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Bremerton child hopes to be the next mullet champion
A child in Bremerton, better known as "the Washington Waterfall" is hoping to become the next national mullet champion in his age group.
BREMERTON, Wash. - Many people gained new interests and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. For one family in Bremerton, their youngest child’s interest earned him a top spot in a national competition.
At just three years old, Rocky Cammarata started growing his hair in the style of a mullet. The inspiration came from his father in 2020 during the COVID-19 shutdown.
"All the salons were shut down, so a bunch of the other firefighters at my department kind of decided that we were going to lean into it and have some fun with it and have a little mullet-growing competition with each other," said Benny Cammarata, a firefighter with Bremerton Fire Department and Rocky's dad.
"Once that started, my son who was three at the time, just wanted to be like his dad. And also with COVID, we were in lockdown, so we were in our houses. So, he didn’t have as many friends or as many outlets to go out and experience life through. So, he had to do it through the experience that we had," said Christy Cammarata, Rocky’s mother.
It was an experience Christy said she never thought would become a lifestyle.
"That my beautiful son would look like Joe Dirt one day? No, not as much," she laughed.
"I sometimes even eat my mullet. I suck on my mullet sometimes," giggled Rocky.
Now six years old, Rocky’s hair has been a journey full of twists, turns and curls-- lots and lots of curls.
"I like to run my fingers through them," said Rocky. "I like when water goes in and it’s like pouring out my hair from the loops."
"He also enjoys a good man bun, which on a 6-year-old just makes him look like he makes goat cheese on the weekends," said Christy.
Weekends or weekdays, anywhere Rocky goes in Bremerton heads are turning.
"When we go out in public now, there’s no mistaking him," said Benny. "When we’re on the streets, it’s not uncommon at all for people to slow down, roll down their windows and shout ‘That hair is awesome, man!’ Go driving off and you see him puff up his little shoulders and he just loves it."
"It’s the power to make people like say ‘Whoa.’ To make people stop their cars and just talk about my mullet," said Rocky.
The haircut made popular in the 1980s is now making a national comeback. Rocky is competing as "Washington Waterfall" in the USA Mullet Championship. It’s a fundraiser for the Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors where all proceeds will go to the organization.
Rocky is a top contender in his age bracket and a step closer to potentially becoming the Mullet Champ.
"I won’t be sad if I don’t win, but I’ll be happier if I do win. I’ll be like the same happy that I’m at right now, but if I win I’ll be happier than right now," said Rocky.
"If he wins, I think he’s going to want to keep it longer, which for me just means that I’m going to have to grin and bear it a little bit longer. And that’s ok. Not my choice, not my hair. So, my job is to support," Christy said with a grin.
Like father like son, business in the front and party in the back is hairdo for winners.
"Last year, I actually had the honor of winning the firefighter of the year for the department. So, that was a pretty cool honor as well. And [the mullet] definitely doesn’t hurt to make me memorable," said Benny.
Signs are showing up throughout Bremerton encouraging people to vote for Rocky in the competition. Pups Cups and Cones was one of the first businesses to post a sign showing support.
"It’s cool that it said ‘Vote for Rocky Cammarata, Washington Waterfall’," said Rocky.
"It’s been a versatile journey that we’ve had with the mullet that I didn’t realize could be," said Christy. "Again, it is just hair. And it makes him happy, so we go with it."
Judging for the top 100 children’s category of the competition is July 20-24. Supporters can vote once every 24 hours. The top 25 mullets will be competing in the final round from Aug. 7 to Aug. 11.