Broadway Bears: Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking Bear

The Great White Way has a lot to offer, but one more contribution that may surprise the uninitiated is Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS charity. Drawing on the star power and talents of various New Yorkers, they raise money though such unique events as the upcoming Broadway Bears Auction (not to be confused with their fundraising strip show, Broadway Bares).

One bear appearing on the auction block this year has a NewNew connection, since it was made by Kari Love of Ikyoto.

The bear of the hour represents Carrie Fisher in her hit one-woman show, Wishful Drinking. Perhaps inspired by a combination of her 2009 Conan O'Brien appearance as the liberator of the masturbating bear and the proliferation of dolls made of her in the past (noted in the show itself), Ms. Fisher was eager to have a bear in her likeness.

The bear features a "Gypsy Lace" duster of assembled and sewn fibers creating a web-like texture of yarns made by Diane Prekup, who also made the original. Underneath, she wears midnight blue silk charmeuse pajamas cut from remnants of the original Broadway garments with a pocket filled with confetti from the show. Her sandals feature silver leather straps adorned with Swarovski crystal beads. Her wig is a reproduction of her famous Princess Leia hairstyle. She has also been signed by Carrie Fisher.

(Kari proudly shows off the signature on the bear.)

You can make a bid online until the auction on February 14, 2010, or even by phone during the event if you can't attend.