ACCEPT THAT.  BUT I HAVE NO FEES POSTED.  I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SOMEONE A HAIRCUT WHEN THEY WANT IT WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT MONEY. I AM REWARDED IN MANY OTHER WAYS INSTEAD OF MONEY.   Q: What is your favourite style haircut? A: I LIKE THE FLATTOP BEST. NEXT WOULD BE AN IVY LEAGUE AND THEN THE SHAVED HEAD.   Q: Do you prefer the tapered finish or square cut? A: I PREFER TAPERING. IT JUST LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME FRIENDS THAT WANT THE BACK SQUARED OFF (SOME WANT ROUNDED). I ALWAYS GIVE THE CUSTOMER WHAT THEY WANT, NO MATTER MY PREFERENCE. Q: Short and very short hair seems to the the fashion ot the House of Wyatt. Is this because you are a specialist short-hair cutter? A; I DON'T KNOW WHY EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE GOING REAL SHORT AND SHAVED, BUT HEY, I'M NOT COMPLAINING. THESE PEOPLE MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS ON THE CUT THEY WANT....I JUST CUT IT FOR THEM. Q: Can you colour and curl as well as cut? A: I DO SOME COLORING. RIGHT NOW, HIGH SCHOOL BOYS LOVE CHANGING THEIR HAIR COLOR TO BLONDE, ALMOST WHITE. SO I ACCOMODATE THEM WHEN I CAN.     Q: Do you specialise in younger clientele? A: YES I DO.... SINCE I AM ACTIVE WITH MY CHURCH YOUTH GROUP AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, A LOT OF MY CUSTOMERS ARE YOUNGER. RANGING IN AGE FROM 13 TO 25. THE MAJORITY OF ALL THE HAIRCUTS I DO ARE FOR JR. HIGH, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AGE KIDS (ABOUT 200 OF THEM). THE REST ARE YOUNG ADULTS THE GUYS THAT WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL 11 YEARS AGO STILL COME OUT HERE...IN FACT A FEW OF THEM ARE BRINGING THEIR KIDS OUT HERE NOW FOR CUTS. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OLDER MEN THAT COME OUT AND, GET THIS, A BEAUTICIAN!!!!! YES, A BEAUTICIAN COMING TO A BARBER FOR A CUT....ISN'T THAT DIFFERENT! SEVERAL OF THE BEAUTICIANS IN THE AREA SEND PEOPLE MY WAY WHEN THEY CAN'T DO A SHORT CUT LIKE THE CUSTOMER WANTS. EVEN THE SONS OF SOME OF THESE BEAUTICIANS COME OUT HERE FOR THEIR CUTS....BECAUSE MOM CUTS THE HAIR THE WAY SHE WANTS IT, AND DOESN'T "FADE IT" SHORT ENOUGH FOR THEIR LIKING. Q: Do you have a THoW uniform? A: NO WAY! WHATEVER I HAPPEN TO WEAR THAT DAY IS WHAT I CUT HAIR IN. I FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WEARING NORMAL STREET CLOTHES INSTEAD OF A UNIFORM.     Q: Where do your Clients come from? A: THEY COME FROM ALL OVER....PRIMARILY FROM THE SMALL COMMUNITES SURROUNDING MY HOUSE. I'VE CUT HAIR FOR FRIENDS THAT LIVE 2-3 HOURS AWAY. THEY WON'T LET ANYONE ELSE BUT ME CUT THEIR HAIR. I'VE ALSO CUT A LOT OF HAIR FOR FOREGIN EXCHANGE STUDENTS FROM BRAZIL, GERMANY, FRANCE, SPAIN, JAPAN, CANADA AND RUSSIA.   