On The Prowl At The Second Annual Cougar Convention
By Kevin Robinson in News on Jun 28, 2010 4:00PM
The Second Annual Cougar Convention hit Chicago this weekend, bringing single young men (or 'cubs') and eligible older ladies (cougars, ahem) together for one night of anticipation and potential romance in the ballroom of the Embassy Suites O'Hare.
Founded by Rich Gosse, a professional dating coach (and one-time California gubernatorial candidate), cougar parties are the "premier source for younger men who are attracted to older women, and vice versa!" The event started with an address from Gosse, who warmed up the crowd with encouragement for May-December relationships, and then hit the floor to find out why attendees were interested in cougars or cubs. Sporting a wireless mike and trailed by a camera crew, the ladies told Gosse that younger men are more energetic, more adventurous and more exciting. The men told Gosse that older women are more experienced, don't play games and know how to take care of themselves. After breaking the ice for everyone, Gosse stepped back up on the stage, asked attendees to pick up their chairs and clear the dance floor. As the lights dimmed and the music started, I headed out into the crowd to find out for myself why people came to the Chicago Cougar Convention.
Evelyn heard about the event through Meetup.com, and down from Mundelein. "I love dancing," she told me, noting that the event "sounds like fun." She has prior experience dating younger men, although she's single now. Janet heard about the event through Thunderbirds, and came up from Orland Park. She's dated younger men before, as well, and while initially she felt there was a stigma associated with dating someone outside of her age range, she felt "the stigma is now gone." In fact, talking to the women in attendance wasn't difficult - they all seemed pretty forthcoming and had a positive attitude about the event. Getting the men to talk to me, however, was a different story. I spoke to Bill, who had been chatting with Rachel during Gosse's speech. He lives in Chicago, and while shy about talking to the media, made it clear that he was interested in older women. "It isn't all about sex. Older women aren't full of BS. If it isn't working, they'd tell you." I also spoke to Nick, who lives in the Naperville - Aurora area. He told me he was there to "flatter older women, to cross the barrier of the norm and try something new."
One other group was in attendance as well, and they showed up in force: the local media. New City, Time Out Chicago, and several documentary photographers all hung at the edges of the ballroom, taking notes, smirking and snapping photos. Without the promotion and the suggestive title, the Second National Cougar Convention would just be your ordinary, run-of-the-mill suburban singles event. And like any event where single people mix it up with the intention of meeting dating partners, the men easily outnumbered the women by about five to one. The difference, in this case, is that the event seemed so contrived, as if it were a spectacle set up for the amusement of the non-attending populace, watching vicariously through the lens of the media. In the end, Gosse comes off as sincere about helping people find that special someone. Perhaps if an event such as this were done more organically, it wouldn't seem so hokey.