Richard Herring takes a long hard look at a major issue.

He dressed himself up as Richard Madeley and compared himself to Christ. Now he’s back on stage in London and reckons he’s got closer to the meaning of life - by talking about penises.

Let’s face it, old John Thomas has always been a good bet for a few easy laughs. Shakespeare peppered his scripts with willy gags to get the punters in, while John Wayne Bobbitt’s severed member provided easy work for media execs across the world.

So why is a previously respected comedian (star of This Morning with Richard Not Judy alongside Stewart Lee, and the acclaimed Edinburgh show Christ On A Bike) plumbing the underpants of comedy?

Herring, it seems, is intent on putting the humble todger back on the map. Sure, there’s an element of sticking up for the boys in these post-Vagina Monologues days - but this is no excuse for cheap gags.

Based around responses to his own website questionnaire, he’ll outline the feelings of contemporary man towards the little fella and examine that tiny insecurity at the core of masculinity: worrying about one’s penis.

As the man himself ponders: “Is size important? And if not, why are there no two-inch, pencil-thin vibrators.” Like John Thomas, Herring’s show may have a strong blue vein running through it, but there’s a serious side to the laughter. CM 26 September 02

useful link: www.talkingcock.com