Great news! Our new mobile app for Chasabl, the largest social network for chubs, bears and chasers, has officially launched for iOS and Android!
It’s called Grokio Communities and it packs in a ton of new features, like dark mode, private albums, location-based search and more.
This is something new for us: A single Grokio Communities app you can use to access Chasabl, as well as our other communities. While the communities themselves haven’t been combined and are still independent from each other, the new app allows you to easily switch between them.
If you’re curious about what Grokio is, or if you have more questions about the new app, please check out our short FAQ!
Also, you may notice that Chasabl now has an “e” at the end! We’re currently rolling out a slight re-brand to help make our name more readable and ensure we serve the chub, bear and chaser community for many more years to come!
What are you waiting for? Download the new Grokio Communities app today!
]]>Now normally we’d be onboard with this kind of thing, but the hundreds of articles that followed distorted what seemed like a perfectly obvious term. Dad bod, one would think, should refer to men who look like they could be someone’s dad (which just so happens to be our kinda guy). The internet did not agree.
This guy made a music video parody of “Bad Blood” to proclaim his dad bod:
Look, we’re not the type to tell people how to self-identify, but no sane human would label that man fat. He CLEARLY has body dysmorphia. This is not dad bod.
Some website wants us to think Channing Tatum in anything but Magic Mike shape is dad bod:
Yup, when I think out-of-shape daddy type, that pretty much what comes to mind.
LifeHack more recently proclaimed the dad bod craze over in this article:
First of all, that guy practically has a “V”. Secondly he looks like a freshman in college. And thirdly, this article was written by some garbage dietician trying to sell advice to college freshman who want a V.
Why does any of this matter? Well, we take this personally because we are lifelong dad bod connaissours, not Johnny-come-latelys. Growing up, whether it was the dad bods of our favorite TV sitcoms, or the dad bods bared at the beach every summer, or simply our friend’s dad’s actual bods—we were into it.
We’re tired of seeing anemic men proclaimed as dad bod. So without further ado, here’s 9 actual dad bods to lust over:
For nine seasons he was America’s dad. Chubby, handsome and lovable, John Goodman was a TV dad who looked like actual, real-life dads. And consequently he was a first crush for thousands of young bears and chasers around the world.
And while we’re on the topic of 90s TV dads with dad bods, we’d be remiss not to mention Reginald VelJohnson, aka Carl Winslow. It doesn’t get much better than a mature chubby man in uniform. Take note, internet!
Long before he was the King of Westeros, Mark Addy was rocking his dad bod in the Full Monty. THIS is what happens when you eat snacks, guy-from-that-awful-Bad-Blood-music-video-whose-name-we-don’t-know!
Even with his recent weight-loss, Gabriel Iglesias’s fluffy form still screams dad bod. Just look at that Tommy Bahama shirt and jean shorts. Dad.
Yeah, we’re going old-shchool. America’s 27th President was nicknamed Big Lub, but he might as well have been named Dad-Bod-in-Chief. Sure, President Obama is sporting a couple extra pounds, but Taft beats every other president pound for dad-bod pound.
Prince Fielder made headlines last year when his decidedly not-fit form was displayed on the cover of Sports Illustrated. It’s true, he looks more like a coach than a player, but that only makes him more of a dad bod symbol. Keep up the good work, Prince!
Eric Stonestreet won us over with his portrayal of a tender gay dad on Modern Family. A gay character on mainstream TV with dad bod? Morepleaseandthankyouverymuch.
Craig’s rockin dad bod first caught our attention on The Office, but was sealed when we finally saw him disrobe in Hot Tub Time Machine. Here’s to you, Mr. Robinson.
The King of Queens was always one of our top dad bod role models, but when he decided to grow a beard, he made bears across America swoon. This right here, internet? This is dad bod.
]]>
From the Chasabl Fake News Network:
Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta have identified a new strain of flu following a bear run this weekend in Lincoln, Nebraska. The new B4A5 strain is a mutation of previous flu viruses, such as swine flu and bird flu, and has been nicknamed ‘bear flu.’
