Think of any historic building or magnificently beautiful natural landmark. Well, it’s likely that Jon Bennett has stood next to it, lent back, and pretended it was a cock.
Think of any historic building or magnificently beautiful natural landmark. Well, it’s likely that Jon Bennett has stood next to it, lent back, and pretended it was a cock.
His critically acclaimed show, Pretending Things Are A Cock, is a journey through the cock-inspired photographs and stories (including being arrested in Brazil) that Bennett and his team accumulated whilst travelling the world, literally pretending things are a cock.
“The show takes the form of an exhibition opening, with a gallery tour, live stories accompanied by live classical cellist, and cock-shaped hors d’oeuvres. And of course cocktails, to go with the cock tales, which I’ll be telling,” Bennett explains.
He mentions that the inspiration for the show came while dicking around the house. “I have three older brothers and a dad, so I was surrounded by five cocks from birth. You can imagine that the idea of dick jokes and immature humour was present from a very early age. But, in terms of this show, it began quite by accident when my housemate photographed my schoolboy antics pretending with a toothbrush, and it grew from there”.
Bennett has managed to develop this hilariously immature idea into an Internet phenomenon, collecting over 12,700 Facebook fans and hundreds of fan-submitted photos. Much like Jim Carrey’s character in The Number 23, Bennett’s obsession is slowly defining his world. “PTAAC has ruined my life. I don’t see things anymore. All I see are cocks. I’ve been heard muttering things like ‘that’s a good cock’ in my sleep. I’ve been thinking of ways to wrap it up for a long time now but every time I think I’ve found a perfect final pretend cock, something else pops up. I’ve decided the only way to end it is to save enough money to fly to the moon and make ‘Earth Cock’. I’ve approached Virgin Galactic but Richard Branson is yet to contact me”.
Jon Bennett performs Pretending Things Are A Cock: Still Cocking After All This Year at Tuxedo Cat from Thursday March 31 – Sunday April 10 and at Bertha Brown between Thursday April 14 – Saturday April 23. Tickets are $10 – $18 at Ticketmaster online, 1300 600 013, from the venue at 1300 885 412, tixbox.com.au or at the door.
