the masters of genital origami return to Cairns, writes LEIGH TONKIN.

It must be a bit strange to have a career where your main role is to get your tackle out in public. But that’s what David "Friendy" Friend has been doing for the past 10 years.

Not that he works in a strip club, rather he performs in some of the best theatres in the country as part of the two-man Puppetry of the Penis act.

With his mate Simon Morley, David has taken the Puppetry of the Penis act from strength-to-strength, getting a, umm, rise out of audiences worldwide.

The show basically consists of Simon and David taking to the stage in nothing but a cape and making shapes and "genital origami" out of their penises.

Now, 10 years on, David and Simon can’t believe they’re still getting nude for a living.

"There is no way we thought it would be this successful – we thought we might get thrown in jail," David says.

"We didn’t think we’d still be kicking off our pants now."

With tricks such as the hamburger, the windsurfer, the Loch Ness monster and Yoda, is there a limit to how far the artform can be ... stretched?

"There is only so much you can do," he says. "It’s more accepted now, so more people are coming along who might not have before."

The show is a firm favourite worldwide. Except for in Bundaberg, that is. The show was banned from performing in the town a few years ago by council and the ban has stuck, meaning this current regional Queensland tour bypasses the town.

"We’re still banned in Bundaberg," he says.

"Someone on the council just won’t let us play.

"The irony is that if it wasn’t for Bundaberg, we wouldn’t exist."

Puppetry of the Penis is no stranger to this end of Queensland though, visiting Cairns many times.

David says it’s a more polished show that they bring to Cairns this weekend.

"Before when we’ve come to Cairns, we strung a bit of sheet behind us and put on the projector," he said.

"Now, we have proper sound cues, it’s scripted properly and we’ve got shiny capes."

The boys also have diversified the show. Unable to keep up with tour demands, they have branches of their act operating around the world.

At one stage, there were nine different Puppetry of the Penis shows touring in different languages.

The show remains uniquely Australian even after it’s translated, although it’s a bit strange to see a Frenchman pull out his baguette for tricks on stage.

"It’s tough in the translation," he says.

"I think we got away with it because we were Aussies.

"It’s still funny (in foreign languages), but something is just missing."

The boys were away for nearly six years when the show first kicked off and now do more low-key tours with weekend shows.

David says there is no need for complex exercises to keep limber, because it doesn’t take much to keep in shape between shows.

"It’s a bit like riding a bike," he says.

So, considering his privates are his main breadwinner, has David thought about taking out penis insurance, like J-Lo with her famous bum?

"There was talk of taking out insurance, but it’s just asking for someone to lop it off," he says.

"And I’d never want to have to make a claim."

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