LaffingBear

My experience is all fairly long ago.  I'm not sure how relevant my experience is in the age of Onlyfans, Insta, Grindr, & videochat.  Ive dealt with weight issues throughout adult life.  While others cycle through gains and losses of 30, even 50 lbs, I've cycled through hundreds.
I was fairly active in the urban bear scene 90s, early 00s. I frequented bear bars and events as the gay community was fairly direct in relegating me to the bear & chub scene.  I recall being insulted when I accompanied a very buff friend into Powerhouse in SF.
Chubby-chasers are, imo, much closer to urban myth than we'd like to acknowledge.  I rarely met a chaser who didn't have some fetish interests: feeding, feeling smothered as a bottom, playing with man-tits. I remember one guy who only wanted to tickle the midriff bulge hanging over my belt.  Guys for whom my size wasn't a factor at all were rare. Note that I distinguish between a daddy with 25-30 extra pounds and a genuinely fat guy; muscle cubs with a beer-gut Daddy were not at all uncommon. 
Strong memories: a few different instances of guys who were politely uninterested at 365lbs, but who seemed to not recognize me and pursued me at 230, or 210.  One guy stopped visiting me when I lost weight.. that was surprising.
In hiring, I felt it best to share my size when screening rentguys.  I was only directly rejected a few times, and rarely felt insulted.  I might have written about one here on the board years ago when a couple offering 4-hand massage rejected me in an offensive manner.  Much more common was the pocket veto approach "oh, that's not an issue for me" but failure to respond in follow up, or appointment setting.
While I'm sure I was screened out often, I never had an issue with guys who agreed to an appointment.  No one arrived and said never mind. No one refused acts based on size.  The topic arose once or twice in lengthy or repeat visits - more as health advice, but not in a manner that felt like rejection. 
I was active in hiring in 90s & 00s.  Much less active in 2010s.  My most recent hire was a very well-known guy in Feb 2020 while traveling; 36 hours later, I was dealing with very bad flu symptoms. Nothing since.
So, with that lengthy post for context, my approach was to tell the rentguy in advance, perhaps as a defense against in-person hurtful rejection.   But no real issues once met.
 

My experience is all fairly long ago.  I'm not sure how relevant my experience is in the age of Onlyfans, Insta, Grindr, & videochat.  Ive dealt with weight issues throughout adult life.  While others cycle through gains and losses of 30, even 50 lbs, I've cycled through hundreds.
I was fairly active in the urban bear scene 90s, early 00s. I frequented bear bars and events as the gay community was fairly direct in relegating me to the bear & chub scene.  I recall being insulted when I accompanied a very buff friend into Powerhouse in SF.
Chubby-chasers are, imo, much closer to urban myth than we'd like to acknowledge.  I rarely met a chaser who didn't have some fetish interests: feeding, feeling smothered as a bottom, playing with man-tits. I remember one guy who only wanted to tickle the midriff bulge hanging over my belt.  Guys for whom my size wasn't a factor at all were rare. Note that I distinguish between a daddy with 25-30 extra pounds and a genuinely fat guy; muscle cubs with a beer-gut Daddy were not at all uncommon. 
Strong memories: a few different instances of guys who were politely uninterested at 365lbs, but who seemed to not recognize me and pursued me at 230, or 210.  One guy stopped visiting me when I lost weight.. that was surprising.
In hiring, I felt it best to share my size when screening rentguys.  I was only directly rejected a few times, and rarely felt insulted.  I might have written about one here on the board years ago when a couple offering 4-hand massage rejected me in an offensive manner.  Much more common was the pocket veto approach "oh, that's not an issue for me" but failure to respond in follow up, or appointment setting.
While I'm sure I was screened out often, I never had an issue with guys who agreed to an appointment.  No one arrived and said never mind. No one refused acts based on size.  The topic arose once or twice in lengthy or repeat visits - more as health advice, but not in a manner that felt like rejection. 
I was active in hiring in 90s & 00s.  Much less active in 2010s.  My most recent hire was a very well-known guy in Feb 2020 while traveling; 36 hours later, I was dealing with very bad flu symptoms. Nothing since.
So, with that lengthy post for context, my approach was to tell the rentguy in advance, perhaps as a defense against in-person hurtful rejection.   But no real issues once met.
 

