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This Pennsylvania boy is a mullet champion

Kamden Cunningham’s business on top, party in the back hairstyle earned the Luzerne County six-year-old top honors in the kid’s division of the USA Mullet Championship.

This Pennsylvania boy is a mullet champion
Kamden Cunningham of Swoyersville has been crowned the winner in the kid's division of the 2024 USA Mullet Championship. (Photo: Cunningham family)

Kamden Cunningham’s business on top, party in the back hairstyle earned the Luzerne County six-year-old top honors in the kid’s division of the USA Mullet Championship.

If at first you don’t succeed rocking the business on top, party in the back hairstyle known as the mullet, you try again. 

That’s what 6-year-old Kamden Cunningham has learned.

Cunningham, of Swoyersville, Luzerne County, was crowned winner in the kid’s division of the USA Mullet Championship on Thursday. Cunningham came in third place in the competition last year, which was won by then-six-year-old Rory Ehrlich of Montgomery County.

Cunningham told The Keystone that he is “super duper happy.” 

“I never thought I could be the winner, but I guess everyone loves my mullet,” he said.

His mother, Kelsey, added that Kamden said he wants to go to Disney to celebrate.

“A trip might be in our future,” she said.

As the first place winner, Cunningham will receive $1,000, a GoPro Hero 12 Black Action Camera, a custom championship belt, and, of course bragging rights.

Participants are judged on the flow of their mullets. They must also raise money for Homes 4 Wounded Warriors, a nonprofit organization that builds and remodels accessible, mortgage-free housing for critically injured veterans. Cunningham received more than 2,200 votes, and raised more than $6,500 in donations for Homes 4 Wounded Warriors.

Kamden’s mullet was not planned, according to his mom. She said it was basically damage control after his two older brothers decided one day to cut Kamden’s hair and butchered his bangs. 

“I had somebody come over to try to fix his hair,” she said. “She tried fixing it and it just wasn’t looking right. His hair was already long because he basically has a head full of curls. We were showing him different pictures of what he can do with his hair and he ultimately decided on the mullet because you can cut it shorter on top and still keep it long in the back. My husband and I are not fans of the mullet at all. We just thought, ‘This is what we have to get used to.’”

The USA Mullet Championships also features a teen and adult category. Winners were announced Thursday afternoon on the Pat McAfee Show.

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Patrick Berkery
Patrick Berkery Senior Newsletter Editor
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