Elliot In The Morning

EITM: Putting Hair On One's Chest 4/1/26

28 min
Apr 1, 2026about 2 months ago
Listen to Episode
Summary

The Elliot In The Morning show discusses the resurgence of chest hair as an attractive male trait, sparked by a JFK Jr. biopic featuring actor Paul Anthony Kelly. The hosts debate whether this trend is driven by the show or reflects broader cyclical preferences in masculinity, with callers sharing personal preferences about body hair grooming.

Insights
  • Body hair trends are cyclical and influenced by cultural touchstones like films and TV shows, but the trend often precedes the media coverage rather than being created by it
  • Attractiveness of body hair is highly dependent on overall fitness and grooming maintenance—unkempt hair reads as neglect while well-maintained hair signals confidence and self-care
  • Personal preferences for body hair vary significantly by individual and have shifted over time, with some listeners reporting conversion from preferring hairless to hairy partners
  • The discussion reveals a gender divide in preferences, with some women strongly attracted to chest and body hair while others find it unattractive, suggesting no universal standard
Trends
Resurgence of chest hair and body hair acceptance in male grooming, reversing decades of hair removal trendsCyclical nature of body hair preferences mirroring broader fashion and beauty cyclesEmergence of niche cosmetic procedures like chest hair transplants as body hair becomes fashionableFitness culture intersection with body hair trends—hairy chest only attractive on fit, muscular physiquesMedia influence on grooming standards through celebrity casting and high-profile rolesGrowing acceptance of natural male body hair as marker of masculinity versus previous preference for hairlessness
Companies
Simply Health
Workplace healthcare provider offering 24/7 GP and mental health support with pay-as-you-go services
People
Paul Anthony Kelly
Actor featured in JFK Jr. biopic, discussed for his prominent chest hair in the role
John F. Kennedy Jr.
Historical figure whose physical appearance in biopic sparked discussion about chest hair trends
Hugh Jackman
Actor referenced as example of attractive chest hair styling and fitness
Robin Williams
Actor cited as example of extremely hairy chest as cultural reference point
Drew McIntyre
Professional wrestler referenced for well-maintained, trimmed chest hair aesthetic
Travis Kelce
NFL player discussed for having significant back and chest hair
Jason Kelce
NFL player mentioned as having dark chest hair similar to brother Travis
Taylor Swift
Referenced in context of dating Travis Kelce and his body hair
Quotes
"Chest hair is just in and it's being highlighted because of love story. It's not because of him."
HostEarly segment
"It's got to be the right amount. It can't be like Will Ferrell with those little tiny curls. It's disgusting."
Caller TrishMid-segment
"You can't be a hairy fatty. If you're a big hairball and you're unfit, it doesn't carry well."
Caller AaronLate segment
"I've been indoctrinated into the cult. I now prefer bear over dolphin."
CallerLate segment
Full Transcript
At Simply Health, we know that workplace healthcare can feel like. We're currently experiencing a high core volume and you're in a queue. But now's the time to untangle it and go from inaccessible health to Simply Health. Support all employees with 24-7 access to GP and mental health support. Plus pay-as-you-go services. We're simplifying access to workplace healthcare. Simply Health. See why we're different at simplyhealth.co.uk. Benefits depending on product, T's and C's apply. Who's the guy who's in the Carolyn Bissette, John John Love Story? What's his name? Something Kelly. Paul Kelly. Jim Kelly. Is it Jim Kelly? I don't know. I don't know. Whatever that actor's name is. Paul Anthony Kelly? That's him. Does he have a real hairy chest? Well, did JFK Jr. Yes. Like there were pictures of... Yeah, no, but I don't know if Kelly did grew it out because of John John. John F. Kennedy Jr. had a very hairy chest. He does have a hair in his chest, Paul Anthony Kelly. But did he do it for the John John role? You know, chest hair doesn't grow that easily. That is true. I mean, he's got a rug on his chest. Yeah, there's no way he was like, yep, I got the role. I'm making all of this hair up here. Because he's got it up near also. Oh, yeah, no. He's got neck hair. Yes. That's all of a sudden, like now everybody's saying like it's