My experience is all fairly long ago.  I'm not sure how relevant my experience is in the age of Onlyfans, Insta, Grindr, & videochat.  Ive dealt with weight issues throughout adult life.  While others cycle through gains and losses of 30, even 50 lbs, I've cycled through hundreds.
I was fairly active in the urban bear scene 90s, early 00s. I frequented bear bars and events as the gay community was fairly direct in relegating me to the bear & chub scene.  I recall being insulted when I accompanied a very buff friend into Powerhouse in SF.
Chubby-chasers are, imo, much closer to urban myth than we'd like to acknowledge.  I rarely met a chaser who didn't have some fetish interests: feeding, feeling smothered as a bottom, playing with man-tits. I remember one guy who only wanted to tickle the midriff bulge hanging over my belt.  Guys for whom my size wasn't a factor at all were rare. Note that I distinguish between a daddy with 25-30 extra pounds and a genuinely fat guy; muscle cubs with a beer-gut Daddy were not at all uncommon. 
Strong memories: a few different instances of guys who were politely uninterested at 365lbs, but who seemed to not recognize me and pursued me at 230, or 210.  One guy stopped visiting me when I lost weight.. that was surprising.
In hiring, I felt it best to share my size when screening rentguys.  I was only directly rejected a few times, and rarely felt insulted.  I might have written about one here on the board years ago when a couple offering 4-hand massage rejected me in an offensive manner.  Much more common was the pocket veto approach "oh, that's not an issue for me" but failure to respond in follow up, or appointment setting.
While I'm sure I was screened out often, I never had an issue with guys who agreed to an appointment.  No one arrived and said never mind. No one refused acts based on size.  The topic arose once or twice in lengthy or repeat visits - more as health advice, but not in a manner that felt like rejection. 
I was active in hiring in 90s & 00s.  Much less active in 2010s.  My most recent hire was a very well-known guy in Feb 2020 while traveling; 36 hours later, I was dealing with very bad flu symptoms. Nothing since.
So, with that lengthy post for context, my approach was to tell the rentguy in advance, perhaps as a defense against in-person hurtful rejection.   But no real issues once met.
 

I've seen posts like this before in the years ive perused this forum.  I'm surprised that no prior responses conveyed this sentiment this time. 
Someone is worth whatever people are willing to pay.
There are threads here on the forum regarding experiences with a rentguy who gets the specified rate, and assertions that it was worth every penny.
Whether I'd be willing to pay $1000 is a different question. Realistically, no.
 

Was interested to see this topic.  Have to admit, I haven't read the entire thread. I'm a 30-year resident of SF Bay.  Watching SF, and Oakland, slide toward demise is pretty frightening...  I noted someone else write that they feel trapped.  I understand that feeling.  With each new news report, I wonder if the region will collapse.  We would all do well to remember that what's now referred to as the Rust Belt were once thriving cities/regions of this country. 
IMO, there are multiple factors at play.  Ill try to avoid political commentary. (Frame of reference: im blue, pretty liberal, etc) Drugs, unhoused, are mentioned above.  Other factors: ongoing decline of retail, hastened by pandemic.  Work from home culture and it's contribution to decline of the city.  Decriminalization of theft, and laws that "almost" enable criminals.  A history of soaring housing costs, cost-of-living, and therefore some wages... it may never have been sustainable; now its resulted in people who can't afford to stay, or who are trapped because they can't afford to sell.  Add that home-value was a major element of many individuals retirement strategies... and they're watching it collapse.
I'm not sure that a City, Region and State that pursued utopian solutions, mostly through increased taxation, is prepared to implement the necessary solutions.  Even now, as tax revenue diminishes and people flee the state, new tax initiatives are being introduced as solutions: eg, only affecting the very-wealthy, they're trying a new tax on people who leave the State, payable for 10-years after departure.
Stated differently, imo, we're at or rapidly approaching crisis, and I'm skeptical that we're responding accordingly. 

