Synopsis

The video follows a man who wakes up after a drunken night and discovers that his detachable penis is missing. He searches through New York City, asking questions and retracing his steps, before spotting the missing organ for sale at a street vendor's table. After negotiating a $17 purchase, he gets it back, only to discover that the detachable design has its practical advantages. The deadpan performance, deliberately cheap-looking street footage, and absurd visual logic match the song's matter-of-fact delivery.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was made on a low budget and used guerrilla-style filming in New York City.

• The opening bathroom scene was shot inside a movie theater. The band bought tickets to see "Glengarry Glen Ross" at a Village multiplex and took turns filming in the restroom.

• Police stopped the street-vendor sequence because the production did not have the required permits. The sight of a man openly waving a dildo around attracted attention.

• Three versions were prepared for MTV. The first was rejected, the second covered the prop with a large black bar, and the third blurred it. The blurred version received the most television exposure.

• The prop was purchased specifically for the shoot after the production team decided that a strap-on-style object best fit the song's premise.

• The video's exposure helped turn the track into King Missile's best-known song. "Detachable Penis" reached No. 25 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.