|
Bear Frenzy VII:
Contest
All the bears and cubs were safely nested in the chairs, on the lawn or the diving board by the pool... the contestants were hiding by the Port-A-Potties...errr...getting their costumes ready. Mr GSB 2000 Bill Robinson was giving them last minute tips, co-MC for the evening Don MacCready was lining them up, I (Kirk) was kneeling by the CD player ready to start entertaining the crowd. Lights - camera - action!
Parts of the contest could be called "Snappy Answers to Silly Questions". The contestants had to come up with clever responses to questions like: "Are you more of Patsy, or more of Edina?", "If you were ice cream, what flavour would you be and why?" or "Are you the pretty one, the smart one, or the slutty one?" Some of the questions had the crowd either roaring with laughter or yelling the answers out loud to "help" the poor guy on stage.
|
The most important people that evening were surely the contestants - and we had 8 of them, ranging from cubs just turning 21 to bears pushing 50 (hey, it sounds good to me!) Hopefully soon enough we'll have the brochure up with all of the contestants' close-up pictures, for now you can get a general idea what they looked like on this page.
This year, it was Mark C. from Ione, Kevin C. from Hughson, Franco G. from Fresno, Al J. from Coarsegold, Ray M. from Vallejo, Johnny O. from Fresno, Bob R. from Porterville and Jeff T. from Fresno (until July he lived in Concord! see? People do move TO Fresno! :) who decided to try their shot at the title, the sash, the prizes (2 nights at the Chaps Inn in Palm Springs) and the chance to go to the IBR and Bearquake next year. We salute your bravery, you woofs!
|
|
We can't forget about entertainment that night! Through hard work and connections (and no, NOT my body!) we've managed to bring a bear, a cub and a cowboy from Los Angeles to keep us alert and awake during costume changes. If you went to Bearquake this year, and you saw the Backstreet Bears sing, you might remember one of their members - Bobaloo. This time he was not equipped in dance moves, but instead quick wit and funny stand-up material. If you visited the Bullet in North Hollywood on a Monday night, you might have run into a former host of their karaoke, Daddybear Mike. Mike had to struggle with our PA system, but I know "Love on the rocks" sounded good regardless. Finally, if you've been to an IGRA Rodeo in LA or SD, the Sweetwater Saloon in Palm Springs, the Escapades in North Hollywood, the LA Pride Festival - you've probably seen Tommy the UK Cowboy. Maybe you stopped by Oil Can Harry's in Studio City where he bartends? Tommy moved the crowd with a few songs from his debut CD (finally, after 6 years!) in spite of having to sing to a CD over his own voice. Technical difficulties happen to the best ;)
|
Entertainment was great, of course, but we all waited to see our bears and cubs in various stages of being clothed and not only! The contestants had to present themselves in Bear Minimum, Everyday Wear and Cruise or Formal Wear. There were a lot of jockstraps, boxers, leather and sequins (just joking here), levis and naked bellies. As we might have guessed, the stage did not support the weight of 8 contestants and 2 MCs and part of it gave in. This "little" accident might have helped some of the guys on stage (or temporarily off it) as they seemed to relax from then on. What could be worse than this? :)
After the judges cast their votes, and they were counted by 2 people in privacy of the air-conditioned house, the raffle results were being announced and many a happy YAY! was heard. Then the MCs opened the sealed envelope with the results and announced.. the first runner-up... AL! The honorary title of Mr Golden State Cub 2001.. FRANCO! And the new Mr Golden State Bear 2001, who in turn received a pair of knee-pads from Mr GSB 2000 to sell raffle tickets on - MARK!!! We can't wait to support you at the IBR, buddy!!! Congratulations to everyone... see you next year? Or wait.. maybe we'll see you at the Cave after the ceremony?
|
|
