"Salam Pax," according to his now-famous blog (Web journal),
is a gay bear Iraqi in Baghdad. His calm, well-crafted English-language
journal online gave us a first, and firsthand, look at the War
on Iraq. His blog attracted almost 100,000 visitors in March,
according to a Los Angeles Times article. Whether or not that's
his real name, "he's putting a human face on history," one
blog-maven told the Times. For a link to Pax's online journal, go
to
<http://dear_raed.blogspot.com>.
Here's the blog where Salam outed himself as a bear: I have been
getting quite a bit of linky-lovin' from something called
[Sensible Erection]. I get an Access Denied screen when I try
to open the page, I can only hope the site has chosen me
the sexiest Bear in the middle east [link shamelessly stolen
from Blee Bloo Blar].
* * *
Having a particular penchant for Mediterranean bear writers
myself, such as gay journalist Mubarak Dahir, I'm anxious
for Salam Pax to reveal himself in pictures as the drop-dead-woofy
ursine he claims to be.
Catch Tim Barela's latest (and perhaps last, sadly)
collection of ever-hairy Leonard & Larry cartoons,
How Real Men Do It (Dreamhaven Books). . . . Bear-identified
writer Jeff Mann's new travelogue, Edge (Haworth Press)
is a terrific collection of very readable memoir
story-essays, in which he also addresses personal issues
of being bearish in gay culture. We especially love
Jeff's description of new foods he's trying, something any
bear should appreciate. Both now in bookstores.
* * *
An unavoidable date with a moving van kept me from heading
back for Bear Decadence in August to 'Nawlins, where the
cajunbears are so exceedingly friendly and always so very
ready to jump your bones. Of course, looking butchy-bearish
during Southern Decadence makes it harder for homophobic
fundies to spot you while, say, you're blowing a beefy
furball on a curb on Rue Daphne. The straight-and-narrow
totally miss it: "Oh, those workmen are just installing
something in that sewer."
In any case, our intrepid NOLA circuitbear, Sgt Boudreaux,
recorded the dinner/ contest event. Local contestants from
the Sire Ursus contest played parts in a timely wacko
satire: "Bear Eye for the Queer Guy," featuring well-known
leatherman Wally Sherwood as the play-acting fellow in
need of a bearish makeover. Each contestant was assigned
a position such as the "Clothes Bear," then asked to
critique a box filled with various objects as to their
relative bearishness/ butchness.
First contestant out, Dave the "Food Bear" set a hilarious
tone: "Melba toast? That just goes so well with this
"Camem'bear" cheese! What the hell is a Camem"bear"?
The bear part I understand, but . . . how do you milk
one? I've tried, and personally, the kind of stuff that
comes out when I milk a bear, you don't make cheese from it.
At least, not until the next day." Wooflicious "Décor Bear"
Ray brought out a slew of items for the trendy bear: copies
of AmBear, Beef, In Uniform, Bears on Bears, a rare poster
from Jewel's Tavern, and macho action figures. Vic "Bear"
Vest, the "Sex Bear," produced a Grizzly-size package of
Viagra (or was that the party pack?), and the urso-licious
2003 "Food for Bears" Italian-bear calendar.
Other essential items for any butchy-bear: a chest toupee,
Just for Men for Beards, and a mock package of Rogaine for
Backs. Jockstraps and beercans were strewn across the set
to complete the scene.
My darlin' Ray won third place, and Dave placed second.
But it was everyone's favorite NOLA great grizz, Bear Vest,
who took home the big stuffed teddy and the trophy.
The audience agreed that all contestants were first-place bears.
* * *
Furwatch: It took a while since Nair for Men was launched
last year, but yeah, finally the print ads hit the gay media
this spring/summer. Cultural furwatchers such as Chris
Wittke and myself saw it coming - and so we witness continued
growth of the bodyhair removal industry. Curious,
though - why did the makers of "Ne'er For Men" take so
long to come out in the gay media - their primary target
audience? Those and other hair-removal ads - while
now common to Advocate, Genre, and even worse, Men's
Fitness - are as repulsive to some guys as back-hair
is likely to seem to the "Queer Eye" Fab Five. But it's
also true that there are more bearish representations
in those media, and the tide for the furrophile may have turned.
* * *
In the most publicized de-whiskering since Samson,
comedian Bruce Vilanch shaved his decades-old beard
July 24th on "Live with Regis and Kelly" in preparation
for his national tour of the hilarious Broadway hit,
Hairspray. He stars as large, lovable mom Edna Turnblad,
the role that won growly ursine actor
Harvey Fierstein a Tony this year.
In a pre-shave interview, Vilanch said he's attracted
to Edna "because she's hysterically funny, but she also
has sweetness and humanity. The show is smart with heart
- and it's about fat people winning, which is unusual."
The chunky flamboyant jokester, who was interviewed two
years ago here in American Bear, added, "Privately,
I've been a bearded lady for years."
Until next time, grrrfolks!
This column first appeared in American Bear magazine #58, Dec 2003/Jan 2004.
Copyright © 2003 by Ron Suresha. All rights reserved.
Write back:
bearstuff@suresha.com
