Sebastian Cabot's Beard Book

Sebastian Cabot's Beard Book is a book about beards by. It contains a foreword by.

History
When Homer was a young adult and had a beard, he was given a copy of Sebastian Cabot's Beard Book for his birthday. Ironically, however, when Homer leaned over to blow out the candles on the cake, his beard caught on fire. Homer then ran frantically back and forth across the kitchen, screaming the whole time, while Grampa laughed and Marge looked on, aghast.

Behind the Laughter

 * The presence of the cake with candles (which Homer blows out) suggests that the occasion for the giving of the book was Homer's birthday.
 * Both Sebastian Cabot (1918-1977) and Willie Nelson (born 1933) have been known for wearing distinctive beards.