Bendegúz strikes a pose!
Having participated in Channel Seven's reality TV show 'Beauty and the Geek', Bendegúz puts a lot of effort into grooming and appearance. He spends 10 minutes waxing and straightening his moustache, which he has nicknamed “little fellow”. And with over 20 hats and expensive tailor-made suits, Bendegúz has dubbed his unique sense of style as 'Bendeguizm'.
His passion for the 1930-40s period started long time ago, led to his unusual obsession for uniforms, suits, mannerism and the prestige of lordship. As for his signature moustache, he recalls “as a kid, ...whenever there’s a character [on television programs] with moustaches, I just like them a little bit more.”
But Bendegúz’s childhood was far from smooth sailing. He experienced the perils of childhood bullies, “I remember back in primary school I was bullied a lot. In fact, in high school I was bullied a lot [too].” He believes he was targeted in part of his immigrant background and for being different.
As the only kid in the school who wore a tie, Greek fisherman’s hat, blazer while other children wore normal polo shorts, he got picked on all the time. Children would always run away with his hat and make him chase it. He has also once experienced being poured with super glue by a classmate.“I had to...walk with my legs stretching because if I move my legs too much, the skin would rip.” Instead of reporting to his school, he fought for himself, like he always does. “One of the ways I got respect was that I was not afraid to fight. Even if someone was twice my size I would always fight.”
Bendegúz believes that despite being targeted by bullies and being content with his solidarity, people were attracted to him. ''I didn’t try to ingratiate myself with certain social groups, because I was the only child. I was quite happy being on my own. I didn’t need friends. [...] People gravitated towards me, which is what generally happens. People knew that I [had] a strong personality, [...] integrity, that I was different and I didn’t give a damn.'
With his Hungarian immigrant background struggling to fit in the school, it sounds as if it came from a Marvel action comic book in which the stoic underdog who later blossoms to be the hero of the story. And you can't help but wonder if Bendegúz has ever stopped living such a dream.
“To be honest I forgot about [the bullies]...They are not the people who dominate my life. Obviously [...] the resentment is there.” Perhaps this is one of the reasons Bendegúz was obsessed about “power and revenge”.
For a man who is so humble and open about his love life (or lack thereof) it is hard not to feel sympathetic towards him. Bendegúz has began counting his rejections: with 31 rejections to date, he is honest about the lack of love life. 'I’m just gonna be frank about this: well, I’ve never been popular with women in the slightest.'
The one and only love he has had so far was five years ago, in which he describes it as “the fortune to be loved”. The girl liked the look of his moustache back then, but has requested him to shave it off since “the moustache wax would accidentally rub off [when they get intimate].” He was too proud to shave it off, which is why they went their separate ways in the end. Since then, according to Bendegúz, it is “rejections after rejections”.
“Girls LOVE having me as a friend, I’m the best damn friend there is. Girls are just never or very, very, very rarely interested in me. Well I could go and talk to that girl but then I’m going to spend what? Six months of becoming her friend only to be rejected?”
In fact, Bendegúz did receive female attention for a while after his makeover in the Beauty and the Geek show. Like the ugly duckling turned swan story, he was transformed into a clean shaven and manly looking guy. Unfortunately, his old identity and looks took over the first moment he stepped out of the mansion. “I changed back because I am an honest man who wears his ideals on his sleeve unapologetically. If I am doomed to romantic loneliness because of it, then at least I have my integrity in solitude and can look MYSELF in the eye. I live for myself, not for others.”
However, some geeks have seemingly made the transition from 'Geek' to 'Beauty'. Lachlan, the winner of the latest season, has found love and started a career in the music industry. Another geek Gilbert has also been popular with women with his amazing six packs. But Bendegúz remains confident that his friends from the show would reverse to their old selves at some point.
It is a dire outlook for a gentleman with a moustache that wiggles as he talks, who continuously tells us “it's okay to be who you are”. You can't help but feel pity for the man who finds it difficult to reconcile with the world he lives in. As we watch him leave, we're amused to see him standing stationary, looking at his watch, then to the flurry of university students passing him by, as if he is actually trapped in time. “Oh my god! It’s Bendegúz over there!” One of the girls said.
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