Puppetry of the Penis Live @ The Coast Playhouse

POP

I’ve never seen two men stark-naked wearing only sneakers, making amusing installations with their penis, scrotum, testicles and buttocks - and for a whole 45 minutes! That’s what audiences will expect with Puppetry of the Penis.

Tagged as the ancient art of genital origami, the Tony Award-winning show, consisting of an impressive repertoire of genital gesticulations, originated in Australia and has since played in major cities around the world.

It’s flat-out funny it will leave you in stitches. “The Eye” was a little spooky. Everybody cringed with “Yoda”. “The Bulldog” garnered the most hysterical shrieks. “The Hamburger,” the signature trick that started it all, received enthusiastic applause.

My personal favorites are “Anemone”, “Kentucky Fried Chicken” and “E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial”. Other memorable installations include “The Woman,” “George W. Bush,” ”Mollusk,” and “Baby Bird”.

It’s not crass. It’s a decent show for mature audiences regardless of gender. A word of warning from its producers: The show may contain traces of nuts. ;-)

Watching it on a Friday night definitely relieved a week’s stress of hard work, although I had a headache from laughing too hard. :D!

The show closed appropriately with “Windsurfer” with one puppeteer on a skateboard stretching his scrotum like a sail, and the other puppeteer providing a good, strong “blow” whisking both actors across the stage and off.

The thumbnail photo above is a link to an online album of pictures from the venue.

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Photos in this post & the online album are author's property.

Introduction to WeHo

I went to West Hollywood last night for the very first time. My newfound fellow furry friends from Big Bear invited me to dance the night away on Labor Day weekend. They also wanted to give me a freshman tour of the gay mecca of Los Angeles.

We went bar-hopping: Micky’s, Motherlode, The Abbey and The Factory. Liquor, finger foods, nicotine, topless male bartenders, flamboyant drag queens, skimpily-clad dancers, lots of eye candy, and a killer dance mix. Everyone was in a party mood.

A few came alone, some as couples, others in groups. There were women in the crowd, too, who came with their boy friends. Some places have several dance floors. Even then, personal space diminishes as the night wears on.

WeHo still has shock value for me even after Big Bear Adventure Weekend 2009. The main shocker are the go-go boys - men wearing almost nothing dancing on ledges, gyrating on poles and inside cages, and making erotic moves that mimic sex.

We were drinking, laughing, eating, flirting, dancing. We were having fun. Randy partied like there’s no tomorrow, having only come out three years ago at 50. Fred’s social skills were at max level, dancing with anyone left and right.

Ed fell flat on his face after attempting to ensconce himself on a poled ledge. It was the funniest moment of the night. Nestor got a pleasant surprise finding out that an old friend of his is a go-go dancer in one of the clubs.

As for me, I offered to take pictures of couples & groups who were trying to do it on their own. But most of the time I was just standing on a corner, drinking vodka, trying to absorb the spectacle unfolding before my eyes.

Six hours into partying, I decided to call it a night earlier than my company. I thanked them for a wonderful time and headed towards Angelino. The night was still young. Party places I sauntered past were still booming.

The setting and the crowd reminds me strongly of happy times in Big Bear. But in the midst of festive music, jovial chatter and collective merriment, I couldn’t help but feel empty. I hate to admit but I could only think of one reason - I Met Someone In Big Bear, and he wasn’t there.