Man, that's sad. I wonder why they didn't report that anywhere else... I love the Berenstain Bears, even though Ben hilariously hates them.

I don't think he's written about it, but a local station here will run the 1985 DIC TV series (not the new PBS one.... which might also be DIC, too, not sure), and Dale and I would watch it, and if Ben was over, it would drive him nuts. It was actually kinda funny. Even though the 1985 series was sorta.... well, part of the allure was that the animation and music were so completely cheap charley. The theme song was a synth version of (just got up so I don't remember the real title) "Be Kind To Your Web-Footed Friends" with Bear-related lyrics. But he's clarified in the past that it's not just the show he hates, but the stories too, and that he always has, even young. Which I find baffling, since I loved those growing up.