“Red Fred” Bentley’s haircut photo as shown on the New York Post website.
A CUT ABOVE THE REST: Local attorney Fred Bentley Jr. never would have guessed that his grooming habits would be front-page news. Yet, there he was.
When Gov. Brian Kemp lifted the closure of barbershops April 24, Bentley, of the firm Bentley, Bentley and (you guessed it) Bentley, said his tresses were long overdue for a shearing. He immediately called Tommy of the famed Tommy's Barber Shop on West Paces Ferry in Buckhead for an appointment.
“It was either a bush hog, pinking shears or a trip to go see Tommy.”
By chance, a photographer for Reuters was covering Georgia’s reopening and snapped a pic of Bentley in the barber chair.
The photograph was picked up by Reuters clients around the globe. Bentley made the front page of the Washington Post and the New York Post. CNN picked up the photo, as did Business Insider, the Epoch Times, Bloomberg, MSNBC and the National Post in Canada. Even the Khaleej Times in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, published the photo. Bentley told Around Town the image of his mane being trimmed even made Spanish television.
The episode brought additional notoriety to his distinguished locks, which account for his nickname “Red Fred.”
Bentley called it his “15 seconds of fame.”
“There are very few times you become the poster child for history. These are crazy times we’re living in.”