in, like everybody wants their guys to have chest hair. Because of this? No, just, well, no, like, I guess maybe it's cyclical. I don't know. But, but he is getting high. What was that? Carrie, was that you? Oh, I'm sorry. No, that was my laptop. Sorry. I worked from him. Oh, that's okay. That's all right. Yeah. Get yourself signed on. I don't want chest hair. Do I? No, that's why you get rid of all of them. Are you saying I get rid of all of them? You grow it. This isn't like a, a merkin for your chest. No, no, this is like natural chest hair. Okay. So I was reading this thing where like now, like now it's at some point, like back in the Bert Reynolds, Tom Selig days, was it? Well, I mean, just think of this is going to sound graphic. I don't mean for it to, but for, for a long time, like if you, if you watch porn, Bush used to be a big thing. And then, and then it became, ugh. And so then it was like, get rid of everything. And now there, and now there's been a little bit of a resurgence to Bush. Well, are you, hold on. Are you talking about bushy chest hair or pubic hair? Bushy, lagoon. Yeah. Okay. So you've switched parts of the body. I was using that as the example where like back in the day, back in the Tom Selig day, a woman, if she showed her cooter, there would be, it would be like, like, boof. My friend Alfred's mom had a big bush. Oh, great. She used to put baby powder on it. It was weird. Yeah. And it was like one of the first, like in, it may have been the first like in life bushes that I ever saw. You shouldn't have seen your friends, moms. She walked around the house naked and we had a sleepover. Yeah. Anyway, what trauma. The, but then Bush went away. And now Bush is kind of making a bit of a, not, not as big as it was back then, but Bush has made a bit of a comeback. They're saying the same thing about men in chest hair. So it's really more that this JFK junior series capitalized on what was a trend growing resurgence. Yes. Oh yeah. No, it's not because of him because Kristen right here. Just wrote JFK junior was a beautiful man with chest hair. He was very hairy. Yeah. So if you're going to portray this accurately, you didn't have to. Yeah. No, no, no. And I get that. But this again, it's not like all of a sudden chest hair isn't in because of love story. Chest hair is just in and it's being highlighted because of love story. But Kristen, John, John was super attractive. But like, did you also have the hots for Robin Williams? Okay. Because he also is a very hairy man. Oh, that's beyond hairy. That's like super Bush. Why do you keep going back there? Now he had a lot of hair. Kristen, do you like a hairy chested man? No. Like I would bet and I'm only basing this on. I've never seen it grow over his collar, but Mike's not doesn't have a hairy chest. No, because he does something to it or you shave naturally. He doesn't have it. She said, oh, yeah, I mine looks like I got a yarmulke between my titties, but I just shave it all off. What's wrong? So it's circular. Yeah. Just like in this area. Really? Yeah. And I mean around my nipples. They have three circles on your chest. Yeah. Yeah. I got a big circle in the middle and two circles. I'm like, I got that. I'm like Mickey Mouse. I got a circle of hair here and then two circles of hair here, but I just get rid of all of it. That's the one thing no one has trouble growing nipple hair. Oh, it's the worst. Disgusting. So nasty. Do you many times I've nicked my nipples shaving and my nads? Well, I told you a couple of days ago I have very sensitive nipples. Are you in the same boat? No. No, mine are tough. You've sort of callous them from all the times you've shaved. Ew. So if I... I'm sorry. Go ahead. No, but this is important. If you are to... Oh, I'm sorry. This is important. It is. So if I were again to... Molest me? No. That's not what I did. To brush you. Yes. Is... What are you doing? I'm feeling my nipple. Do they always feel because they're so beat up, like almost semi-erect? Yeah. Wow. Yeah, they're not erect. Like I'm not horny right now. They're just calloused. Yeah. Yeah. Like a guitar player's fingers. Feel them. I don't need to touch you again. He thought about it. I believe you. Yeah. Like both of them. Can we not... Now it looks like you're trying to turn yourself off. No, but I always know it. You were going to ask Sarah about her husband. He is hairy. Is he really? He takes care of it, but yeah, naturally... Does he shave his chest? Yeah, like he'll trim it. Right. So