Was interested to see this topic.  Have to admit, I haven't read the entire thread. I'm a 30-year resident of SF Bay.  Watching SF, and Oakland, slide toward demise is pretty frightening...  I noted someone else write that they feel trapped.  I understand that feeling.  With each new news report, I wonder if the region will collapse.  We would all do well to remember that what's now referred to as the Rust Belt were once thriving cities/regions of this country. 
IMO, there are multiple factors at play.  Ill try to avoid political commentary. (Frame of reference: im blue, pretty liberal, etc) Drugs, unhoused, are mentioned above.  Other factors: ongoing decline of retail, hastened by pandemic.  Work from home culture and it's contribution to decline of the city.  Decriminalization of theft, and laws that "almost" enable criminals.  A history of soaring housing costs, cost-of-living, and therefore some wages... it may never have been sustainable; now its resulted in people who can't afford to stay, or who are trapped because they can't afford to sell.  Add that home-value was a major element of many individuals retirement strategies... and they're watching it collapse.
I'm not sure that a City, Region and State that pursued utopian solutions, mostly through increased taxation, is prepared to implement the necessary solutions.  Even now, as tax revenue diminishes and people flee the state, new tax initiatives are being introduced as solutions: eg, only affecting the very-wealthy, they're trying a new tax on people who leave the State, payable for 10-years after departure.
Stated differently, imo, we're at or rapidly approaching crisis, and I'm skeptical that we're responding accordingly. 

Was interested to see this topic.  Have to admit, I haven't read the entire thread. I'm a 30-year resident of SF Bay.  Watching SF, and Oakland, slide toward demise is pretty frightening...  I noted someone else write that they feel trapped.  I understand that feeling.  With each new news report, I wonder if the region will collapse.  We would all do well to remember that what's now referred to as the Rust Belt were once thriving cities/regions of this country. 
IMO, there are multiple factors at play.  Ill try to avoid political commentary. (Frame of reference: im blue, pretty liberal, etc) Drugs, unhoused, are mentioned above.  Other factors: ongoing decline of retail, hastened by pandemic.  Work from home culture and it's contribution to decline of the city.  Decriminalization of theft, and laws that "almost" enable criminals.  A history of soaring housing costs, cost-of-living, and therefore some wages... it may never have been sustainable; now its resulted in people who can't afford to stay, or who are trapped because they can't afford to sell.  Add that home-value was a major element of many individuals retirement strategies... and they're watching it collapse.
I'm not sure that a City, Region and State that pursued utopian solutions, mostly through increased taxation, is prepared to implement the necessary solutions.  Even now, as tax revenue diminishes and people flee the state, new tax initiatives are being introduced as solutions: eg, only affecting the very-wealthy, they're trying a new tax on people who leave the State, payable for 10-years after departure.
Stated differently, imo, we're at or rapidly approaching crisis, and I'm skeptical that we're responding accordingly. 

There are still some great things about San Francisco, but I can honestly say that if it was in its current state when I first visited here I definitely would not have fallen in love with the place and wanted to move here.  In fact, I feel trapped here for a variety of reasons I don't want to go into.  I hope things turn around, but I don't know what it's going to take for that to happen. 

Sorta stumped by the question.
 
There are things that I'd like to live to see.
 
And there are things that, I'd like to drop dead 5 minutes before they occur.

Yes.  Most were very very long ago.  I had guys arrive at my hotel room, looking nothing like pictured, paid a small amount for cab fare, said goodbye.  I had two very unpleasant physical discoveries at two different guys places, got up, dressed, and bolted in record time... threw some partial payment down as I ran.
The most recent was a guy who came to my home, just before Covid.  Didn't quite look like his pics, but acted like a jerk. Wouldn't remove hat or mirrored shades. Looked very carefully at everything, suggesting that the little red LED power light on my TV might be a camera.  He was resistant to my insistence he depart.  I was nervous, thinking he could behave crazy, trash my home. He had insisted on, and I had stupidly, paid up front. But I took a breath and sorta bullied him out the door, AND got most of my money back.
I rarely arranged first meetings at my home, and that reinforced my standard. 90% of all of my first-meeting experiences have been their place or a hotel room.  

Yes.  Most were very very long ago.  I had guys arrive at my hotel room, looking nothing like pictured, paid a small amount for cab fare, said goodbye.  I had two very unpleasant physical discoveries at two different guys places, got up, dressed, and bolted in record time... threw some partial payment down as I ran.
The most recent was a guy who came to my home, just before Covid.  Didn't quite look like his pics, but acted like a jerk. Wouldn't remove hat or mirrored shades. Looked very carefully at everything, suggesting that the little red LED power light on my TV might be a camera.  He was resistant to my insistence he depart.  I was nervous, thinking he could behave crazy, trash my home. He had insisted on, and I had stupidly, paid up front. But I took a breath and sorta bullied him out the door, AND got most of my money back.
I rarely arranged first meetings at my home, and that reinforced my standard. 90% of all of my first-meeting experiences have been their place or a hotel room.  

