Dogpatch Press

Fluff Pieces Every Week

Tag: furries

Hazmat Party Foul, $3 Million Fursuit, Parades, Hugs, Tickling… Newsdump (12/8/14)

by Patch O'Furr

Headlines, links and little stories to make your tail wag.  Story tips are always welcome.

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In the Media

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Midwest Fur Fest evacuated by chemical spill. Fursuiters: stick to good old fashioned rug cleaner! 

Initial report: Chemical leak prompts evacuation during Midwest FurFest at Rosemont Hyatt.

Several people could be seen in animal costumes waiting outside of the hotel. Ambulances from area suburbs were on scene helping transport people.

More: Glass Jar with White Substance, Strong Chlorine Smell Causes Firefighter, EMS Hazmat Response, Evacuation. Man, that’s a hell of a party foul.


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TAILWHIPPED dance party invites furries on 12/6/14. Cosmo Coyote talks event producing.

by Patch O'Furr

Furclubbing:  “A repeat/regular nightclub event by furries for furries.”  See the list of parties at The Furclub survey.  Here’s a new one:

tailwhipped-flier

DJ Cohn Jonner shares info below.  Talk with organizer Cosmo Coyote follows. 

Hello everyone! I’d like to tell you all about an 18 and up event I’m performing at hosted by Cosmo Coyote on December 6 in Galt, CA, called TAILWHIPPED!

THEME: FURRY ANIMALS VS MONSTERS

Are you a party animal or party monster? Ever wanted to dress as your favorite fictional creature, monster, furry animal cartoon or video game character? well this is the party for you. get those ears, onesies, tails, paws, fluffies, fursuits, or terrifying monster costumes/cosplay out and get ready to rumble it out on the dance floor at Tail Whipped! who will be the victorious this round? The furry animals or monsters? who will be TAILWHIPPED? Muahahaha!

WHEN & WHERE: Read the rest of this entry »

Pac Anthro Weekend weathers rough start to make newest West Coast furcon

by Patch O'Furr

On November 15-16, 2014, Pacific Anthropomorphics Weekend brought a second Furry convention to the San Francisco Bay Area.  PAW’s official attendance was 213.  It was the result of much hard work behind the scenes.

If only con organizing was always as serene as the palm trees on the website.

I’m sorry not to post pure sunshine here: I think it’s an OK time for honesty, shortly after the con.  Next year offers a clean slate.

Conflict came even before a con plan, in early 2014.  Staff changes with January’s Further Confusion con caused discord among watchers close to the action.  Like most things in life, it was complicated.  Sides were taken for private debates not qualified to air.  (It wasn’t all personal: a long-standing supporter was left frustrated by hotel union regulations, that couldn’t allow some volunteers to “work” for the event.)

A faction of former Fur Con supporters and friends acted to start a new convention.  It would compete to take Fur Con’s place.  Watchers knocked the “revenge con” plan, noting that a negative reason was a weak draw, diminishing positive reasons to persist.  It was ultimately resolved by abandoning a conflicting date, to simply offer a welcome new option at a harmless time.

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Photogenic furries on the radio – Dirty cats in “safe sex” animated PSA – Newsdump (11/24/14)

by Patch O'Furr

News from: North Dakota, Britain, Australia, Austria, Buffalo and San Francisco.

Headlines, links and little stories to make your tail wag.  Story tips are always welcome.

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In the Media

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Prairie Public radio interviews Furry author, Tempe O’Kun.

tempo321NPR broadcaster Prairie Public’s “Main Street” covers North Dakota news, arts, movies and books.  They invited Tempe O’kun for an in-depth conversation.  Hear the Furry author’s 23 minute talk on Main Street.

Tempe is granted a welcome level of respect.  He’s introduced as an author first, college teacher and person, and then one of those Furries.  The well-researched questions don’t bat an eye at the mix of “cuddly, steamy furry romance” presented in his popular SoFurry collection, or judge the hot fan-fic and porn at his FurAffinity page.  Good.  It skips non-issues to introduce the genre of furry (like expectations of character type: sly foxes, etc.) – and writing style chat that authors will want to hear.

Tom Broadbent’s “At Home With The Furries” photo doc update:  Bhavvels Bunny.

In Five pro photographers advancing the art of furry documentary, I named “whimsy” as Tom’s signature approach.  The carefully chosen fantasy scenes he presents show great storyelling.  Tom’s blog updates never fail to impress – this week’s subject is Bhavvels.  It explains Tom’s approach- “The setup:”

…should reflect the personality of the furry, but equally the personality of the person inside the suit. The two are interconnected in a very unique way, unlike in fact than any other form of cosplay I am aware of ( I’m prepared to be proven wrong of course)

It is in fact a collaboration, a trust between me and the furry.  That relationship and theimportance of maintaining that bond may go some way to explain how protective I am of the project and the furries themselves.

At Home With The Furries Read the rest of this entry »

Furry photo show leads to Movember cancer benefit, and “round table” talk on 11/22/14

by Patch O'Furr

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Harley (bandana) and Spottacus (glowing eyes) at “Furries & Despair”

San Francisco had a series of furry events last week.  Before it, I posted: “Independent shows and festivals offer new concept for furry events”. After, I posted about the enthusiastic response.  The creativity and demand for more couldn’t be contained in one event. Here’s further developments that spun off from the successful gallery opening of Ron Lussier and Bobby Pin’s “Furries and Despair” photo show.

Movember Benefit:

 
Donate at least $25 to Ron Lussier’s cause for Movember – and receive a 5′ x 5′ Signed Furry Portrait from his ‘Furries & Despair Show’!

