NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) — Veteran Paradigm talent agent Larry Webman helped to raise more than $11,000 for a local animal rescue organization by shaving off his ‘rona beard.
The beard in question, a somewhat dubious venture that Webman inexplicably allowed to grow out on his chin this year, was shaved off in a zoom meeting on Thursday night in front of about 75 well-wishers following the successful conclusion of the GoFundMe campaign.
The campaign, launched by Webman, initially sought to raise $5000 for the Social Tees Animal Rescue Foundation but more than doubled its goal, generating $11,708 from 159 donors.
Webman took a moment and explained the background behind the campaign to CelebrityAccess.
“I had never grown any facial hair because I didn’t think it would come in evenly. With the pandemic, I figured why shave every day or every other day if I’m just going to be stuck at home for a few months. A few months has led to 9 months and the beard and mustache came in and I kept letting it grow. For every person that liked this new look there were at least two who hated it and were constantly begging and pleading me to shave it off,” Webman said.
“A few coworkers made the suggestion about shaving it for a charity and I eventually agreed that if they could raise $5,000 for the charity of my choosing I would do it. Coworkers set up a go fund me page and with a few posts on social media we exceeded the $5,000 in the first day. Then it became my goal to get it to $10,000 which we cleared on Wednesday. We went over $11,000 before I shaved live on zoom yesterday evening,” he added.
“I’m really blown away with how people really stepped up an donated. I rather have a lot of friends or people really hated this beard! With all that is going on in the world it’s nice to have a positive story out there.”
While the beard is gone, it’s not too late to donate and contributions to support the rescue foundation in its mission can be made here through Monday.
