A 'Merry This...' and a 'Happy That...' is what Canadian comedian and actor Richard Ryder (website - articles - profile) wishes us for '09. Keep up to date with Richard by subscribing to his YouTube channel or making him your friend from his MySpace page. As well, Richard is the new Sunday host at 103.9 Proud FM, the world's first gay, commercial radio station (his profile there is Big Dick Ryder). Yes a Richard can be a Dick too (I am no comedian, I know).

Mike Dreyden is one busy Cub (blog - MySpace - articles - profile). He began his tour on the weekend and he's booked up until the holiday seasons. Right now he's touring New York City however he's happy to say that he just might make his way over to Toronto and Montreal.

On November 22nd he will be appearing and performing with Eric Rhodes at the 'Cruising / Bootleg' party. Then on the 26th, you can find him at Daniel Nardicio's Horn-O-Plenty. There will be no jock straps, shorts, undies, nada, nothing.

Also, keep an eye out for his latest films - 'Fire Island Cruising 9' and 'Big Bang'. He promises you'll be shooting tons of loads with him while watching these flicks. To contact Mike, send him an email.

It's been awhile since we posted a cartoon by the cute and cuddly artist known as PIBear (articles).

This is his 11th cartoon he's sent and you can see it here. To see all of his cartoons, check out his TubeBear profile ~ and you'll also see a recent pic of him sporting some leather... all I can say is wow, PIBear has changed over the years. He's also lost 100 pounds in the past year or so. I could show you some pics of him when he was at his biggest however he'd probably not want me to so I won't, however I know it would turn on all your Chubby Chasers because even with all that extra weight, he was extremely handsome, however he's just as good looking now in his slimmed down version.

The Bears on the Run (TubeBear PROprofile) tour was meant to take off tonight in Toronto, however the hairy husky musicians and comedians were stopped at the border. From their website: "Our apologies, Toronto, the Bears Of Toronto, and to anyone planning to come to the show at The Barn tonight. We were not allowed into Canada. We needed certain work permits and documentation that we didn't have, and they didn't let us pass the border. Lesson learned, and we will continue to move forward with the rest of the tour as scheduled. So, that being said, if you are in Toronto and were planning on coming to the show tonight, we would love to see your smiling faces at the show in Buffalo tomorrow night (April 10th). If you bought advance tickets, refunds will be issued ASAP. If you bought advance tickets and would like to attend the show in Buffalo, your ticket will be honored at Hallwalls tomorrow night".

Make sure to check out their site for their east coast tour dates. Each of the links mentions where they will be playing, what time as well as a map on how to get there. Also make sure to check out their ongoing video logs they have been posting.

Here's a new cartoon from the seriously handsome blond graying husky hunky Daddy Bear known as PIBear. How do I know he's cute and blond and husky... and all that...? Well PIBear is a friend of mine, altho he's living in Toronto now and I'm in Montreal, so we're just long distance buddies and we don't get to see much of each other these days, but he sends me a new toon every now and then and they keep getting cuter and cuter - like today's cartoon - how to explain things to your straight friends... could take hours.

Wanna see what PIBear looks like? Then head on over to his TubeBear profile page. You can also see all of his other cartoons he's drawn in the past (however you would need to join TubeBear - it's free tho so why not). So far there are 11 cartoons, almost a collection! Make sure to send him an instant message from his profile page to let him know you dig his work.

Call to Artists: "The Fur Real Collective, a newly formed Bear Art Collective based in Toronto (Canada), is proud to present Fur Real: Bears Without Boundaries.

We are inviting artists who are Bears or who identify as Bears to participate in a new art show to be launched in Toronto at the beginning of June. We are interested in work that explores themes relevant to the Bear community and identity such as sex and erotica, fraternity and brotherhood and solidarity, beauty and masculinity and fun.

'Fur Real: Bears Without Boundaries' hopes to attract submissions reflecting a diversity of media such as painting and drawing, digital art, film and photography, performance art, etc. We invite interested artists to email us a jpg sample of their current work and/or a brief written statement about their work with photos attached. Do not send original work as submissions will not be returned!

Size and quantity of work by artists selected to participate to be determined. All work must be submitted by March 31st. Only those artists who are selected to participate will be contacted by email on April 14th. Gallery location, and date of opening to be determined. In addition, a $50 administrative fee will be charged to all artists who are chosen to participate in the show.

For more information please contact Mark Ciale, artistic director and curator. He can be reached by email or through his MySpace page".

What is up with the husky and extremely cute Canadian stand-up comic Richard Ryder (website - Myspace page - YouTube page - TubeBear profile)...? After his exposure on Last Comic Standing, he won a contest at a classic rock station Q107 as 'Funniest Person with a Day Job' and as one of the prizes he received a spot in the legendary Gotham Comedy Club in New York City. While in NYC, he worked at another few clubs like Stand Up New York and HA! Richard was also invited to be a part of Accent On Toronto, an annual comedy showcase put on by CBC Radio. He was asked to perform at his 1st Bear run in Buffalo with the Buffalo Bears. He stated that 'it was a lot of fun and they completely wore me out'.

