Since its 2012 debut the online webseries Where the Bears Are (WTBA) is gaining popularity. Though filming of a third season is just beginning, we managed to snag an interview – via Skype –with Ian Parks aka Hot Toddy.
We tried to coax out some spoilers about the upcoming season, but Parks was rather coy.
"There are a lot of really hot guys this year," he remarks.
Furthermore, we can look forward to seeing multiple bodies, not just the one. As for the main characters, Reggie and Nelson both seem to be on the upswing in their careers. Reggie writes another, more successful, book about the murder that occurred in season two; and Nelson gets more acting work – this coming after the success of his Soak ‘Ems Adult Diaper commercial. Wood remains...well, thick in the head.
"After a third time around playing the same characters, you can’t help but add on little quirks and ticks," Parks tells us. Case in point, during season two, he felt whenever Todd was comfortable, he’d take off his shirt. "I tried to keep that going for season three. Comfort? Shirt comes off."
We did note, for an online web series, they’ve kept it pretty tame. In other countries like Canada or Europe, WTBA would almost qualify as regular network TV. Even in the USA, HBO has shows with graphic swearing and full frontal. Parks says that the WTBA policy is no full frontal – at this point. Its conceivable full frontal may happen, but it depends on the individual actor’s comfort level, and even then you’d only see it on the DVD, not on YouTube (obviously).
As for raunchiness, "We’ve already shot stuff this year that far and away blows anything from season one or two...out of the water," Parks promises. "And myself, personally, I’ve shown more of my ass this year than two seasons combined."
Season three will have to top the hot fantasy kiss scenes a jealous Nelson envisioned Todd having with almost any man in season two. You might think that these kissing scenes would be one of the perks of Parks’s job. But you would mostly be wrong.
"...we shot that [scene] all in one day and it was so awkward," he says. "I’m on a bed in my underwear, in a room full of people, and its one guy after the next."
That said, Parks does spill that Chris Lavoie (Danny Pendleton) was an amazing kisser, to the point he felt like asking for extra takes. Parks suggests – for your viewing pleasure – you check out episode nine of season two.
For the last two seasons, WTBA was running on a hope, a prayer and fundraising. For season three, however, they actually have a budget. This means they are free to make more choices. Parks hopes that this means they’ll get to do some travelling to promote the show.
This June, if you’re in the Melbourne, Australia area, you can see them at the HiBearNation event.
It’s exciting for Parks – except for the flying part – but, on the advantageous side, Rick Copp (writer/producer/Reggie) has now written into the show that Todd’s one fear is the fear of flying.
There was some talk of Parks coming up for the Edmonton BearBash in June but, schedule-wise, it was impossible this year.
Merchandising will also increase this year. In addition to DVDs, poster, hats, and t-shirts, the WTBA team is looking at other items for fans to pick up. A WTBA phone case is one possibility, but Parks has the idea of ring tones of the characters (think Nelson screaming Tooooddd, won’t you pick up your phooone).
"Where the Bears Are cock rings would be my other [idea]," he jests.
Character shirts could be another possibility. You can also look forward to a Halloween episode this season, and Twitter accounts for the characters.
Regarding his new fame, Parks is nonplussed. As he lives in Los Angeles, every second person is an actor and you’ve seen them in something (or it feels like it) so he doesn’t get a reaction from many people there (he’s also been a neighbourhood fixture for seven years). The moment of recognition usually only happens in other cities...when he’s in Target buying toothpaste. Parks is very gracious about it, saying, "...it’s cool, people watch what we’re working on...that’s the best part of it."
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Contributor Evan Kayne |
Person Ian Parks |
Topic Celebrity Interview | Celebrity Video Interview | Most Read Articles in 2015 | Most Read Articles in 2016 | Most Read Articles in 2017 | Most Read Articles in 2018 | Where the Bears Are |