Q: Is it right that you are official barber for      a.schools, b.classes, c.teams d.clubs? A: I AM NOT AN OFFICIAL BARBER FOR ANYONE ONE GROUP, BUT MOST OF THE KIDS COME OUT HERE BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE CUTS I GIVE AND THEY HAVE A GOOD TIME WHEN VISITING. I HAVE A 52 INCH BIG SCREEN TV. AND FOR CHRISTMAS LAST YEAR 35 KIDS POOLED THEIR MONEY AND BOUGHT ME A SONY PLAYSTATION VIDEO GAME.IT LOOKS AWESOME ON THE BIG SCREEN. I ALSO HAVE A BIG HOME ENTERTAINMENT CENTER WHICH INCLUDES A RECEIVER, D.A.T. DECK, MINIDISC,CD PLAYER, REEL TO REEL, CASSETTE DECK,TURNTABLE, HI-FI STEREO VCR AND, YES, AN 8 TRACK PLAYER. MY SPEAKERS ARE MADE LOCALLY BY MTX.   Q: How are you appointed to be official barber? A: I'M NOT AN OFFICIAL BARBER, BUT 90 PERCENT OF THOSE ON THE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL TEAM COME OUT TO THE HOUSE OF WYATT FOR THEIR HAIRCUTS.AND ON A REGULAR BASIS TOO. DURING FOOTBALL SEASON THE TEAM COMES OUT ON THURSDAY NIGHT BEFORE FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAME. DURING BASKETBALL SEASON.THE PLAYERS COME OUT ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND SOMETIMES THURSDAY NIGHT FOR A CUT. Q. Do your younger Clients have to have a clearance from parents before you will give them short or radical cuts or shaved? A. NO, NOT REALLY. TODAY, PARENTS WILL LET THEIR KIDS GET ANY HAIRCUT THEY WANT. IF THE KIDS WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING REALLY DIFFERENT AND WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT, I, ALONG WITH THE PARENTS, WOULD RATHER SEE THEM DO SOMETHING WITH THEIR HAIR RATHER THEN DRUGS. HAIR GROWS BACK. Q..  Wyatt you have quite a few clients who have their heads shaved, probably a lot more than most barber shops. What do you think is the reason for this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hat happens when your clients have their head shaved for the first time?. Are they usually pleased, or regret going under the razor? A: I HAVE NEVER HAD A DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER....EVERYONE HAS LEFT THE HOUSE LIKING THE HAIRCUT THEY RECEIVED, ESPECIALLY THE BALD ONES. THEY ARE ALWAYS LEAVING THE HOUSE RUBBING THEIR HEAD. ABOUT HALF OF THOSE WHO SHAVE THEIR HEADS KEEP IT THAT WAY, THE OTHER HALF HAVE KEPT IT REAL SHORT OR HAVE TRIED THE SHAVE AGAIN. Q. Do you get any aggravation from parents? A. NEVER.PARENTS HAVE MADE COMMENTS THAT THEY'RE NOT CRAZY ABOUT A PARTICULAR STYLE, BUT THERE ARE WORSE THINGS THEY CAN BE DOING.I HAVE NEVER HAD A PARENT CALL ME BECAUSE OF A HAIRCUT THEIR BOY GOT.   Q. Where did you learn barbering? A. OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO DO ...RADIO OR BARBERING. I CHOSE BARBERING AND STARTED TO ATTEND BARBER SCHOOL. ONE DAY WHEN LISTENING TO A LOCAL RADIO STATION, I WON A PRIZE. I WENT OUT TO PICK UP MY PRIZE AND THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE RADIO STATION KNEW I LIKED RADIO (I USED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME THERE) AND OFFERED ME A JOB AT THE STATION IF I WENT TO BROADCAST SCHOOL, LEARNED THE TRICKS OF THE TRADE AND GOT MY F.C.C. LICENSE. SO I DECIDED TO LEAVE BARBER SCHOOL AND GET INTO RADIO. BUT IN THE LITTLE OVER A MONTH I WAS IN BARBER SCHOOL I LEARNED ENOUGH TO GET ME STARTED.   