Tatts and facial hair rule in Atlantic City this month

HAVE A beard or mustache you're particularly proud of? Then Atlantic City is the place for you, as Golden Nugget Atlantic City hosts the modestly named Beard & Mustache Championship of the Universe.

The Nov. 22 event, which is moving to AC after three years in Asbury Park, features 12 competitions in such categories as full beard (both under and over 12 inches), goatee and freestyle. The most prestigious is the contest from which will emerge the "Champion of the Universe."

"It's a giant, male-centric fashion show," explained Matt Chrystal, whose official title is Founder/Prez/Tyrant, Garden State Beard & Mustache Society.

"But the beard and mustache competition is almost secondary," said Chrystal. "It's background to the giant party" that includes a concert by Resurrection, the Peek-A-Boo Burlesque revue and appearances by guest judges like porn star Tera Patrick and Mike Beltran, a famously bearded Mixed Martial Arts referee.

According to Chrystal, he was inspired by the IFC reality program "Whisker Wars."

"I looked it up, and there was nothing happening in the state of New Jersey. So I just started my own [Jersey] organization, and that blossomed into a competition.

"Originally, we started this to get people's attention for no-kill dog shelters. This year we're trying to raise awareness for Project Sloopy, which is an organization based in Philadelphia that collects unused medical supplies and distributes them to special-needs families."

While the Beard & Mustache bash sounds like a total testosterone-fest, women are not only welcome as guests but as contestants. Of the dozen judging categories, two are female-only: fake creative beards and fake realistic beards.

And if your face fuzz is more of a hair "don't" than "do," there's a "worst beard" contest as well.

"We joke that if you don't have any standards for your facial hair, neither do we," Chrystal said.

Along with the entertainment and judging, there will be vendors.

"We'll have all kinds of vendors [hawking] different products, like mustache wax and beard oils," Chrystal said. "Different facial-hair clubs from all over the United States will be there selling their own goods. You can pick up a T-shirt from the Virginia Facial Hair Club or the Philadelphia Beard and Mustache Club."

So what do you need to be a whisker winner?

In the full-beard/natural category, Chrystal advised that "length usually plays a big part." But the judges look at lots of stuff, he added, such as length, volume, "the way it's presented.

"It's almost as if a person's personality comes out in their beard. It's not all about length, but it definitely plays into it."

As for the longest beards Chrystal has encountered, "I've seen a couple of almost-waist-length beards. I've seen a couple of guys with long white beards, almost like wizards. We'll definitely see some of those in Atlantic City."

Golden Nugget, Huron Avenue and Brigantine Boulevard, 8 p.m. Nov. 22, $25 ($35 contest registration), beardnj.com.

Facial finery won't be the only body decorations on display this month in Atlantic City. This weekend, Tropicana Atlantic City hosts the Atlantic City Tattoo Expo.

More than 70 tat artists will be on hand (and arms and backs and legs), along with piercing experts, mentalists, magicians and reality-TV stars. The latter group includes such cable-TV needle jockeys as Sarah Miller, James Vaughn, Matti Hixson, Lydia Bruno and Halo from "Ink Masters," Chris Torres of "New York Ink," Joey Tattoo of "Tattoo Rescue" and Chris Crew and Cris Element from the current season of "Ink Master Rivals." All will not only meet and greet fans, but tattoo customers as well.

Each day will also feature a "Stupid S-- People Do For Money" contest.

Tropicana, Boardwalk at Brighton Avenue, 5 to 10 p.m. today, noon to 10 p.m. tomorrow, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, $20 (single day), $30 (two-day), $40 (three-day), actattooexpo.com.