What is White Collar Sideshow? At the core of the show is a man with a message, a man on a mission, a man who has a story to tell about his pornography addiction and how God set him free.
It also happens to be one of the most unique and entertaining shows I have ever seen.
White Collar Sideshow is difficult to describe, and I find myself almost at a loss for words writing this. It is a mixed bag of sights and sounds: Go-go dancers, Jekyll and Hyde, gas masks, tattoos, Frankenstein; kind of like Blue Man Group meets Rob Zombie meets a 1930s illusionist act. And everything seen and heard from the stage has a meaning.
The show consists of a series of dynamic musical videos that tell a story, a story of corruption, temptation, seduction, shame, and finally forgiveness. Meanwhile, as the videos play, the band provides the percussion backdrop for the music.
Verionica Benton plays the bass. She wears a white mask and stands in a 1960s go-go cage: she is known as the “faceless woman.” She represents what men see when they look at pornography: a body—not a person.
- Phil Wells plays the drumset. He alternates wearing a pig mask and a gas mask, symbolizing the shame of porn addiction and the personal battle we face avoiding porn online, respectively.
- Tyler Benton, who simply goes by (t), plays a hodge-podge of percussion. He is dressed like a ring leader, complete with top hat and cane.
The whole thing has the feel of a turn-of-the-century sideshow. (t) makes the point in the show that we all have “sideshows” in our life, secret sins we want no one else to know about.
The first time I saw a White Collar Sideshow video I knew I need to talk to the man who dreamed up this show. After speaking with (t) I got to hear the heart behind this production and how he feels called by God to proclaim a message of liberty to those trapped in addiction.
Sure, its a bit bizarre. But then God’s messengers can be very peculiar people. God told Isaiah to walk around naked for three years. He told Ezekiel to eat bread cooked over dung. He told Hosea to marry a harlot. John the Baptist lived on a diet of bugs and wild honey. So I guess White Collar Sideshow is pretty tame by comparison.
The music and presentation of White Collar Sideshow is receiving high accolades. Ed Toth, from the Doobie Brothers says, “It’s obvious how much work and effort was put into all of this and I think it came out great. I was especially moved by the candidness in the bio.” Hard Music Magazine writes that their show is “Brilliant, creative, unique, thoughtful.” I would agree wholeheartedly.
(t)’s message is one of honesty, integrity, passion, and purpose. He calls his audiences to have a turning point, a new “Day One,” where they come clean with the gravity of their addiction and find trusted friends to hold them accountable. BRAVO!
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