Keanu Reeves once reported on a Teddy Bear convention for CBC
Keanu Reeves was once sent on an exciting assignment in 1984 when he was a correspondent for Going Great, a TV programme on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. During the broadcast, Reeves showed the casual Bill and Ted demeanour he would portray on film five years later.
Reeves said during the assignment: “When I was sent to check out the first Canadian International Teddy Bear Convention, I thought I was in for a lot of craziness. But then I met thirteen-year-old Graham Abby and his 53 bears and discovered there’s a serious side to collecting teddy bears”.
In the interview with young Graham, Reeves discovers that the name for a teddy bear collector is an ‘arctophile’. We discover that Graham got into collecting bears when he first received one as a Christmas gift. Reeves is polite and sincere and asks Graham questions such as, “Why are all the bears’ first names, Teddy?”
Graham replies by claiming that President Teddy Roosevelt was out on a hunting trip but was disappointed as he and his party had been unable to find any big bears. They did manage to find a small cub, but the party refused to shoot it, as it had been too cute. Because of Teddy Roosevelt, cartoons were soon made concerning the ‘Teddy Bear’.
Reeves then heads into the convention after his conversation with Graham and learns about the new bears on the market. He finds a bear who “only eats chocolate chip cookies” and goes to “Paws Preparatory School”.
Graham then reveals that his friends don’t think he is strange as he doesn’t play with the bears; he only collects them as a hobby. Among Graham’s collection are a bear from Germany and one from England (a growler).
Reeves says, “No Teddy Bear Convention would be complete without a Teddy Bear’s Picnic. After watching others share a bite, I decided to find a lunch partner of my own”. He is then spotted hanging out with his bear friend, who Reeves suggests they go down to the “Bear café and talk ‘bearsness'”.
As if we needed further proof that Keanu Reeves would become one of the kindest, most sincere Hollywood actors of all time. His appearance at the Canadian Teddy Bear Convention cements his place in the rich tapestry of filmic legends.