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Fangcon’s Draconis in hospital, Claw & Quill, Watership Down – furry Newsdump (11/18/14)

by Patch O'Furr

Here’s links, headlines and little bites of news to make your tail wag.  Story tips are always welcome.

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Around Furry Fandom

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Fangcon’s Draconis / Calamity Cougar recovering from heart attack suffered shortly after the con.

Shortly before Fangcon, Draconis submitted a tip for my article about it.  It was a shock to hear bad news in short order.  I’m happy to see his positive video response about recovering, performing like a pro and furry all the way.

Claw and Quill: regrouping.

Watts (Chipotle’s) online publication attracted much anticipation from readers seeking smart furry magazine content, but it hasn’t put much material out.  The “long-overdue” second magazine issue has been conspicuously absent.  Now comes good news – a recent update from Watts explains a change from webzine format to WordPress, allowing multiple contributors to add content.  (I’d sure love to see more than the handful of blogs like this.)

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“New concept for furry events” brings enthusiastic response in San Francisco.

by Patch O'Furr

Last week, San Francisco had a series of back to back events: a street fursuiting “crawl”, a furry photo gallery opening, a fetish party, (a private special interest thing not representing others), and Frolic dance party.  The series drew more furries than my butt attracts fleas.

It was first-time fursuiting for Sketchywolf.  He attended all of the events, and posted about it:

I’ve never seen so much love for furries from random strangers! So many photos! So many smiling faces! … Fursuiting turned out to be even more fun than I imagined it to be! I love the reaction of others when they see a suit. Walking over to Frolic suited, and back to the hotel and the end of the night, I was stopped by people wanting to take pictures!  I danced, I partied, I hugged EVERYBODY. Oh! I had SO MUCH fun!

Before the events, I posted: “Independent shows and festivals offer new concept for furry events”.  Each was organized separately, but with loose ties.  They used special venues and locations to add character beyond the “sterile/consumer” vibe of a hotel (like one comment said).  I called it a model for growing beyond cons, and proposed a new, free-range fair or festival concept.  Judging by the enthusiastic response, the idea was more than hype.  It’s a sign of a burgeoning subculture.  Let’s look at how things went.

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Furry Night Live – ‘The Greatest Show in Fur’ – at Pacific Anthropomorphics Weekend on 11/15

by Patch O'Furr

This weekend:  Pacific Anthropomorphics Weekend brings a SECOND San Francisco Bay Area convention to San Jose, CA.  

PAW2014

The long-established Further Confusion, occurring every January, is now augmented by PAW, a new event offering more than once a year activity.  It features:  “Photo Shoot, Dealers Area, Gaming and Semi-quiet Social Area, Open Cash Bar During Dances, Fursuit Dance Comp, Fursuit Games… and more!”

Courtesy of Super Jayhawk, from the Bay Area Furries mailing list:

“We’d like to announce that Furry Night Live, “The Greatest Show in Fur”, will be hosting a room party this next Saturday, November 15, at the Pacific Anthropomorphics Weekend Inaugural “Paw-Raiser” Fall Festival! We’ll be there to wish the new con well and will be having a party with a fursuit photoshoot, replays of classic videos from our legacy of all 10 shows since 2005, and throwing around ideas for new projects and videos we’d like to do.

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Zootopia, ethics, fabulous Tony the Tiger, Andrew WK’s furry interview – Newsdump (11-11-14)

by Patch O'Furr

Here’s links, headlines and little bites of news to make your tail wag.  Story tips are always welcome.

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In the Media…

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Disney’s upcoming animated anthro feature, Zootopia, gets March 2016 release date.

It sounds so promising – it could be the new “furriest movie ever.”  And there’s a tidbit about another feature, “Moana.”

Alkenta at Fangcon.

Alkenta at Fangcon.

Fangcon news: “‘Furry’ frenzy in West Knoxville through Sunday”.

I spy Alkenta Wildcat (who recently left the SF Bay Area for school,) and NIIC the Singing Dog in the slideshow from Fangcon last weekend in Tennessee.

Winnipeggers adopt ‘fursonas’ that become their second skin.

A positive article with good quotes.  “Fur fandom is still very young. It hasn’t hit the mainstream level of Comic Con has enjoyed for a while. But I wouldn’t necessarily say that’s a bad thing. If it stays the same, I don’t think anybody would mind.”

The weird news story you won’t hear because Ethics.

National news and social media recently circulated a minor “weird news” story.  It was about a random low-level crime.  The perpetrator was the weird element.  In a plot twist you’ll only hear from a furry source, the incident targeted an innocent furry who did nothing wrong… but that detail was omitted from every story, while the non-furry was considered weird.  I asked for permission to link the story without names, because it seemed relevant to media attitudes.  The request was turned down to let the story die.  The issue appears to be settled, and I can only comment that the furry deserves a big hug.

Fabulous anthro Tony tiger ruffles fur of anti-gays. Read the rest of this entry »

Fred Patten and Furries in FLAUNT fashion magazine

by Patch O'Furr

Historian and “elder statesman” of Furry fandom, Fred Patten, was recently asked to contribute to a high-end magazine: FLAUNT.  They’re “an international award-winning arts and culture publication based in Los Angeles.”  The editor’s request was for “a feature on cat people/cat culture for our upcoming NINE LIVES Issue.”

Fred sent me the below piece, adding a personal note –

I had hoped that it would contain more material about furry fandom, considering all of the material that I sent them.  But considering that FLAUNT is primarily a fashion magazine, it’s probably lucky that we got as much attention as we did.

COVER-785x1024If you got it, FLAUNT it!
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