Throwback Thursday: Steve Carell’s terrible idea on how to look tough

For Throwback Thursday, revisit Steve Carell’s explanation of how he thought he could look tough.

One of late night’s favorite things to do is to dig up an old photo or video of the guest. This is usually done with some embarrassing footage and rarely done to show the guest in a positive light. But everyone typically has a good laugh about it. That was the case in this clip of Steve Carell on The Graham Norton Show.

In fairness to Carell, he wasn’t the only one on the couch who had their younger self put on display. The clip features some nice throwback photos of Judi Dench, Kristen Wiig, and Jamie Foxx. But it’s Carell’s picture that is the most ridiculous.

It’s worth noting that looking back at old photos like this is a lot easier for celebrities who now have the benefit of professional stylists, make-up artists, trainers, etc. Things are probably even easier for Carell given his recent “silver fox” designation by the adoring public.

The picture is all fine and good, not terribly out of place for a man of Carell’s age. What is a little odd is the explanation. Carell had convinced himself that the mustache would make him more intimidating on the lacrosse field. Hard to say how effective that strategy was but the look may have inspired Paul Rudd’s Anchorman facial hair.

Steve Carell has really only brought back the ‘stache for his film Last Flag Flying.  It would have fit right in for some of his “bad dad” characters when he recently hosted Saturday Night Live. But then again, Carell maybe wants to steer clear of revisiting the lacrosse-playing, porno-stache persona of his early 20s now that he’s America’s silver fox.