What Does The Press Have To Say?

The Nashville Scene -- Music Pick Of The Week

"Some men are destined for greatness, and others were born to swing steam irons from chains attached to their nipples...The illustrious SideShowBennie and his barely human sidekick, Prince Zontar, will chew lightbulbs, pose as flesh dartboards, and lie across a bed of nails while audience members stand on their backs. At least one of these things doesn't happen every night in Nashville."

"We celebrated the Fourth of July this year by sitting dumbfounded in an East Nashville backyard while a guy stuck a 8-inch screwdriver up his nose, swung a steam iron from a chain attached to his nipples, and ripped off a bowling ball Superglued to his hand. Of course, that magical evening can't be duplicated -- although we suspect you could find stranger things in East Nashville backyards."
Bennie never figured out why he was listed as Music Pick Of The Week, but they did spell his name right.

Prince Zontar, no longer a full time performer, still occasionally joins Bennie as part of the Carnival of Wonders.

In Review -- Out & About

"There are very few sights more disturbing than a middle-aged, overweight, naked white man with irons dangling from his testicles.

Perhaps that truly is the understatement of the year.

Calling himself SideShow Bennie, this performer doesn't solely focus on testicular feats; he also hangs irons from piercings in his nipples, ears and tongue as well as hammering a four-inch nail up his nose, lying on broken glass, walking across a bed of nails...well, you get the picture...

For months, I've been taunted by SideShow Bennie rumors and bombarded with postcards and flyers. In fact, I even met Bennie once well before I made it to his show. Watching half of the performance through my fingers, I was equally entertained by the crowd's reaction to Bennie's tricks. While not absolutely certain, I'm pretty sure all of these acts were for real -- no smoke, no mirrors; just pure, fascinating, stupid human tricks."
Last Call by Rebekah Gleaves

Sidelines Flash! -- Middle Tennesse State University (Vol.2 Issue 23) 4/12/00

"Yet, the act that stole the show was ironically SideShow Bennie. When he took the stage the racousy and the slightly drunk crowd became like a can of sardines, packed in tight with some standing on tabletops for a better view of the freaky carny geek. But what make Bennie's act a hit is the fact that he admits on stage that he's repulsive and he embraces that while the audience embraces it with him.

SideShow Bennie's strong tongue and cheek humor relieved some of the hair-raising tension from stunts such as hammering a nail up his nose, having someone walk on top of him as he lays face down, including his face, in a bed of freshly broken glass, stapling a dollar bill to his forehead with a staplegun or using his back as a target for a round of darts.

He also like to set into action new trends. "Screw your body piercing and tattoos -- buttons is where it's at", proclaimed SideShow Bennie as he sewed a button onto quite a large amount of flesh on his bicep

While all these things may seem rather spine crawling, nothing can compare to SideShow Bennie's grand finale, where he swings irons first from his pierced earlobes, then his tongue, his nipples and finally his scrotum.

From Bennie's experience once you do it and feel the initial pain, the next time it doesn't register as pain. Apparently, he know how to mentally prepare himself for what he's about to feel by visualizing his whole act and arranging it from the least to the most painful, giving his endorphins and adrenaline a chance to kick in."
Vices In The Name Of Swank by Robin Wallace, Editor
The Swank Fest is presented by TAG the online trash-culture magzine of Nashville http://www.thetag.net

Tattoo Revue #86

"There are was a lot of entertainment going on, featuring SideShow Bennie, freak-for hire, with some stuff that hurt and was just down right disgusting.

People loved it! He has a good act if you can pick it up, and is a gentleman on and off the stage...if you need a good act book Bennie."
by Big Brother

The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Return to the days of the sideshow working acts and torture kings. Bennie's humor, charm and astounding physical feats will have audiences chuckling, wincing and talking about this act for months. Actor Benjamin Wade creates theater magic..."
Press release for appearance at The Quarry Street Cafe.

The Fringe Guide -- Very Kinky Girls (And Boys)

"It wouldn't be Fringe without a guy who shoves nails up his nose, now would it? See him if you dare in SideShow Bennie's Carnival Of Wonders at the Quarry Street Cafe. And for thrills of a more sensual nature (although, hey, I'm not saying nails up your nose isn't sensual)..."
Presented by Fox Philadelphia
SideShow Bennie Banner by Colonel J.D. Wilkes SideShow Bennie's Carnival of Wonders
Available for bookings through
Fly By Night Entertainment & Production
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