Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 24, 1993                   TAG: 9305220197
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Ben Beagle
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FIRST COUPLES' COSTLY CUTS ARE ENOUGH TO RAISE YOUR DANDRUFF

I told myself as I tossed in an uneasy bed that commenting on anybody's hair-cutting habits is not in keeping with the good manners usually associated with Southern boys.

Not that I am a boy any longer, you understand.

But the facts kept marching through my mind:

President Clinton paid 200 bucks for a haircut by this Christophe person who came to Air Force One at LA International Airport. This meant that traffic at the airport had to circle while Christophe labored.

Hillary paid this guy Frederic Fekkai $275 to restyle her hair.

I dunno. There just something so nouveau riche about this whole thing.

It's kind of like your Uncle Arthur won the lottery and started getting his hair done at this fancy place staffed by bombshells with names like Michelle and Loni and Misty.

Before that, your Uncle Arthur had been satisfied with a barber named Sam who gave him a good trim for seven bucks. Sam. Now, that's a name for a barber, if you ask me.

Uncle Arthur went back to Sam after your Aunt Emma found out about Michelle and Loni and Misty, but the example is still a sound one.

You have to ask yourself if these are the same simple people who got out of the limousine on inaugural day and walked among the people.

I always say that one of the first signs of elitism is preoccupation with how your hair looks.

Sure, I know it's their money the Clintons are spending on their hairdos -- which remain unremarkable as far as I can see -- but there are appearances to be considered here.

It reminds you dimly of the trouble Nancy Reagan got into because she was obsessed with designer clothes. (No. I have some decency left. I am not going to say a thing about Ron's hair dye.)

This hair business also raises serious questions about matters of state: As in, would you want a woman who pays $275 to have her hair done fooling around with medical costs in this country?

That's a lot of money for a one-time visit to the chair.

You can get a complete physical and have enough left over to go by the ABC store and buy some Lotto tickets on the way home for that kind of money.

With all due respect to Ms. Clinton, I'd feel more comfortable with a woman who paid 20 bucks for a haircut at Kathleen's Hair Today Shoppe.

As for the president, I just hope Christophe didn't take too much off the top.