If you’ve heard of Shed Simove, it’s probably because he’s currently being sued by UK sex shop Ann Summers over the “Rampant Rabbi” – his novelty sex toy molded to look like a wizened rabbinic sage (a far cry from Summers’ trademarked “Rampant RabbiT” vibrator). Though it’s his dildo, and the subsequent lawsuit, that have earned Shed the most attention stateside, in his native UK he’s a well-known comedian, entrepreneur, author, provocateur, and purveyor of subversive novelties. After all – a man’s life cannot measured in sex toys alone
We sat down with Shed to talk dildos, religion, comedy and the spirit of fun that permeates all of his work.
The controversy surrounding the Rampant Rabbi really concerns the ongoing suit from Ann Summers and not that you’ve made a dildo out of a Rabbi, which one would assume might piss off some people in the Jewish community. Has anyone complained about the dildo itself?
There have been no complaints whatsoever. I think the Jewish community have embraced it. They’ve engaged the story of the product and even shared the fact that it’s got into hot water with Ann Summers. I think everyone seems to enjoy the joke for what it is: a pun on the Rampant Rabbit.
You told the Jewish Chronicle that the Rampant Rabbi was made for the modern Jewish woman. Obviously there’s a bit of a cheeky joke to that, but if there’s more to it, what specifically — beyond the fact that it’s a Rabbi — makes it for Jewish women?
There’s three words there but perhaps we should just focus on “modern woman.” In my life I’ve been fascinated how women have become empowered with their own sexuality. The fact that a woman wants to pleasure herself is no longer taboo. I find it fascinating that in schools we’re not taught how to be a good parent, how to be a good lover and how to read a balance sheet, which are actually three fundamental things in life.
So when I talk about the modern Jewish woman I suppose I’m talking about modern women in general. There’s been a sea change in our lifetime — Fifty Shades of Grey notwithstanding — and it’s perfectly right and healthy for a woman to pleasure herself with whatever she wants… as long as it’s not a goat.
Any farm animal she wants… just not a goat. It’s interesting because I think there’s a level of sex positivity within the Jewish community that other communities don’t necessarily have. Jews aren’t known necessarily for being uptight when it comes to sex.
Agreed and that’s a really good point. The tradition of humor in Jewish culture is important and I’m always interested why there is this link to Jewishness and humor. Possibly it’s because a lot of us are neurotic, and neurosis is a funny state of being. It’s funny to watch someone worry about little things or even big things and Jewish culture has a long history of laughing at itself and being able to celebrate the fact that it’s quirky and a little bit neurotic.
That link between Jews and comedy exists within a very American context — the Catskills, the Borscht Belt, all the way back to vaudeville in the late 1890s, early 1900s. It’s a very American cultural phenomenon, but I’m curious, do British Jews have their own historic comedic legacy?
Not really. I’m always a bit careful about tribalism and delineating things that are perhaps an illusion. I think in the modern world life is full of challenges and contradictions. There’s a lot of pressure on us living in the modern world. I think humor relieves that pressure. Whether you’re Jewish, black, white, whatever creed, color or race you are, I think humor cuts through to that. I was more surprised though that the Queen adult toy didn’t get a backlash.
Did you have a very Jewish upbringing?
My upbringing was in Cardiff in Wales and we were brought up Jewish but not really religious — Friday night of course and all of the main festivals and I suppose as you grow up you make your own decision about your relationship with a higher being or not as the case may be and my parents were good enough to let me make my decision myself. I’ve made that decision and I always think it’s good to be opened minded and as a creative I have to be open minded as well, any sort of rule structure apart from try not to be horrible to people.
Which is a very a Jewish idea in many ways. That kind of interrogation of not only Judaism in a religious context but one’s own Jewish identity. Who is a Jew? What does it mean to be Jewish? I think that’s a very Jewish process. Do you think — this is a very metaphysical question — but do you think that process of internal interrogation kind of led you in some ways to extend that to how you see the outside world?
