Anonymous Halloween Bear
New Yorkers are used to seeing extraordinary behavior in flash mobs, film and photo shoots, and pay-to-pose performance artists. But when the self-interest is removed—no one documenting, no money being collected, and no ulterior motives—people often don’t know how to react to an altruistic, miming bear.
This bear spent the evening roaming for interaction, stopping to dance, mime, hug, and take photos with anyone who asked. When he wasn’t getting the attention he wanted, he’d jump around to incite reactions, which ranged from unabashed joy to confusion and (occasionally) rage.
He takes his miming characters extremely seriously. For the last 20 years, this man has been going out on major holidays, miming in various costumes, with a simple mission: spread as much joy as possible without uttering a word.
I spent two hours following and chatting with this "Get Well Soon” bear, who requested to remain anonymous. Sharing his first name and talking with me was a big deal for him, as he’s never broken character with someone to this degree before. However, we quickly bonded over our shared love for interactions with strangers and he’s always wanted a photographer to capture his antics. He’d refuse to talk if anyone else was nearby.
When deciding how to react to a stranger, we look for heuristics—appearance, emotion, stature, and who they are with—that can suggest whether it's safe to do so. When a man is solo, silent, and completed cloaked by costume, we can only judge by energy and gut instinct.
These are the core tenets of his philosophy + a few fun facts
This man is an extreme extrovert, and as long as you’re bringing positivity, he’s along for the ride. In pre-COVID times, he’s been invited off the street to visit parties, which he’ll happily join while remaining mute.
He’s completely age-indiscriminate, engaging old and young alike. He always dresses as a bunny for the annual Easter Day Parade, and is shocked, but delighted, by how many people trust him to hold their babies for photos.
Occasionally he gets hit on, even while remaining mute, but that’s not his game. If any interaction crosses his line, he’ll break character to ask them to leave him alone.
There is zero financial motivation here. He refuses to take donations for photos, and think its a sad reflection of society when people feel an obligation to do so. Needless to say, he has a deep hatred for the Time Square characters who taint the pursuit.
90% of people were elated by this bear. 5% were suspicious of his friendliness, too afraid to engage. 5% were viscerally upset by him. One lady swore at him for waving, a few people scowled at him for saying hello, and some got oddly testy, feeling angered and challenged by his unwillingness to speak.
This is a hobby and nothing more. He lives a normal life outside of these indulgent evenings. To remain anonymous, he’s requested I keep these aspects of his life secret.
At the end of the night, this bear graciously invited me to grab a beer sometime when he’s out of character. Making friends with someone you can’t see feels a lot like Love is Blind.
