When Bears Attack

Out actors, horny extras, and dirty jocks keep the fur flying as Advocate.com visits the set of BearCity, a romantic comedy set in the bear scene, on the last day of filming in New York City.

By Brandon Voss

BEAR CITY Gerald McCullouch and Sebastian LaCause X555 (COURTESY) | ADVOCATE.COM

Gerald McCullouch and Sebastian LaCause

It’s noon on a Saturday and I’m upstairs at the Eagle, New York City’s cruisiest leather bar. The air still smells faintly of stale beer and armpits, but the lights inside are uncharacteristically bright, exposing the space’s pitch-black concrete floors and pressed tin ceilings, and the people milling about are shockingly sober. No, I didn’t just wake up in a graffitied bathroom stall after passing out drunk the night before -- that’s a mistake you don’t make twice. I’m visiting the set of BearCity, a sexy romantic comedy that unfurls within the gay bear scene, cowritten by Lawrence Ferber and director Douglas Langway.

The mood on set is as warm and fuzzy as one would expect considering it’s August 29, the final day of an intense two-week-plus shoot. In the scene currently being filmed, a ponderous character named Michael (Gregory Gunter) asks a burly bartender, “Can I please taste your dirty jock?”

Pretty hot, right? Oh, relax: The dirty jocks in question are actually shots made of vodka, club soda, olive juice, and a single olive -- mini martinis the filmmakers hope will be served at future viewing parties. After said shots are slammed, Michael, convinced he’s not getting a job because he’s too fat, tells his concerned friends he’s contemplating gastric bypass surgery, much to the horror of his lover, a hard-core chub chaser.

For more info on BearCity, log on to www.bearcitythemovie.com .

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Reader Comments

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Name: stephen gaudette
Date posted: 9/11/2009 3:58:41 PM
Hometown: gulfport

Comment:
email scotte@wmnf.org - he'll give you his address & possibly play it on air.
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Name: Lester Greene
Date posted: 9/11/2009 2:56:50 PM
Hometown: New York

Comment:
my name is lester greene and i'm a gay rapper. just recently, i recorded a song called "beer belly." it's a nice song for the sexy bears. does anyone know who i can contact to get my song heard. if you know someone, please email me at elevation23@yahoo.com. thank you.
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Jeff
Date posted: 9/8/2009 9:56:24 PM
Hometown: Dallas TX

Comment:
wow.. this is great. i can't wait to see it. HEY.. you guys should get singer songwriter AIDEN JAMES on the sound track. he has great songs and it quite studly himself!!!!!! grrrrr
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: BearChub4u
Date posted: 9/8/2009 1:34:23 PM
Hometown: New York, NY

Comment:
As one of the "Bears" who was an extra involved in the movie, I can assure all of you naysayers that ALL shapes, sizes, and even colors of "Bears" are included in the filming of Bear City. I'm the chubby bear in the picture on page 4. AND I'd also add that the twinks and otters that appear in the film were NOT just doing it for the money! Their admiration and interest in all of the bears on set was genuine, both on and off the camera. As far as the debate about who IS a BEAR and who ISN'T a BEAR, hasn't that discussion been going on long enough? Jesus H Christ guys, GIVE IT A REST!!! It was being argued on the BML 15 years ago, and to still hear the same old tired arguments being made today is just ridiculous! Get over yourself! Instead of being so "EXCLUSIVE", maybe you should try being more "INCLUSIVE" like we, the gay community in general, are asking of everyone else.
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Ozzy
Date posted: 9/7/2009 9:58:24 PM
Hometown: San Francisco

Comment:
@Mommie Dammit said: "As a Bear, and as a Drag Queen, not all of us are 300 lb., hirsute, bearded & bald. We come in all shapes and sizes, and "Bear" is no more than a name given to a kind of man who displays a certain frame of mind." OMFG you are adorable and you are more than welcome to preach your new found philosophy/church/brain fart to bear events anytime. Bears don't discriminate but don't get sad if they don't take you seriously. You can call your self any animal spirit you like. I have friends that think they are eagles when they get high. In the world I live I like bears and I own enough porn movies and magazines to know what they look like.
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Ozzy
Date posted: 9/7/2009 8:00:45 PM
Hometown: San Francisco

Comment:
@Mommie Dammit said: "As a Bear, and as a Drag Queen, not all of us are 300 lb., hirsute, bearded & bald. We come in all shapes and sizes, and "Bear" is no more than a name given to a kind of man who displays a certain frame of mind." OMFG you are adorable and you are more than welcome to preach your new found philosophy/church/brain fart to bear events anytime. Bears don't discriminate but don't get sad if they don't take you seriously. You can call your self any animal spirit you like. I have friends that think they are eagles when they get high. In the world I live I like bears and I own enough porn movies and magazines to know what they look like.
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Ozzy
Date posted: 9/7/2009 7:59:01 PM
Hometown: San Francisco

Comment:
@Mommie Dammit said: "As a Bear, and as a Drag Queen, not all of us are 300 lb., hirsute, bearded & bald. We come in all shapes and sizes, and "Bear" is no more than a name given to a kind of man who displays a certain frame of mind." OMFG you are adorable and you are more than welcome to preach your new found philosophy/church/brain fart to bear events anytime. Bears don't discriminate but don't get sad if they don't take you seriously. You can call your self any animal spirit you like. I have friends that think they are eagles when they get high. In the world I live I like bears and I own enough porn movies and magazines to know what they look like.
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Alex
Date posted: 9/7/2009 5:29:46 PM
Hometown: Greenwood

Comment:
I love the thought of a movie for the Bear Culture...I'm just really hoping most of the "Bears" Arn't queens with chubby bodies and body hair. I personally feel that "Bear" Although Diverse(But so is the gay culture in general.), represents those of us who are Homosexual, but arn't "Gay"...If that makes sense. Just normal guys, without the fabulousness, Drama (Coming from personal experience, but Most queens I've meet seem to devolve into nothing more than Drama Queens.), or feminine voices, Who just like other guys. I feel bears are more like straight guy on straight guy action. Though, this is coming from my personal opinion as well as personal experience.
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Venu
Date posted: 9/6/2009 8:37:36 PM
Hometown: Pittsburg, KS

Comment:
I agree with Ozzy, Charlie & Reed. The opening picture here is a joke.
Back to top Post a Comment
Name: Griest
Date posted: 9/6/2009 6:31:48 PM
Hometown: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Comment:
Hey Mommie Dearest, I feel you hit it right on the head. As for myself....regarding how these guys look...I am turned on by a hairy body. I have one as well...and I am NOT a pig... I have a full head of hair...and am considered attractive. I think of "bear" as a masculine hairy man...I guess I must be misinformed or not really gay.. As we all know beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I would gather some men ENJOY overweight bald hairy men. For me.... I like a lean hairy man....

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