“Bear flu is relatively harmless in its current state, but we’re concerned by the speed at which it’s spread,” said Carl Hopperman, head of influenza research at the CDC. “The primary vector we’ve identified is big hairy guys kissing other big hairy guys. There appears to have been a lot of that at this run, in many cases one bear could have made out with up to 30 others.”
Bear flu is not life-threatening in its current form, with symptoms ranging from sore throat, cough and fever to intermittent feelings of shame and the inability to remember the names of your sexual partners from the previous weekend.
“I probably made out with like 14 different guys,” said Liev Kline, a chubby bear who attended the bear run in Lincoln and now exhibits symptoms of bear flu. “No, make that 16 guys.” When asked if he regretted his decision to have contact with so many bears, Kline said, “Let’s just call it an even 20.”
Although bear flu is currently considered harmless, the CDC isn’t taking any chances. “Right now, hundreds of bears are returning home, where they risk spreading bear flu more broadly,” said Hopperman. He’s asking the public to be vigilant. “If you see a bear who’s clearly coughing and feverish, ask him how many guys he slept with at the last bear run. If he has to use his fingers to count, there’s a good chance he’s infected. Wait until he seeks medical help before you kiss him, even if he’s really, really cute. Like pre-weight-loss James Corden with a beard cute.”
While Hopperman said the risk is currently restricted to bears, he advised others to take caution, especially cubs, otters, chasers and anyone who has regular contact with bears, “particularly if that contact includes getting it on.”
The CDC is encouraging anyone who thinks they may be infected to see their primary care physician immediately. When asked for a final comment, Hopperman said, “Okay, I guess if he’s pre-weight-loss James Cordon with a beard cute, you should probably still hit that. But, then you should see your doctor right away, cause James just gave you bear flu.”
]]>A couple that sees Bette Middler together, stays together:
VIP at the O2 tonight to see Bette Midler thanks to my man @lorenzo_uk A photo posted by Sam Stanley (@samstannerz) on
Check out Gay Star News for more photos of the adorable couple!
]]>In an effort to raise awareness, we’ve written this post for those who do not have a voice (because they do not have a head with a mouth).
Seth Bogdanove first came to national attention when he sued a potential employer for fat discrimination. Seth also suffers from Missing Head syndrome, which probably also hurt his chances for employment. Seth is currently jobless and headless.
This overweight Singaporean man is suffering from early-stage Missing Head Syndrome, which means he still has the lower-half of his face, allowing him to speak, eat and drink. Unfortunately, it’s also allowed him to keep smoking, which is what brought him to the attention of staff writers at Yahoo! News Singapore.
This is one of those bittersweet stories. The unidentified cardiac patient in the photo recently discovered that he has a higher chance of survival than thinner cardiac patients. Shortly after that news, he was diagnosed with Missing Head Syndrome which is now at Stage 4. The Lord giveth and he taketh away.
This 400-pound Alaskan man recently flew to Philadelphia, earning infamy online for his wide gait. But the untold story here is that his trip was to receive an experimental treatment for Missing Head Syndrome at the Pennsylvania Institute for Headlessness. His treatment is ongoing.
This breaking news story was ostensibly about why overweight people have such a hard time losing weight on diets, but it was also about one man (the man in the photo) who lost 8 pounds when his head fell off. We’re still waiting for that story to be told, but we’re proud of him for soldiering on despite the stigma.
This baseball umpire isn’t letting Missing Head Syndrome affect his life. He may be missing eyes and ears, but he’s out on the field every day with a lot of heart—and even more gut! He’s a true hero to others who suffer from the illness.
As if suffering from Missing Head Syndrome wasn’t bad enough, this unnamed obese man in Canada lost custody of his kids, allegedly for being too overweight. The justice system frequently discriminates against the obese and the headless.