it's like stubbly. But if he grew it in, he'd be like, what out? I mean, not... Like Robin Williams? No, not that bad. Right. No. Why is that in again? Like that's gross to me. That's gross. You're not the one who's deciding which guys are hot and which are not. No, but are women into that now? If you read it, it's got to be true, right? There's no way. There's some sign of masculinity associated with a hairy chest. Come on. Is that the only problem I have? Do you have none, Tyler? If I had a hairy chest, I shave my chest also. But if I had hair in my chest and people see me differently, would they think he doesn't have low teeth? You have to start wearing like a v-neck t-shirt with it coming out from the top. But how is that hot? I don't understand that. If I lined up... If I lined up 100 women... If I lined up 100 women... Oh, it's like family feud. They had said, would you prefer more chest hair? Would 90 of them say, oh yeah, bring it back? Bring it back. 90 seems high. The only thing I'll say is stubble is also not attractive. So if you are going to do that... It's shaving, shaving. You've got to stay up on it. Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. I know he's already gotten his airtime today, but did we know Josh has a hairy chest? Are you guys really surprised by that? Yeah, yeah. He doesn't shave his face a lot. And usually if you've got a lot on your face, it means you've got it elsewhere. Yeah, no, but he may have hair on his face, but shave your chest. Do we think he has a hairy back? Yes. Back ass. No. Chest, absolutely. Okay, I don't think he's ever told us that before. Wait, so, but... Have we ever seen him shirtless? The... We don't need to do that today. But is he saying that he currently has a very hairy chest? That's what he wrote. Wow. He said currently, not as in... So he doesn't shave it. He may manicure. I don't know what he's doing in terms of... Man, oh, I cut it into a perfect V. I like it. I don't let it go above my collarbone. No, but like Kristen, again, is bringing up another person that she loves, Drew McIntyre. Drew McIntyre definitely addresses his hairy chest. He's shaving it. But he stumbles it down. He stumbles it down. But it looks very manly. Okay, he's also built ridiculously. If you did that, no offense, Josh, but if you did the same thing to Josh as would you go... Oh, wow, he does have a lot of hair. Yeah. What's this person's name? Drew McIntyre. Drew McIntyre. Wrestling. Yep. Ask Josh if he has more chest hair. Is he more... Oh, he's hairy. Who's that? Drew? Yeah. Or Josh? No, Drew is quite hairy. Look at his facts. But he seems very, like, put together. Yes. So he combs it. Robin Williams. It's trimmed down. It's not shaved. Right. It's... Right. That's fine. What was the question you wanted me to ask, Josh? Is he more Robin Williams or more Drew McIntyre? He's going to be like that influencer who put her body or put her head on the black woman's body and called out for... Oh, I saw that. You know... Whoa, I got it, Josh. I know you're busy with your chest hair. Her point was she likes a hairy man because it's very manly to her. Yeah. Very manly to her. Otherwise it's like you're with a woman. Yes. Okay. Which is not true. Well... Not a lot of women have that. Aaron and Barlow checking in. Duh-huh! I love chest hair! Duh-huh! Well, we know that she loves Sarah's laugh. Right. Never shave your chest. Really? It's stupid and it's gross to do so. Wait, so does Sarah? Sarah, sorry. Aaron? Wait, so does Aaron like the hair growing out of the neck? Not out of my neck, but out of the neckline of a shirt? If I put a t-shirt on and it looks like it's got fringe, is that her thing? Duh-huh! Make me horny! She writes, I have always loved hairy chest hair. They're incredibly sexy. Is she a chest stroker? You mean someone that'll rub her fingers through the hair? Yeah, she likes to comb at it with her hands. That makes it sound like somebody's a picker. No, no, no! Comb at it? Like you're trying to un-pangle it? No, but like this. Yeah. Well, rub your fingers who makes it like, ugh. But she's kind of like getting at it. She doesn't say it. Duh-huh! Duh-hair. So is she, is Erin M. Barlow hairy? She did not say that. No, no, but I'm asking. Like if she thinks that a man shaving is very unnatural, does she, if I could quote a friend of Erin M. Barlow's, does she have a big thicket? This is where she turns the radio off. No, don't turn it off. I wonder if she wants it trimmed all the