Yes.  Most were very very long ago.  I had guys arrive at my hotel room, looking nothing like pictured, paid a small amount for cab fare, said goodbye.  I had two very unpleasant physical discoveries at two different guys places, got up, dressed, and bolted in record time... threw some partial payment down as I ran.
The most recent was a guy who came to my home, just before Covid.  Didn't quite look like his pics, but acted like a jerk. Wouldn't remove hat or mirrored shades. Looked very carefully at everything, suggesting that the little red LED power light on my TV might be a camera.  He was resistant to my insistence he depart.  I was nervous, thinking he could behave crazy, trash my home. He had insisted on, and I had stupidly, paid up front. But I took a breath and sorta bullied him out the door, AND got most of my money back.
I rarely arranged first meetings at my home, and that reinforced my standard. 90% of all of my first-meeting experiences have been their place or a hotel room.  

Yes.  Most were very very long ago.  I had guys arrive at my hotel room, looking nothing like pictured, paid a small amount for cab fare, said goodbye.  I had two very unpleasant physical discoveries at two different guys places, got up, dressed, and bolted in record time... threw some partial payment down as I ran.
The most recent was a guy who came to my home, just before Covid.  Didn't quite look like his pics, but acted like a jerk. Wouldn't remove hat or mirrored shades. Looked very carefully at everything, suggesting that the little red LED power light on my TV might be a camera.  He was resistant to my insistence he depart.  I was nervous, thinking he could behave crazy, trash my home. He had insisted on, and I had stupidly, paid up front. But I took a breath and sorta bullied him out the door, AND got most of my money back.
I rarely arranged first meetings at my home, and that reinforced my standard. 90% of all of my first-meeting experiences have been their place or a hotel room.  

I stayed at Cabanas in 2019.  Had a massage.  One of the best massages I ever had .

The CDC said the smallpox vaccine from 50 years ago may provide "some protection" but I doubt they really know. 
The NY Health Dept response has been a comedy of errors. 
To get back to the original topic I'm pausing massages til I get vaccinated as a precaution. 

I hired him in 2019.  The pics are real.  Face is fine, I'd say he's only being discreet.
His pics are fairly old.  In 2019, he arrived with a fairly new lion head on a pec... was still applying whatever gel one uses after getting a tattoo.  So any pic without a chest tattoo is 2019 or older.  
In an odd way, one of the most prepared masseurs I recall.  Came to my hotel with music, turned down lights, I think he has a massage routine timed to his music.
It was a good experience, and there were no red flags that would have me cautioning others against hiring him.  

I know that I would not massage a monkey under current conditions.

Current News in San Francisco Bay Area.   Steamworks baths in Berkeley obtained vaccine and set up clinic.  Initially, I thought that was great.
But then, even though vaccine is free, in response to long lines, they segregated the lines for paid members and guests, so that paid members got in quicker
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/berkeley-business-criticized-over-monkeypox-vaccine-distribution/2943742/
 
 

I enjoy most entertainers who sing live, including those in drag.
But I am tired of entertainers who merely move their lips to the song, and without any particular dance talent.  This seems to be prevelent at most modern day drag performances, unfortunately.  Last week I was at a "drag" performance (that's how it was advertised) where two of the performers weren't even in drag, and just stood there and moved their mouth to a soundtrack.  The bar keeps moving lower.

I have more compartmentalized thoughts on drag. 
If someone truly enjoys dressing in drag.  Go for it.  I used hang out in the bear bars, and a few of the regulars would sometimes arrive in clothes thought of as male, and sometimes in clothes thought of as female.  (And if anyone believes that 1990s bear-wear... from caps, and vests, flannel and jeans, boots and wallets on chains - isn't drag, think again.  Grrrr Baby.) 
I arrived in SF at the tail of the worst of AIDS.   Men would be dead were it not for dykes and drag queens, esp...the Sisters. 
I have no issue with someone wearing drag for a statement.   I remember guys in high heels walking the parade, sponsored to raise funds.  I respect the talent in. A show when someone in drag can sing... if they want to wear a dress and belt out a tune, I'm totally on board. Same with an act, an emcee, etc.
But, I'm entirely uninterested in someone dressing in fabulous clothes and mincing around the stage while lip-synching.  I'm long passed the "wow, I can't believe that's a guy"  That's not entertainment, for me.  No contempt, just don't ask me to watch - or pay-to-watch..  

