Cover: Syndicated Theater Wide 2 lo by Michael Tulipan

In honor of National Masturbation Month (May), Bushwick powerhouse Syndicated is scheduled to deliver a hot and steamy evening on May 21st with a screening of Sticky: A Self Love Story. The documentary focuses, naturally, on the topic of masturbation, and ticket-holders for the show can score some free lube, vibrators, and other fun things courtesy of toy company Doc Johnson.

As usual at the cavernous, art deco style bar, restaurant and cinema, tickets to the screening are insanely cheap at $5. There are two showings, at 7:30 and 9:45, and in the time between then, there will be a question and answer session with director Nicholas Tana, followed by an opportunity for attendees to buy a DVD and receive an autograph.

“Sticky’s” trailer grabs the viewer’s attention by telling the audience that at one point in time, “The way to treat hysteria was to manually stimulate [the] vulva.” This form of treatment was enacted during the Victorian era, when female sexual desire wasn’t regarded or respected as something that existed. Today, masturbation is widely perceived as a normal healthy act, but many people still feel uncomfortable affirming that they do, in fact, masturbate.

Another point “Sticky” makes is that the conscious decision to not speak about masturbation is right in line with the way it’s typically portrayed on film and TV as something embarrassing —which Syndicated helps counter by hosting a public event on a taboo topic.

“[The film] talks candidly about the historically taboo topic and features interviews with everyone from Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders to Rabbi Ron Levine to comedian Janeane Garofalo,” elaborates a Syndicated spokesperson. To give you a tease, Levine frankly states in the trailers that “if god didn’t want us to masturbate, he would’ve made our arms shorter.”

Syndicated has been hosting a week-long series of films “that touch on the subject of self love” leading up to the screening, including There’s Something About Mary, Shame American Pie, Pleasantville, American Beauty, Don Jon and Y Tu Mama Tambien, and going forward, Syndicated will be showing more week long themed film series, which you can check out here.

Enjoy!

Syndicated is located at 40 Bogart Street, a couple blocks from the Morgan L station. It’s hours are as follows: Monday-Thursday 5 PM – 12 AM, Friday 5 PM – 2 AM, Saturday 11 AM – 2 AM, Sunday 11 AM – 12 AM.