way, like is it, everything has to be free? I'm just talking chest. Right. But I bet she loves like a hairy belly, like the whole thing. She might want down below all of it untrimmed. Like Josh? Well, Josh just wrote, I am closer to Drew McIntyre. Bull crap! Then Robin Williams. Bull crap! And you're also closer to Pinocchio than somebody who tells the truth. Okay. You didn't want to think about that analogy before you went with it. To quote Erin, that was stupid. So, okay, Josh is like Drew McIntyre. Let me ask Drew, is he on GLP ones? Back to Erin. I can't keep track now. She says, I was blessed with a mustache for my mom. So I got to wax that puppy on the ring. But these are actually you asked both those questions. So you got answers. Yeah, no, that's true. Each one. That's true. I believe one of them. Hi, Elliot in the morning. Hello. Yeah, hi. Who's this? This is Trish. Hey Trish, what can I do for you? Well, so it's super sexy, by the way. But it's got to be the right amount. It can't be like Will Ferrell with those little tiny curls. It's disgusting. But like Hugh Jackson, Sean Connery, gorgeous. Okay, Sean Connery is also like 90 years old. But in the James Bond movies, you saw him. No, that's true. Wait, what's wrong with Will Ferrell? Like he looks like there's something wrong. I see what she's saying about the length of his hair. Oh, he's got really long chest hair. No, she said it's like a little tiny curl. Oh. Yeah, what's the Ava Longoria's ex-husband? Beautiful. Antonio Sabato Jr.? No, what's his name? Rick Fox? Oh, Joe Manginello. Manginello. Tony Parker? No, Harvey Aire Bardem. Isn't that who was married? Who? Yeah, but it can't be too much. It can't be too little. So if you have too little, you got to go ahead and whack that off. Right. Well, shave it off. Would you like to run your phone? No, I don't. I don't. I don't. All right, well, shave it off. Would you like to run your fingers through the hair if I grow it out on my nipples? That sounds hot, doesn't it? Not quite sure about that. All right, very good. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you. But what she's saying is there's a sweet spot and she'd rather it just be all gone than if it's bad. Then you not have it right. Right. So you have to really be confident that you've gotten it right and that you are paying attention to it, maybe. But you need a lot in order to appeal to her. So I hear that and think just shave it. Like, don't don't risk it. No, but that's what I'm saying. You got to have you got to be Robin Williams, Drew McIntyre, Josh down the hall. Like you've got to be hairy because if not, it just looks like your chest is sick. Let me pull up Hugh Jackman. Let's see what he's got going on. By the way, you know what's a good movie? I forgot he also does have like an incredible body. He's also Wolverine. You know, you know what? You know what's a really good Hugh Jackman movie? What's that? The song sung blue with Kate Hudson. You ripped that before it came out and then when it came out and said it looked so bad. I know, but we there was. I don't remember why, but we were offered those couple of days. I ended up watching it. Is it because you were told, hey, this is actually a really good drama? Somebody did someone recommend it to you? It was great. Yeah, it's really good. It's really good. Hugh Jackman's got good chest hair. By the way, he doesn't have a lot of hair. Is good chest a part of it too? Yes, that's part of the problem with all of this. All the people we're looking at are ridiculously fit. See, yeah, I agree with that. Like if he were a fat guy, would you be like that looks good? No, it'd be like he's fat and it looks like he's just got a shrub coming out of his chest. And then who was the other one she mentioned? She kept talking about Avalon Goryan's husband. Husband Tyler Christopher or Tony Parker, the basketball player. I thought she was married to Harvey Auerbarg damn. That's Penelope Cruz. Oh God. Whoops. Whoops. Well, they were both on that show. You know what? Pull up photos of everybody. I've got to love the search engine. I put in Avalon Goryan's ex-husband chest hair. Now there is a famous set of brothers that has come up quite a bit here. Wait, are they famous? We played the fiance of one of them earlier. The Kelcees? Yes. Oh really? Travis has a ton of hair and so does Jason. Jason's hairy. Jason's hair is a little darker but Travis is hairy. It kind of like Travis is so hairy I kind of feel bad for Taylor. She likes