Hmmm... interesting thread
My answer is, "not really anything that serious."  Dealt with some threats, some belligerence. Most of these are at least 15 years ago... one happened 2018-9.  
I had a guy verbally threaten me in my hotel room... I picked up the phone and asked for security, and he split.   "Never mind "
I had a guy I stupidly picked up for an appointment, 2 minutes after he got in my car, I wanted him gone.  He refused to leave my car.  I pulled into a parking lot, got out, remembering to take my keys, went to the passenger door and yanked him out.  
I violated my own rules and let a never-met into my home, and paid up front.  Realized I was being scammed... somehow got most of my money back and got him out of the door.   
All of the above, I was nervous.. much more than I let on.  But in the years on this board I've read again and again about encounters where people allow themselves to be victims.   I'm no big brave guy. My mind was racing, fear of 'what if he....."   I never felt like I was in tangible physical danger;  If a weapon had appeared, or even threatening physical contact had occurred, I'd have complied. But I've become aware that the  bad guys rely on fear and intimidation, and rely on people conceding very quickly.  So I took a deep breath and responded. 
Twenty or more years ago I was at an LAX hotel, with an appointment scheduled with some guy.  He was late, I called him, he said he was on the way.  Played that game at least three cycles over the next few hours.  Finally, I called and said forget it, he tried to shame me into keeping the appointment.   I declined.  A few days later I read, either on this board's predecessor or MSS or Atkol that he was arrested that same date for violence... gun or knife, I can't recall.  That's the closest I've ever come to danger - or felt I dodged a bullet. 

Hmmm... interesting thread
My answer is, "not really anything that serious."  Dealt with some threats, some belligerence. Most of these are at least 15 years ago... one happened 2018-9.  
I had a guy verbally threaten me in my hotel room... I picked up the phone and asked for security, and he split.   "Never mind "
I had a guy I stupidly picked up for an appointment, 2 minutes after he got in my car, I wanted him gone.  He refused to leave my car.  I pulled into a parking lot, got out, remembering to take my keys, went to the passenger door and yanked him out.  
I violated my own rules and let a never-met into my home, and paid up front.  Realized I was being scammed... somehow got most of my money back and got him out of the door.   
All of the above, I was nervous.. much more than I let on.  But in the years on this board I've read again and again about encounters where people allow themselves to be victims.   I'm no big brave guy. My mind was racing, fear of 'what if he....."   I never felt like I was in tangible physical danger;  If a weapon had appeared, or even threatening physical contact had occurred, I'd have complied. But I've become aware that the  bad guys rely on fear and intimidation, and rely on people conceding very quickly.  So I took a deep breath and responded. 
Twenty or more years ago I was at an LAX hotel, with an appointment scheduled with some guy.  He was late, I called him, he said he was on the way.  Played that game at least three cycles over the next few hours.  Finally, I called and said forget it, he tried to shame me into keeping the appointment.   I declined.  A few days later I read, either on this board's predecessor or MSS or Atkol that he was arrested that same date for violence... gun or knife, I can't recall.  That's the closest I've ever come to danger - or felt I dodged a bullet. 

Anyone I've seen on Instagram or TikTok, who looks like they'd have potential.... if you look a little deeper, they have an OnlyFans.  Either to sell access to nude or sexual content, or legit fitness content.
Some OF hosts have started offering basic, minimally "exciting" content for $3 subscription.  Their goal being upsell to specialized content.  However, I believe they'll respond to DMs from paid OF subscribers, because that's also how fans order custom vids, etc.
So.... if someone really really interests you, and you have any indication they'll meet for more, consider subscribing if inexpensive and sending DMs.
And, no, I havent tried it.  I subscribed to one OF once, and it was disappointing.   Never again.

Anyone I've seen on Instagram or TikTok, who looks like they'd have potential.... if you look a little deeper, they have an OnlyFans.  Either to sell access to nude or sexual content, or legit fitness content.
Some OF hosts have started offering basic, minimally "exciting" content for $3 subscription.  Their goal being upsell to specialized content.  However, I believe they'll respond to DMs from paid OF subscribers, because that's also how fans order custom vids, etc.
So.... if someone really really interests you, and you have any indication they'll meet for more, consider subscribing if inexpensive and sending DMs.
And, no, I havent tried it.  I subscribed to one OF once, and it was disappointing.   Never again.