Summary

The article discusses the rising trend of prosthetic penises in Hollywood productions, exploring their use in various TV shows and movies, the artistry involved in their creation, and the potential impact on societal perceptions of masculinity and body image.

Abstract

Hollywood is experiencing a surge in the use of prosthetic penises, as seen in shows like HBO's Euphoria. These artificial appendages are crafted by skilled artists to meet specific scene requirements, ranging from flaccid to erect states, and can cost upwards of $1,000. The trend has sparked discussions on whether the prevalence of such props could contribute to body dysmorphia among men, by setting unrealistic standards of size and appearance. The article also touches on the normalization of male nudity in film and television, drawing comparisons to the historical objectification of women in media, and questions whether this shift represents a form of gender equality or a new avenue for objectification.

Opinions

The use of prosthetic penises in Hollywood is becoming increasingly common, with detailed customization for each actor and role.
There is a concern that the portrayal of unnaturally large or perfect penises in media could lead to body dysmorphia in men, similar to the effects of pornography.
The normalization of male nudity in media is seen as a double-edged sword, potentially reducing the patriarchal mystique but also raising questions about the objectification of men.
The article suggests that gender equality should not come at the expense of degrading one gender and that the overuse of male nudity can blur the line between art and pornography.
The craft of creating prosthetic penises is recognized as a niche and delicate art form, with artists like Matthew Mungle being referred to as the "king of the prosthetic penis."
The article implies that the trend of prosthetic penises might lead to a desensitization to male nudity, potentially changing societal reactions to unsolicited images like dick pics.

Prosthetic Penises Are Trending in Hollywood

Actors are strutting their stuff, but not with their real bits. Will prosthetics cause body dysmorphia in men?

Artwork: ©Carlyn Beccia | www.CarlynBeccia.com

If you have watched HBO's Euphoria, you probably googled "Is the baby dick real?" If you didn't Google those words, you probably fall into one of the following categories:

A. You are a urologist and just so damn tired of looking at dicks all day.

B. Your typing fingers are caught in a bear trap.

C. You are an actor who responds to micropenis casting calls.

No worries if you fall into one of those categories. I will clear up the confusion. The micropenis in Euphoria was not real. That wanton little willy was a prosthetic penis, and you are about to see a lot more of them.

You will definitely see your share of silicone weaners if you watch any given episode of Euphoria. The second episode alone had 30 dicks. (For the record, I googled. I did not count.)

Gone are the days of tentpole cinema. That's kiddie stuff. Viewers now want the real deal. Or at least to believe it is real.

And sorry, ladies, but before you get any ideas about swapping out your sex toy for a prosthetic, you better save your ducats. The average price is $1000, with custom prosthetics costing $5000. So save those phallic-ful fantasies for the movies.

The history of flicks with dicks

This prosthetic phallus craze began with Mark Wahlberg's infamous nude scene in Boogie Nights. Wahlberg plays legendary porn star John Holmes who reportedly had a 13.5-inch penis (estimates vary).

Obviously, the script called for a manmade version of Wahlberg’s manhood, but directors had a sizable problem. When they slapped an enormous 12-inch cock on Wahlberg's more petite 5'8" body, he was all dick and no actor. So the directors swapped out the monster-sized dong for a more realistic 7-inch version. In all art, proportion matters.

Since then, several actors have dropped their trousers for nude scenes.

Matthew Rhys molested Lena Dunham's leg in Girls with a prosthetic penis.
Jonah Hill masturbated a fake penis in The Wolf of Wall Street.
Ben Stiller got his frank and beans in a zipper conundrum in Something About Mary. A prosthetic made it look painfully real.
In Pam & Tommy, Tommy Lee sports an infamously sized prosthetic penis that even talks. In one episode, the chatty penis convinces him that he is in love with Pam. (This begs the question: Are both his love and dick fake?)
And who could forget when Yahya Abdul Mateen bared his bonified bits in Watchmen. (Yes, that was real. No googling which actors showed their real penises until you are done learning about prosthetics.)

How the sausage gets made

The unsung heroes in this burgeoning art are the artists creating the silicone scepters. Making penises is a time-consuming and delicate craft that doesn’t appear in many CVs. According to Matthew Mungle, "king of the prosthetic penis," the crew first discusses whether the penis will be flaccid or erect. For erect penises, he uses foam latex or silicon with wiring. The flaccid penises are made out of more flexible silicon that moves with the body.

Then they discuss appearance — circumcised, uncircumcised, big, small, with testicles or without, manscaped or natural, etc. Each penis is lovingly customized to the actor and film's needs.

The penises are attached with either glue or a clear strap-on. Interestingly, if a penis is glued on, it can only be used once because the glue deteriorates the material. (A backup penis is made in case the star of the show gets damaged.)

Usually, male actors are allowed to choose their swords, as they should. There's an exquisite vulnerability in getting naked for the camera. But I worry less about the vulnerability of the actors and more about the vulnerability of the viewers.

How does the average penis compete with a talking penis?

Unfortunately, body dysmorphia is a slow corroding tumor. Men don't wake up one day and worry that their man parts don't measure up. The media, porn, peer pressure, social media, (and now TV) put those thoughts in their heads over years of conditioning.

One could imagine how the well-endowed actors in porn could make some men feel inferior with their manhood. Most porn uses "stunt cocks” — a closeup of a penis from a stuntman who is not the leading actor.

There's a certain ironic juxtaposition in the name. Do the stunts make everyday men feel stunted? Suddenly a "normal" penis is the size of a tumescent cow leg. Or at least in the mind of a young boy.

There's another problem with all these preening peens. When you have thirty dicks in one episode, male nudity gets normalized. As a result, the fine line between art and pornography blurs. In other words, there's a point where all that dick gets gratuitous.

Some might argue that Hollywood has been objectifying women for decades, and it’s time men tasted the poison. According to a 2018 analysis of 1,100 popular movies, 25.4 percent of women had roles with some nudity, versus only 9.6 percent of men.

But art should celebrate masculinity. Gender equality is never about tearing down one gender to build up another. A zero-sum game is always a Pyrrhic victory.

The other argument is that all these men strutting their stuff lessens the patriarchal mystique. At the very least, women may now become desensitized to dick pics.

Ah yes, another dick in my DMs. Sorry, I already saw Yahya Abdul Mateen’s goods, so…ho-hum, boys. And Tommy’s dick really speaks to me. Can your dick hold a titillating conversation? No? Then let me get back to the business of googling "which actors' dicks were real?"

Ok, now you can google too…

7 Penis Myths Men Wished Women Would Stop Believing

Yes, the penis really is a "use it or lose it" organ.

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