Sometimes the fun of watching reality television is so you can live vicariously through the antics of other people. That way you can experience things you might never otherwise explore in your real life. Things like running with reindeer with 'Whisker Wars' (Fri., 11PM ET on IFC).

Sure, it looks fun on TV, but in reality it's a crazy, dangerous and exhilarating thing to do. So when Miletus Callahan-Barile decided to take part in the Running of the Reindeer of Alaska, we could get a taste of how fun that looks without having to deal with the cold or risk life and limb.

Granted, it's not nearly as dangerous, perhaps, as running with the bulls in Spain, but the announcer made sure to let everyone know, "These are the angriest the reindeer have ever been. We're gonna see some injuries today, folks."

We certainly aren't going to sit here and pretend we know anything about the world of competitive beard growing, but we can say that the second place finisher in the competition we saw on 'Whisker Wars' (Fri., 11PM ET on IFC) certainly didn't sport facial hair nearly as impressive as a lot of the other guys.

His beard looked like something most average guys could grow in a month or so. A lot of the spectators and competitors were calling shenanigans on the judging panel, because both second and third place went to local beards from Portland, Oregon.

Jack Passion took the win in the full beard category, but the fact that a weak beard like Guy Leach took second place, while Aarne Bielefeldt and Bryan Nelson, who each have four times the beard of Pearce, didn't place at all, was pretty fishy to everyone in attendance, and to us as well.

A beard isn't just facial hair -- if it's good enough, it's a living. Just ask the stars of 'Whisker Wars' (Fridays, 11PM ET on IFC).

From the guys behind 'Deadliest Catch' comes this new kind of reality TV competition, all about the fine art of competitive facial hair growth. I caught up with Jack Passion, a feisty man with a fiery red beard who's also a multiple time world facial hair champ and author of 'The Facial Hair Handbook.'

If you haven't caught the show yet, it won't take you long to realize that Passion is part of the new school of Beard Team USA, spreading the good news of good growth all over the world.

Passion talked all about what made him decide to grow two feet of red hair on his chin, and his Rapunzel-like view of how to make a career out of being a whisker warrior.

He also dished helpful hair tips, talked Movember and other non-profits that heighten the cool factor of facial hair and named his celebrity facial hair idols.

It's not all competitive facial hair-growing on 'Whisker Wars' (Fri., 11PM ET on IFC). Myk, who sports a rather impressive beard of his own, was hosting a competition when he suddenly pulled his long-time girlfriend, Karolina, on to the stage.

At first it was fairly standard thanks for all the hard work she does for the competitions and all of her support, but then he surprised her and the crowd.

"All I got is one question for you, and one quesetion alone," Myk told her. But then, perhaps because he believes actions speak louder than words, he simply pulled out a ring and got down on one knee without any words. Her response was just as silent, but it was a positive one.

Introducing Jack Passion: The self-proclaimed "Muhammad Ali of beards!" That's right. Of beards!

On the Series Premiere of 'Whisker Wars' (Fri., 8PM ET on IFC), the new -- and so far the only -- show about competitive facial hair growing(!), wooly contestant Jack Passion tried hard to nab the spotlight early with some serious boasting and braggadocio ... about his beard.

Needless to say, Jack has a lot of haters.

Depending on who you ask, the bristly-faced boys who make up the Austin Facial Hair Club are either jealous of all the attention Jack's bushy beard is getting, or they're rightfully annoyed by his arrogant attitude (and not so big mustache!).

Every week, both viewers and people who write about television are inundated with information about new shows. One way for networks to make those shows stand out is to give them weird, eye-catching or borderline insane names.

The last couple weeks have been quite busy, what with the preparations I've been making for Comic-Con, which begins today, and for the Television Critics Association summer press tour, which starts in about a week.

To distract myself from the insanity, I compiled a list of a few of the show titles that have caught my eye in the last year or two.

IFC is giving viewers a behind the scenes glimpse at the world of competitive bearding with 'Whisker Wars.'

Yes, bearding! Growing facial hair as a sport. Because you demanded it! Right?

In the trailer below, feast your eyes on beards of all shapes, sizes, colors and textures. It's truly fascinating, with one subject comparing those who beard to the US Olympic team. Huh, did you know beard could be a verb?

Thanks to our friends at Vulture for pointing us in the direction of this video gem.