According to Fox News, the latest threat to America is an invasion of overweight, headless Mexicans. Mexico now leads the world in obesity and Missing Head Syndrome. Fox News estimates that every day, 10,000 obese Mexicans cross the U.S. border, though they frequently get lost due to the fact that they lack heads with eyes.
]]>Again, all of the following status updates are 100% unedited, real posts made on Chasabl.
That super adorable hookup you only see once in a while, and usually only when he needs a place to sleep.
He’s so cute and you want to cut him some slack for having been through a lot. But good God does he make terrible choices.
That guy who’s always messaging you on Growlr or Chasabl and then when you finally try and introduce yourself in a bar, he’s all “Who?”
A guy who dresses up really nice when you first meet him, then after a few dates you realize he only has one nice outfit and wears it ALL the time.
That guy who’s always spending time with his big bear ex and refuses to admit he still has feelings for him.
That guy who’s always unlocking his photos for you—and it’s ALWAYS his anus.
A closeted bear who usually surfaces once a year, but be careful—if he sees his own shadow, he’ll dive back into the closet until next year.
That bear friend who will eat anything that’s not nailed down.
That kind of guy who lives life on the edge, but seems most likely to end up dead on the side of a road in Texas.
He’s real big. He’s real cute. He’s real dumb. He’s Groot.
This interview is part of the “They Met on Chasabl” series—which attempts to document a cross-section of some of the couples who met through Chasabl. Our hope is to demystify the online dating process and tell some stories from couples who’ve made it work.
Chasabl: Who messaged who first? Was it love at first sight—or first message, rather?
Phil: It all started out on the 25th of April 2013 at precisely 8:49pm. I had messaged Ciarán (yes, he has a name!) with a quick (my signature conversation opening, I might add!) “Hey, how are you? Phil” message and since then, it was love. I personally had never been in a relationship with a male specimen *giggle* in the past and nor had Ciarán. It was only in recent times that we were either both coming out or had came out to friends/family etc.
Chasabl: So you were both pretty inexperienced when it came to gay dating?
Phil: Both of us had been in relationships with girls, ladies, whatever you want to call them, in the past. (Side note: My ex-girlfriend turned me gay! Long story.) In terms of dating online, I had looked around and stuck my nose into a few dating sites but nothing like what was to come had blossomed before.
Ciarán: Meeting Phil was a first for me in a number of ways. He was the first guy I’ve dated and the first online date that I ever went on. I’d been in probably only one other relationship before this when I was 17, so it had been a while since I had been with someone longterm.
Chasabl: What did you first notice about each other?
Phil: Ciarán was the first person whom I found on Chasabl that I could relate to and have a full blown (cyber) conversation without ever meeting them in person. But yes, the first thing I noticed about Ciarán. His big green eyes and his smile, we both loved music. I for one listened to 99.5% of all genre and he listened to mainly rock/indie which I had a huge following of. We also both loved comedy and did talk for hours on end about that.
Ciarán: Phil messaged me first and I did the customary check of the photos. When I liked what I saw I messaged back. It was all very natural, we got talking about music and just general chit chat. I think a bit of character in a profile is always important, even if it’s not massive it gives you a sense of the person.
Chasabl: Seeing as you met online, was the conservation ever… awkward?
Phil: Personally I didn’t find the conversations awkward at all, they just seemed very fluid and flowed smoothly. I will put my hand up now and say that a few days did lax between us talking but that was purely down to me being bogged down with assignments in college. The life of a first year student in two words: Hectic and chaotic.
Ciarán: Phil messaged me, I was in the middle of exam prep so it was a welcome distraction. I think we mainly talked about hobbies, what we like to do etc. I remember quite early on Phil was threatening to power hose me down, I don’t remember the context though… And he was always fast to draw his invisible shotgun if I disagreed with him. We really got on though and we quickly got to texting and skyping. Phil was the first guy I gave my number, in that way.
Chasabl: What was it like meeting in person for the first time?