Q. Where did you practice your haircutting skills, and on whom? A. ALWAYS PRACTICED AT HOME ON FRIENDS. THEN FRIENDS STARTED INVITING THEIR FRIENDS OVER. I MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT BECAUSE THEY KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE.   Q. What did you do before THoW? A. RADIO. I STILL DO IT PART TIME, WORK ANOTHER JOB FULL TIME AND THE HOUSE OF WYATT KEEPS GROWING AND SO DOES THE HOURS I PUT INTO IT.   Q. What is your own style? A. RIGHT NOW I HAVE A #1 BUZZ. I WANT TO GROW MY HAIR OUT SO I CAN TRY AN IVY LEAGUE, OR EVEN A FLATTOP AGAIN. BUT WITH ALL THIS EQUIPMENT HERE IT IS HARD TO LET MY HAIR GROW.   Q. Who cuts your hair? A. I'VE LET SEVERAL PEOPLE CUT MY HAIR. RIGHT NOW WHENEVER MY FRIEND JEROD IS NOT AROUND (HE IS IN COLLEGE 2 HOURS AWAY) I JUST BUZZ IT MYSELF. I TAUGHT JEROD HOW TO DO A GOOD HIGH AND TIGHT.   Q. What is your own hair type and colour? A. MY HAIR IS STRAIGHT AND DARK BROWN. THE GRAY STARTED SHOWING UP (JOB RELATED STRESS IN RADIO). THAT'S WHY I KEEP IT SHORT NOW.   Q. What hairstyles have you worn yourself? A. I'VE HAD CREWCUTS, BUTCHES, FLATTOPS, REGULAR TAPERS, AND I HAVE SHAVED MY HEAD SEVERAL TIMES. I'M ONE WHO ALWAYS LIKES TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IF I DON'T LIKE IT, I CAN LET IT GROW OUT OR JUST SHAVE IT OFF.   Q. Do you build your own Web Site? A. ONE NIGHT AFTER BOWLING, I TOLD MY FRIEND TROY (A THoW CUSTOMER) THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT A WEBPAGE ON SHOWING SOME OF THE HAIRCUTS THAT I HAVE DONE.     Q. Do your Clients mind being photographed? A. THEY DON'T MIND AT ALL. I ASK EVERYONE BEFORE I TAKE THEIR PICTURE IF IT IS OK AND I TELL THEM MY INTENTIONS. ONLY 2 HAVE ASKED THAT I DON'T TAKE THEIR PICTURE.   Q. ….. and posted on the Web? A. I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF KIDS ASK IF I WOULD TAKE THEIR HAIRCUTTING PICTURE AND PUT IT ON THE WEB.     Q. What do you talk to your Clients about when you are cutting their hair? A. EVERYTHING FROM HOW THEIR DAY IN SCHOOL WAS, TO SPORTS, AND YES, THE WEATHER. IF THERE IS A BIG GAME COMING UP, THAT IS THE ONLY TOPIC OF DISCUSSION. WE DON'T TALK TO MUCH ABOUT HAIRCUTS. Q. Do you have a family? A. I AM SINGLE AND LOVING IT. MY PARENTS LIVE AN HOUR AWAY. MY BROTHER AND TWO SISTERS AND MARRIED.     Q. How old are you? A. I AM 39, FEEL LIKE I'M 20. Q. Where were you educated? A. I GRADUATED FROM ORANGEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, ORANGEVILLE, IL. I ALSO ATTENDED CAREER ACADEMY OF RADIO BROADCASTING IN MILWAUKEE.   Q. What style of clothing do you prefer? A. I HAVE NO ONE PARTICULAR STYLE THAT I LIKE. I DISLIKE REAL BAGGY JEANS LIKE SOME OF THE KIDS TODAY WEAR.     Q. What is your favourite sport? A. BASKETBALL. I FOLLOWED THE BULLS FAITHFULLY UNTIL THIS YEAR. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN HAVING A GOOD YEAR, SO THE ENTHUSIASM IS DOWN A LITTLE. I REALLY ENJOY HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL, BECAUSE ALL OF THE PLAYERS COME OUT FOR THEIR CUTS. THEY SUPPORT ME BY COMING OUT HERE AND I SUPPORT THEM BY ATTENDING THEIR GAMES.   