Power Cuts

Thanks to a celeb-obsessed media, we know all about Angelina’s flowing locks, Rihanna’s shaved head and Zac Efron’s metrosexual bangs. But in Hollywood, an expensive haircut – and flawless cheekbones -- won’t get you half as far as killer business instincts.

So why don’t we ever hear about David Geffen’s pale dome or Steven Spielberg’s fuzzy bird’s nest? These are, after all, the city’s true power players.

We asked four top hair experts in Los Angeles – Kim Vo of the Kim Vo Salon, Brandon Martinez of Warren-Tricomi, Neil Weisberg of Neil George and Josh Rosebrook of The Parlour on 3rd – to take stock of the ‘dos of the 10 richest people in the city, as determined by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

What they found? Heads of hair that won’t be batted about by trends. The wealthiest Angelenos have tresses that often stay consistent over the years. After all, these are men (yes, all the city’s richest denizens are male) who double as the public faces of companies. An impulse cut – say, a bitchin’ faux-hawk -- could feasibly spark a panic among employees and shareholders.

Eli Broad

Claim to fame: Art collector, philanthropist and founder of the companies that became KB Home and SunAmerica.

The verdict: His gray-flecked white imbues him with authority, but not of a dictatorial sort. “I love his color choice,” Vo says. “It’s approachable.” Broad keeps his hair neatly parted on the left side. “He has a very good look,” Weisberg effuses. “It’s age-appropriate.” Broad’s cropped coiffure underscores that he’s a guy who’s comfortable in his suit – and by the way, it’s probably a suit you could never afford.

David Geffen

Claim to fame: The namesake of Geffen Records and one of the founders of DreamWorks. He's supposedly retired, but has a funny habit of slipping into the news. Rumors have swirled that he might try to buy up The New York Times.

The verdict: Geffen's buzzed head is fit for maximum deal-making dexterity. “This is an aerodynamic cut,” Vo says. Rosebrook's assessment? “He keeps it tight and clean. It keeps him fast.” His hard-to-ignore dome matches his penchant for being front-and-center. Martinez puts it bluntly: “He looks fucking rich.”

Kirk Kerkorian

Claim to fame: King of Vegas mega-resorts. Kerkorian's fortunes have stumbled of late due to a poorly timed investment in Ford and a dive in the value of his MGM Mirage stake. Estimates of his recent losses run as large as a near-inconceivable $9 billion. His hair, however, remains unflappable.

The verdict: Martinez praised Kerkorian’s gentlemanly, salty gray. It’s a color that’s inveterately serious. But Kerkorian’s locks aren’t all business -- like the Vegas resorts he helped grow, his coif has pizzazz, always sporting a curl or wave at the apex. Vo calls it a “3D-cut: Debonair, distinctive and direct.”

Ron Burkle

Claim to fame: Founder of the Yucaipa Cos, this buy-out king is also a friend of Bill (Clinton, that is), and a major political fundraiser for the Democrats.

The verdict: Burkle has a substantial forehead and displays it proudly. The forehead exposure is a bold choice and it says he has no fear. Our experts don't dig it, however. “He has a nice forehead, but we don’t need to see all of it,” Rosebrook says. Although Burkle has gotten himself into hot water over the years (he has had a few sticky tussles with the press), Martinez points to his off-the-face cut and reddish hair color as giving him a clean Mormon choirboy visage that belies any dirt, noting, “I definitely would want to invest in someone who looks like this."

David Murdock (pictured in middle)

Claim to fame: Owner of Dole Food Company.

The verdict: The hair of this reported-vegetarian is evocative of his unyiedling interest in his insides. The exec is “probably so happy that he has his hair,” Martinez says. Rosebrook and Weisberg were wowed – not necessarily in a good way – by Murdock’s ample eyebrows, with Rosebrook recommending a “weed whacker.” Even if Murdock doesn’t take Rosebrook up on the brow-reduction offer, “He’s feeling good. That’s what is most important,” the hairstylist says.