We
in Clarenville, Newfoundland, you might recognize
our next guest.
Now, this is Ralph "Boonie" Lethbridge,
he's been growing his beard for 39 years.
But today, he decided to shave it off:
all for a good cause.
And he joins us now from Clarenville, Newfoundland,
the freshly shaven Ralph "Boonie" Lethbridge,
welcome to you, sir.
And Boonie, I have to say, before we begin our conversation
I want to bring up one more time
that before photo of you, you with your beard.
This is how you looked to everybody around you
for some 39 years.
When you look at yourself in the mirror now,
what comes to mind, now that you're all cleanshaven?
Boonie:
Like I said, I kind of looks old now.
[laughs]
So a bit of a shock for you?
Yeah, it is. It caused a divorce, I think,
but I don't mind.
[laughs] Why, what has your wife said,
now that you don't have the beard?
She's going to leave me, I'm not the b'y she married, she said.
Almost in tears.
[laughs] Well, I'm sure she's saying it in just good humour
and jest. But we have to say, this was all for a good cause.
It's because you wanted to raise money for ALS research.
What inspired that?
Well, I had a friend [indistinct]
a while back.
I said, I'd like to do something, I said,
to help somebody. Because I had a lot of friends
who were sick with ALS.
I've got a friend in a wheelchair now
that's not very good, Larry Boyd,
and I lost two more friends.
And I said, damn, I'm going to go for ALS.
I said, what do you think?
He said, I'll say to Mr Coles, Calvin Coles and Todd Coles
and he said Boonie, we'll see if we can get if off the ground.
And I said, I only asked for 5,000.
Well, you got off the ground, you raised some money.
How much money did you raise?
Right now, there's 51,000, still going.
$51,000 and still going.
So do you think that was a worthy cause
to get rid of the beard that has defined you for decades now?
Oh my god, if I got 100, I would have let them cut
[indistinct]
[laughs heartily]
It don't bother me!
Well I have to say, the ALS Society has now declared you
the sexiest man in Clarenville for what you have done.
What do you think about being called the sexiest man
in Clarenville, Newfoundland?
[indistinct - distortion]
I'm sorry sir, you broke up there. Could you repeat that?
I was like that when I was a young boy, me b'y.
[laughs heartily]
Well, your wife has to appreciate the fact
that you're now the sexiest man in Clarenville,
that has to make her proud.
Oh, yeah, I can't wait my turn to spend a night with her.
All these years, now a real night.
[laughs]
And I have to imagine it's easier to keep your face clean
without the beard?
Oh, I'm growing it, my son, two week's time,
it'll be out like a trooper.
Oh really, so you will be growing the beard back
after all this?
Well, that's the only thing I've got for good looks,
it's me beard, me toque, and me two blue eyes.
[laughs] Well, I'm going to say, sir,
I think you also have a good heart for good luck.
But congratulations on your effort to raise all this money,
congratulations, as you say, 51,000 and counting.
And I'm assuming people can still make donations?
Oh, they're going on, I'd say it'll be up for another month,
maybe a little fuller.
Another month. And how do they do that, Boonie?
Oh, they sent them to Mr Cal Coles or Todd Coles,
I don't know the website 'cause I've got no education.
But uh, you get out to them, they'll look after you, me son.
There we go, and perhaps they can look ALS research, as well,
and direct them to the right way to help you
raise some money there.
Ralph Boonie Lethbridge, thank you so much for your time.
God love yas, and God love all the people
that donated out in Newfoundland and Labrador,
and upper Canada helped me too.
I had 'em right from the States, down California, me boy.
And God love your wife, tell her she should stay with you,
you're a good man. Thank you for that, Boonie.
Nah, she's a [indistinct] me b'y.
[laughs heartily]
Thank you, Boonie.
Thank you and God love yas all.