Q. Do you, or did you, play any sport? A. NO, I DIDN'T PLAY ANY SPORTS IN SCHOOL. I DO PLAY SOME BASKETBALL WITH THE KIDS.   Q. What do you like to read? A. THE BIBLE, INFORMATIONAL BOOKS, ANYTHING TO DO WITH MUSIC AND BARBERING.   Q. What are your favourite      Movies? A. I HAVE 3 FAVORITE MOVIES...."I'M GONNA GET YOU SUCKA", "SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT" AND "PORKY'S".  I LIKE COMEDYS.      TV shows? MY FAVORITE TV SHOWS TODAY ARE DATELINE NBC, TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL AND SOUTH PARK.  MY FAVORITE OLD TV SHOWS ARE SANFORD AND SON, THE JEFFERSONS, THE HONEYMOONERS, WKRP IN CINCINNATI AND THE LITTLE RASCALS. I AM AN AVID RASCALS COLLECTOR.       Theatre?       Music? I LIKE ALL KINDS OF MUSIC. I AM NOT REALLY FOND OF CLASSICAL, COUNTRY OR POLKAS BUT WILL LISTEN TO THEM ON OCCASION. MY FAVORITE TYPE OF MUSIC IS CLASSIC ROCK, (FOREIGNER, E.L.O., GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, GUESS WHO, C.C.R.) I DON'T LIKE TODAYS METAL AND RAP. THERE'S NO MUSICAL VALUE TO IT. SOME RAP IS OK, ESPECIALLY THE EARLIER RAP THAT YOU COULD DANCE TO. LYRICS IN TODAY'S MUSIC ARE OFFENSIVE TO ME. TO MUCH KILLING AND CUSSING.   Q. What type of car do you drive? A. I HAVE ONLY OWNED 1 CAR, AND THAT WAS A 1969 CHEVY NOVA...AND THAT WAS IN THE EARLY 80'S...OTHER THAN THAT ALL I HAVE OWNED HAVE BEEN TRUCKS. RIGHT NOW I OWN A 1992 CHEVY S-10.   Q. Have you travelled? A. NOT REALLY.... I DID TAKE A WEEK LONG VACATION AWAY FROM HERE ONCE.       Where? ORLANDO, FLORIDA. THAT IS THE FARTHEST I HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM HOME AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I FLEW IN AN AIRPLANE.  WHAT AN EXPERIENCE THAT WAS!   Q. What are your hobbies? A. CUTTING HAIR IS MY FAVORITE HOBBY. LISTENING TO MUSIC IS ANOTHER.   Q. What is your favourite season? A. SPRING IS MY FAVORITE. IT'S NOT TO HOT AND NOT TO COLD. Q. What is your favourite food? A. PIZZA IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE, FOLLOWED BY TACOS, STEAKS, SPAGHETTI AND LASAGNA. Wyatt's Words: THIS WEB PAGE HAS TURNED INTO SOMETHING MORE GRATIFYING THAN I EVER IMAGINED.   NOT ONLY DO I GET TO SHOW EVERYONE, WHO IS INTO HAIRCUTS LIKE MYSELF, MY TALENTS, BUT I HAVE MADE NEW FRIENDS TOO AND GIVEN THEM HAIRCUTS TOO.   I REALLY ENJOY CHATTING WITH VISITORS TO MY WEBPAGE AND I LIKE THE POSITIVE COMMENTS I RECEIVE ABOUT MY WEBPAGE.   I HAD NEVER MET A GAY PERSON UNTIL I STARTED MY WEBPAGE.  SINCE THEN I HAVE MET SEVERAL. MY PERCEPTION ABOUT THEM HAS CHANGED....I NEVER HAD ANY HATE TOWARDS THEM, BUT I GUESS I NEVER UNDERSTOOD THEM.  AFTER MEETING SOME AND CHATTING WITH OTHERS ON THE NET AND ON THE PHONE, THEY ARE QUITE NICE PEOPLE.   I AM AN OPEN-MINDED PERSON. I TREAT SOMEONE THE SAME WAY I WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD LIVE BY THAT MOTTO, THIS WORLD WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER PLACE.