DC Man's Guinness Quest Raises Eyebrows

Facial follicle phenom has his eyebrows set on setting records

WASHINGTON -- A D.C. man wants to see his name in the record books and he's relying on his bushy, red eyebrows to get him there.

Twice Brian Peterkin-Vertanesian's brow has been edged out of the "Guinness Book of World Records" by another competitive hair grower, Japan's Toshie Kawakami, who currently holds the record for the longest eyebrow: 7.01 inches.

"I lose sleep over it because I'll be in bed and tossing and turning maybe, and you have to be careful when you toss 'cause it could just get pulled," Peterkin-Vertanesian told News4's Keith Garvin.

Routine activities like working in the garden are more difficult, too, because Wally -- the nickname for the eyebrows derived from the acronym "WLEH" (World's Longest Eyebrow Hair) -- can get in the way.

Though already extra silky and long, Wally's still got ground to make up. Garvin measured him at almost 6.5 inches.

But as long as Kawakami -- the Takeru Kobayashi to Peterkin-Vertanesian's Joey Chestnut -- isn't mounting another campaign himself, the local follicle fav may one day experience the same joy Chestnut did when he finally beat his rival to win his first Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2008.

Ah, to be the best at not grooming facial hair.

Contact Us