Ciarán: After a few weeks of chatting online we were able to meet in person. It was both exciting and terrifying, we were both getting public transport into Dublin city and I remember going through in my mind all my best anecdotes and stories that I hadn’t already told him. On the journey we kept texting each other with updates of where we were, then we decided it was a race to the Spire, where we’d agreed to meet. Phil’s bus got stuck in traffic and so I arrived first. When Phil arrived he shook my hand, I thought that was funny, how formal a date was this?
Chasabl: Were you nervous, Phil?
Phil: As with every first time meeting someone, there will always be that little thought in the back of your mind like “What if he isn’t as he describes?” “what if?” “what if” “What if he is rude?” but personally—I say that word a lot—we had spoken on Skype/Facebook for perhaps two weeks before we met up for the first time and we were well used to conversing. So much so that we barely even shook hands when we first met in person!
Chasabl: So what was on your first date itinerary?
Ciarán: We went for burger a chips (no surprises there) and then went to tea room in the city. It was quite romantic, the two of us lying close in the dimmed lights, with ambient music in the background. But we were both nervous and awkward and neither of us quite made the definitive move, I remember the closest we came was Phil poking my nose and I giggled.
Phil: After burgers, we wandered across Dublin City to the Tea Gardens where we both got the chance to relax, and get to know each other in a quiet/relaxed atmosphere. We traded thoughts, strawberry and pineapple Shisha (no, we don’t smoke normally!) and some fruit tea which was recommended to us.
Chasabl: When did things start getting serious between you two?
Ciarán: Emmm, I think it was a few weeks into dating that we said we were officially ‘going out’. If you’d asked me at that time if we were in a relationship I’d probably have said no, but that’s the date we use for our anniversary. We actually still struggle to agree on what actual date that was, but it was the 19th May, don’t let him tell you anything different! I think that was the only conversation we really had about where are relationship is/was. Oh god, does this mean we’re overdue another one? XD We’re both quite easy going so I don’t think we’ve been too bothered about relationship status or anything like that.
Chasabl: Were either of you hesitant about dating someone you met online?
Phil: I think with the whole age of Internet that we live in, finding true love on the internet/online dating is becoming more and more popular. In the first place, when joining Chasabl, I was quite hesitant in talking to people and opening up about my life. But over time I realised “whats the point in holding back?” and just gave up and dropped all my social barriers that I was holding against people.
Ciarán: I didn’t personally have any hesitations meeting dating someone I met online. We spoke for a couple of weeks before we met up for the first time, so I knew he wasn’t a weido. Now I learned I was wrong! I think online dating is becoming kind of the norm now, especially with the likes of tinder becoming so mainstream. The other day I had to describe grindr to a co-worker, she summarised it ‘so it’s basically a gay tinder’ I took immense joy in telling her that we came first!
Chasabl: Have your friends ever found your Chasabl profile?
Ciarán: When I told my friends I had met Phil online they decided to try and find my profile by Googling my name followed by ‘gay dating profile’. They found… nothing. Ha!
Chasabl: So now that you’re in a relationship, what do you get out of continuing to be a part of the Chasabl community?
Phil: I have built up a small number of longtime friends from Chasabl whom I mainly keep in touch with outside of the network itself but nevertheless check out their lives on Chasabl on occasion. I go on Chasabl to socialise and as one would say “window shop” the odd time.
Ciarán: As well as meeting Phil, I’ve made a few really good friends on Chasabl, people who I speak to almost every day. The great thing about sites like Chasabl is the strong possibility that you’ll find the guys you talk to quite hot. Nothing gets conversation flowing like a bit of flirting. Having a browse of the photos and jumping in on discussions is always a bit of fun too.
]]>
If you’re interested in seeing DJ Kurt Jo (aka the good cuddler) spin, check out the regular Beefcake parties he hosts with Chris Reed in NYC, DC, and Philadelphia. Kurt will also be DJing at Hibearnation in St. Louis. http://djkurtjo.com
]]>
]]>