The American Mustache Institute is now accepting nominations for the 2010 “Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year,” the award Time magazine, the NBC Nightly News, physicist Stephen Hawking, and High Times magazine said is on par with the Nobel Prize for Peace.

The winner will be announced at ‘Stache Bash 2011 in Chicago on Oct. 28.

Past winners — whom you may read about here — include firefighter Brian Sheets, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Clay Zavada, and retired New York City police detective Tim Galvin (read their stories here)

The “Goulet” is not a best mustache award, but recognizes the person who has best represented or contributed to the Mustached American community during the past year.

Nominations will be accepted until Friday, Oct. 7, and on Oct. 10 the pool will be streamlined to a worthy group of finalists selected by AMI’s certified mustacheologists for online voting.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, before you nominate a worthy candidate, please enjoy this quick reminder of the wonder of Mr. Robert Goulet.

NOMINATIONS HAVE CLOSED AND THE CERTIFIED MUSTACHEOLOGISTS AT AMI WILL ANNOUNCE THE FINALISTS AND OPEN VOTING ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 10. THE WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED AT ‘STACHE BASH 2011 ON OCTOBER 28 IN CHICAGO.