it. So she likes a big hairy chest. Remember those photos came out a year ago or something of how hairy Travis's back is? Oh, that's right. Yes. So she loves a hairy back. Wow, he does have a lot going on back there. Jesus Christ, Travis. Maybe she sheaves it for him now. She loves it. She loves it. Makes her feel like she can be free. Where am I going? Maybe she's free. Line three. Hi, Yolly in the morning. She has a hairy back. No, no. Hi, Yolly in the morning. Thicc it. Hi, this is Alan Richmond. I'm half Asian and I have a bit of a hairy chest. It looks like a Tesla symbol. So it's confusing. Wait, I'm sorry. It looks like a what symbol? Tesla. Like a Tesla symbol. But I think that I think the argument is about where in the amount because if you have a really hairy back, that can be a turn off for some ladies because I was I would tell conscious growing up once I got here on my chest. So like that's weird. We've never seen a hairy Asian guy, but it's the amount. It's like it's not too much and I don't have a hairy back or shoulders. So if you look, there's John, there's Ron Jeremy and then there's Hugh Jackman and it depends on the amount and where. Right. Hey, also, but you do bring up a you do bring up a good point. I can't think of any Asian actors who have who are hairy. Like mine is like silky straight hair. It's not thick. You know, it's like a light amount of like a Tesla symbol, but it's enough there where it's noticeable. Right. But it's not a lot versus curl stuff. But yeah, Asians were not known for. I mean, no, you're known for not having hair. When I think of like, I have a couple of buddies that are Asian and it almost looks like like like they have like one or two hairs that pop through and it's like, whoa, something happened there. But that's about it. Yeah, you're right. Asians don't have a thank you, sir. Thank you. God, that would suck. Harry Chester the rage right now. And if you're Asian, you can't even be a part of it. Well, there's other ways to appeal to a potential partner. Yeah, but you want to be attractive to him, but I've got to follow the trends. You think you think Taylor would be all into Travis if he didn't have Sasquatch on his back? Honestly, I'm telling you, I bet you secretly hates it. Line eight. Hi, Elliott. The morning. I got a pretty hair. He just and my wife tried to do one line waxing it probably about six, seven years ago. Hell, it still refuses to grow back. Are you serious? In the middle. Hey, the the does was your wife wanting to wax it because she doesn't like it. Hey, I'm a hairy. No, I'm a hairy man. And so and you won't show up. I'm a hairy man. I'm a hairy man. I'm a hairy man. I'm a hairy man. I'm a hairy man. I'm a hairy man. I'm a hairy man. I'm a hairy man. And then so and you won't shave it. You're like, this is me, baby. That's right. You know what? Good for you. Yeah, good for you. Is it real? Harry like real? Harry. I'm not not quite Robin Williams, but I mean, I'm certainly told that I grow like a Wolverine. So is it only on your chest or is it also on your belly? Chest, belly, nothing on the back and then neck and face. Oh, so it comes out the neck. Yeah. All right. Very good. Very good. Thank you, sir. Aaron is worried that we've misinterpreted her preferences and she did post. Oh yeah, you can't be a hairy fatty. So is that the key? If you're if you're a big hairball and you're you're you look unfit, it doesn't carry well. No, because it's just unkempt appearing because you don't care about maybe your body as much as. So that's what I mean. You want to like they just think like, oh, you let your body go. You let your hair grow. Salt on the moon. Yeah, exactly. But if you're fit and you have hair, it's like that's chiseled. Because even I know here it is. I don't have like an eight pack just six. But when I shave my stomach, it looks so much better than when there's hair on my stomach. Yeah. Neck to knee. Get rid of it all. I don't do it as clean as you would as you do and have forever. Yes. I don't like a little landing strip. The Look at Christian. I told what was the I told you guys that a pillow. What didn't know that was Daniel. Daniel Flynn. The Sarah. No, Daniel. Do you know who Daniel Flynn is? Yeah, she worked in radio. She's out like a lot of Odyssey employees later today. But she had above her vagina. She made a hair circle above like where the is. Yeah, it was she called her pillow is a little pillow. Okay, enough of that. Oh, wait, who was that that you scroll