No, probably it’s more simpler than that. I was probably a bit screwed up as a child and I’ve always felt like I was a bit different and I think out of damage, out of darkness and damage and perhaps being disjointed and not feeling you fit in, I mean I always looked young for my age, I think that was part of the reason I didn’t fit in. Any point of difference when you’re young is difficult. Feeling like an outsider can make you more introspective and more thoughtful. Perhaps that introspection and thoughtfulness is pointed to the outside world and you try to make sense of it and make fun of it. I don’t know if it comes from the Jewishness but it certainly comes from me being a little bit screwed up.
Right now, creatively, you seem to be focusing most of your comedic energy exclusively on creating these really bizarre novelty gifts. The one that I keep coming back to in my mind is the “Martin Loofah King.” On one level there’s the very obvious joke that’s just the pun. But when I first read about it — and this may be because I’m a bit cynical — I thought that there was another level to it, for instance a joke on the person who would buy such a thing. But after reading about you and getting to know you a bit, I don’t think that’s the case. It seems like your comedy is done purely in the spirit of fun.
You’re spot on. I know I’m not changing the world. I know I’m not making people change their behaviour through a novelty. A comedian writes a joke and sometimes part of comedy is the shock factor.
Now with the Martin Loofah King — as you completely said — it was about the pun, it was about the fact that yes he is a revered figure, quite rightly so, an important historical figure and the idea of putting an important historical figure on a loofah to me is quite funny.
But I think you are spot on when you said I do it in a fun, lighthearted, I hope not nasty way.
It’s interesting because I do think there is a subversive element to the Martin Loofah King. I don’t think that’s really about MLK so much as it about playing around with the mythology of MLK. It’s poking fun at the way we venerate a figure so much that we miss his actual message. MLK was actually very pro-labor and against the Vietnam War but that doesn’t get talked about because he’s become an American icon and those ideas aren’t very mainstream. So we end up with a situation where we create this consumer cult that spits out products that are meaningless. You see it with Che Guevara where he’s been put him a beach towel, it doesn’t mean anything.
You’re making me really think about why I did it. I did it because I thought it would be, mainly because of the pun, and after the pun just because of the absurdity of having a national treasure on something that you wash with in the shower. Now would it work if it was the Lady Gaga Loofah? No, because the pun doesn’t work and also because she’s already quite sort of quirky.
The best jokes point out — especially in a satirical context — reality by taking it one degree further than we would expect. I’m sure that you can find something with MLK’s face on it that isn’t a loofah but is pretty damn close. I believe in the spirit of MLK but it doesn’t extend to owning a set of dishes with his face on it. I don’t know why I would need that.
That’s a good idea. Maybe that’s a new line.
I’ve already copyrighted it.
I better see my lawyers.
Yeah, it’s Ann Summers and then me so watch out.
Yeah you could say on the plate “I’ll have the bream”
“I’ll have the cream.”
Yeah, that’s for the bowl. That’s good.
You run seminars in the corporate world where you help companies try to rethink their strategies in new, creative ways. It’s so interesting to me because again when I read that, I was like “Oh, this is a joke” because 90% of your comedy seems to be a subversion of this bizarre corporate, consumer culture that we live in.
It’s a really good point. There is a conflict and drama between the safe environment of the company and me as an entrepreneurial rebel coming. There’s always, in the best companies in the world like the biggest companies like Google and Apple, they have to be really careful about fostering rebels and rebelliousness because out of rebels and rebelliousness comes creativity and of course the biggest problem in the company is you have to have structure to organize people and to get certain things done and to provide a certain level of service but by putting in structure that’s inherently against the act of creativity because creativity doesn’t want structure, it shouldn’t have structure.
Last question. On your website, people can apply to be a tester for a Masturpieces. Have you had many applicants?
You know, you’re a brilliant journalist. You’re the first person to ask me and I’ve had loads. As an eligible bachelor, or an ineligible bachelor, depending on your point of view, it’s been an amazing eye opener. I’ve had dozens and dozens of applications, they come in everyday. I’ve had pictures sent to me as well. I’ve had replies from men, lots and lots of women. I’ve had replies from couples. It’s been a quite incredible surprise.
That’s awesome. Is there anything you want to add?
My next stage is really I’d like to come over to the states and I’m looking for agents and managers who can help me come to New York and LA and put on my show Trouble and bring it to an American market to see whether I get embraced or stoned.
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For more Shed – and to purchase a Rampant Rabbi of your own – visit ShedSimove.com
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