Sugar Bear

Sugar Bear was the advertising cartoon mascot of Post Super Sugar Crisp (later Golden Crisp) cereal, appearing in commercials for the cereal. His consistent nemesis was an elderly woman called Granny Goodwitch; the two would engage in elaborate contests, often involving trickery, magic, and high technology (often one or more of these methods), in order to determine who would gain possession of a box of the cereal. At the end, Granny Goodwitch would never be angry with Sugar Bear, though. Other nemeses of Sugar Bear included Blob, whose breakfast included pickles and soda; and Sugar Fox, who always tried and failed to keep Sugar Bear from getting his box of Super Sugar Crisp.

Sugar Bear originally appeared as a character in the 1963 Saturday morning cartoon "Linus the Lionhearted". Most of the characters in the series were mascots for Post cereal products. Sugar Bear proved the most durable of the lot. Gerry Matthews provided the original voice for Sugar Bear which feature qualities similar to Dean Martin's. He portrayed a shallow eyed, easy going character.

Sugar Bear normally wore a blue turtleneck sweater with his name on the front, and in the 1980s a bite of Super Sugar Crisp would turn him into the muscle-bound "Super Bear" (this alter ego was used to fight monsters who would steal the cereal). Several commercials in the mid '80s had him using mere casual gestures to outsmart the aggressive tendencies of other animals. Examples include 1987 spots featuring Sugar Bear riding an elephant into a jungle of feisty tigers, playing matador to a raging bull, romping with a rhinoceros, and sparring with irate sharks of the ocean.

The Sugar Bear character was popular enough to have occasional premium toys. A yo-yo and padlock were produced in the '60s, and even in 1993, a Christmas ornament saw him dressed as Santa Claus. Miniature talking plush dolls were also released in the early '90s. Most recently, a Wacky Wobbler was released by Funko Inc.

Taglines

*"Can't get enough of that Sugar/Golden Crisp, it's got the crunch with the punch."
*"You bet your booties, Granny!
*"Nothings beats my tummy and a honey sweet crunch of Golden Crisp."
*"Time for a vitamin packed "punch"!"

Other uses

*Sugar bear is also a term of endearment, particularly in the bear community, as in a sweet bear. A Sugar Bear can also be a somewhat lazy and easy going person used to making easy money-a person who has favors and money heaped on them for no discernible reason is sometimes called a "Sugar Bear".

*Elton John, in the chorus of Someone Saved My Life Tonight, repeatedly refers to "Sugar Bear," by whom he refers to long time friend Long John Baldry, who convinced him to leave his then-fiancee, Linda Woodrow.

*Sugar Bear is also the name of Shaggy 2 Dope's character in the low-budget film Big Money Hustlas

*Madea in Tyler Perry's play I Can Do Bad All By Myself referred to Sugar Bear by calling her neighbor Mr. Brown Sugar Bear

*In NFL Network's "In Their Own Words", Brett Favre refers to former coach Mike Sherman as Sugar Bear, and even gets the team to do a Sugar Bear cheer on three.

*Gang founder Stanley Tookie Williams mentions a youth by the street name of Dancing Sugar Bear in his autobiography "Blue Rage, Black Redemption" as the inventor of the C-Walk.

US Army usage

There is a U.S Army unit stationed at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska, using the Sugar Bear as a mascot. They are currently known as B Co. 1-52 Avn. "SugarBears". As of Sept. 2008 they have been attached to Task Force 49.

Prior to Jan. 2006 when 4-123 Avn. became part of 1-52 Avn., B Co. 4-123 Avn. was also named "SugarBears". From Jan. 2005 to Dec. 2005, the "SugarBears" served in Operation Iraqi Freedom III as a support company using mainly the CH-47D Chinook heavy lift helicopter to provide supplies and safely move manpower to many isolated locations in Iraq.

As part of 1-52 Avn. and Task Force 49, their more recent deployment occurred during Operation Iraqi Freedom V and VI from Jul. 2007 to Aug. 2008. While there, Task Force 49 served the 2ndMLG (Marine Logistics Group) on a Marine camp. They had served again as a support company using mainly the CH-47D Chinook heavy lift helicopter to provide supplies, transport cargo and safely move manpower to many isolated locations in Iraq.

External links

* [http://mistertoast.blogspot.com/2007/09/evolution-of-sugar-bear.html The Evolution of Sugar Bear]
* [http://www.chinook-helicopter.com/history/units/242nd_ASHC/242nd_ASHC.html How the Sugar Bear became the mascot for the Ft. Wainwright SugarBears]
* [http://www.chinook-helicopter.com The CH-47D, the Army Rotorcraft version of a Cadillac]