by? Was that a BG's dude? No, I'm trying to find that one guy from the BG. Yeah, he's Harry. Yeah. Well, I don't give. Give Maurice. Very good. Don't give up on us, baby. That's not very good. Probably not. But that's a. I can't find it. But no, remember, I told you. That I had gone a little too extreme with the hair shaving down there and my kid walked in on me. Remember? Oh, yes. That sounds vaguely familiar. And I, and I didn't know if their shock was more. Feeling like they would never be a man. That's a homo loan reference. Or if they were just like, what is he doing? Yeah, probably the ladder because it wasn't, it didn't look natural. Yeah. I'm sorry. Everything. Everything. Shoot. Line seven. Hi, Yeli. Good morning. Hey, it's a good morning. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Good morning. Hey, if you're looking for hairy chest on bigger dudes, look at rugby players. Do you find it attractive? I mean, my husband's a bear. So yes, but he's the only man I've ever been with that I enjoy the hair. Any other time it was a hard no. Really? So you, so you, you like that he like when you say he's a bear, like all over his back, his stomach, his legs, like he's stomach legs, his back has like stragglers. Right. It's every once in a while. It's not a ton, but right. He's also the first dude I've ever dated that was kind of like a full beard. He opened my eyes. So you love it. You love it. I now I do. Right. But when I was younger, I wanted them like hairless like a dolphin. Yeah, that's me. Hey, what is the, let me ask you this. If you and your husband, if you, and I don't wish any ill will on you, but if you and your husband split and you were like, okay, now I have to choose dolphin or bear, which one are you going for? We go bear. No kidding. You're in. You're in. Yeah. I've been in doctor, indoctrinated into the cult. Well, if you break up, I'm going to send you Josh's photo and you'll take a look at that. All right. Very good. Thank you, ma'am. Yes, Tyler. Jonathan writes, I know a guy who got a chest hair transplant. Wait to get his hair put on. And it worked well. Ugh, how much does that hurt? So if you're telling me that the hair of your chest is back in style, are those procedures going to start popping up more? I didn't know that they existed at all. I don't think I did either. Why would you do that? I guess if you can do it to your scalp, why not other parts of your body? I mean, listen, I get that. No, I don't. Like why, why would you do that? Like at that point, just don't have hair. Your hair transplant costs between three and $15,000. But am I going to like Brazil for that? Turkey? Yeah, Turkey. Yeah, like I'm not doing that here. It actually says international options can be cheaper. So maybe if you stay in the States, it's going to be 15. Are they, is it coming from your, like your head? I have no idea. No. You're back. You can't put hair, head hair on your chest. You look ridiculous. You're not done that with look. You can't have hair, head hair, head hair on your chest. Isn't this we learned about leg hair? No, what was it? The people who were getting the, was it eyebrow transplants? That came from hair and they kept growing. Cut them. Yeah. People were getting their eyebrows done, Sarah. And they would take hair from your head and implant it. And they would have to, like it would grow. So it would like grow over their eyes and like down that like half there. It would just keep growing until you cut it. Ew. You imagine if I took my shirt off and I have like a perfectly parted like, like chest hair because of the implant. That's disgusting. Yeah. There's a whole side of the internet here for transplants related to the BH. Oh, really? Body hair. Oh, oh, I thought you meant butthole. Oh, that reminds me. Good morning, Macy Moors. Who, who's saying, yeah, give me more. On the butt? Yeah. I would have thought that there was probably that last woman I talked to, she was indoctrinated. She's probably like, show me a big, a big, a big cushy hair. Oh God. By the way, there's another one. Who's that guy? Who's that guy? Well, that was first Zach Efron. Oh yeah. Another one. What is it? Show me a fat guy and let me see if it looks good. Everybody's ripped. It does seem like a lot of the examples being sent over for. I'm growing out chest hair. I'm going to grow it out. It's very sexy. Perfect hair. It's going to see how a fat guy looks with chest hair. Our beautiful creatures to quote over. I phrased it yesterday.