This year, he plans to audition for Last Comic Standing again and he will be at the Michigan Gay & Lesbian Comedy Festival on March 8th.

Keep an eye out for more details and updates on his site - he also plans on giving a page a new look for 2008. As he states - he's a 'Stand-up Comedian... Supermodel... Bear'.

It's time that we get to know JOHNcc and his partner Peter just a little better. Firstly, check out his website JOHNcc.com and from there you can take a gander at this very handsome looking couple. You'll also get to know a little bit more about them - they are now in Australia and they got legally married in Toronto. And make sure to check out their shop because they have some very cool swimwear to sell called Spank...

Honestly... who doesn't love a big husky Bear in a nice tight swimsuit...?

Buffalo Bear Trap is a Bear weekend event held by the Buffalo Bears which falls on American Columbus Day weekend as well as the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, which is October 5th thru the 7th, attracting crowds on both sides of the border (Buffalo sits in the middle of Toronto, Pittsburgh and Cleveland).

This year is very special as they will be opening with a charity event featuring Richard Ryder (website ~ MySpace page ~ YouTube page ~ TubeBear profile), a comedian from this summer's season of Last Comic Standing on NBC.

In life, we only need a few things really... food, sleep, shelter, sex... and comedy... and Richard Ryder provides 2 of those necessities by being a very sexy comedian who just happens to be a husky handsome guy that has a great smile to boot (you'd think I'm trying to hit him up for a date writing all that about him).

First off, check out his website - richardryder.ca - and you'll find out a whole bunch more about this Bearish comic, see some pics, some videos and his upcoming scheduled acts. Then head on over to his MySpace page to see some more pics and to learn more about this cute guy (who's 6'4'' I just had to in there randomly - very hot) and then make sure to check out his YouTube profile to see a few more videos. This man will definitely bring a smile to your face even if your feeling lower than low.

A bit about Richard, from his site: "Fast thinking and quick witted, Richard Ryder takes the stage with a refreshing energy and 'no holds barred' attitude that audiences welcome again and again. And why shouldn't they? Richard's ease and ability to include the audience in his act makes every show uniquely hilarious. No topic is too taboo for this Toronto native whose comedy is fresh, fast, funny and a constant source of embarrassment to his family... which is exactly how it should be".

I'm pretty sure that each time I mention about the BearForest website, I tell the same story that most people think I run the site since my online name is Forrest and so people go 'oh, you run BearForest?'. Then I have to tell them no, and that the site is Forest as in many trees, and my name has 2 rs in it... and then they usually say 'oh... like Forrest Gump'. And it looks like I've just told the story again.

How about you just head on over to BearForest which is run by Tino in Toronto. There's instant webcam chat, 3 new stories added and other fun stuff to discover.

Now there's this really handsome Bear and his name is PIBear who lives in Toronto and he's been my friend going on almost a decade, or it feels like a decade, and he's decided to share his artistic talent with us by sending us a new comic strip for Bears. PIBear has been doing political cartoons for years for a local newspaper and we've been talking about the idea of him doing a sort of 'impolitically correct' Bear cartoon, and that's how we came up with the nick PIBear.

Click on the thumbnail to see the full sized cartoon or click here, and here is PIBear's TubeBear profile. There's not much to see yet on his profile right now but he is still in the process of moving into his new place so once he's all settled in he promises to add some pics of himself and yes, he's one very hot and cute Daddy Bear. Many a man has asked to sit on his lap due to his uncanny resemblance to Santa Claus.

ps - PIBear has contributed some of his work already to TubeBear. It's actually his drawings that are the default images for those profiles without a main photo. Here are a few articles that were written about him in the past.

Toronto is the largest city in Canada so there is always something happening. Now if you're planning on staying there, why do a boring hotel when you can stay in a really cute Bed & Breakfast which is run by a couple of cute Bears. The B&B is called The Bearfoot Inn, and here's a good little description of the place from their site: "From the moment you step through the door of this newly renovated townhouse, you will feel that you are in your home away from home. Whether you are visiting on business or for pleasure, your hosts Glen (BearWWW profile) and Jerry (photo) will make every effort to ensure that your stay is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible".

If you ever plan on going to Toronto (which is in Ontario, Canada), then make sure to book your room at the bearfoot inn (website), a hot bed 'n breakfast maintained by Jerry (photo) & Glen (Bearwww profile). From their site: "Nestled on a quiet, tree lined street in Toronto's world renowned 'Gay Village', the bearfoot inn is an oasis in the heart of downtown Toronto. We are located conveniently close to public transit, restaurants, theatres and shopping districts. Incredible nightlife and fabulous dining are only steps away. From the moment you step through the door of this newly renovated townhouse, you will feel that you are in your home away from home. Whether you are visiting on business or for pleasure, your hosts Glen and Jerry will make every effort to ensure that your stay is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible".