Did you know Gov. Bill Richardson grew his beard “as a rebellion against those consultants who told me I had to comb my hair, shave, lose weight.”

Or that the guv believes New Mexicans have the best imaginations in the world. His proof: “My point on UFOs is, I don’t know if they’re fact or fiction. But it’s fun. It’s Americana. Why shut down dreams?”

If you didn’t know these things, you should check out Esquire magazine’s What I’ve Learned feature on the guv that posted today.

One of the most interesting chestnuts is a fun story Richardson tells of how President-elect Barack Obama — then candidate Obama –- helped our fair governor in a presidential debate. It’s a cool story…