Former Australian cricket hero Shane Warne is the face that launched countless advertising campaigns, but it’s probably safe to say that nobody saw Warne-themed bongs coming. But that is the niche now filled by Byron Bay designer Tom Mason, who has created a range of handmade earthenware devices in honour of the likes of Warne, Donald Trump, Britney Spears and Australian pop star Shannon Noll.
Sold by online retailer Gatorbeug, the handmade Warne model will set buyers back AU$95 (£50) and comes with “mirror foil speed dealer shades and 24 carat gold Nike earrings.” Gatorbeug claim that their wares are just as useful as sculptural objects for display in the home. “Can be used as a bong but would look great on a bookshelf,” says the product description.
In an interview with The Creators Project, creator Mason said that the material costs of producing the bongs mean he’s unlikely to see a substantial monetary return on his efforts and that the project was inspired by internet culture. “Memes are fun, and people respond to them really positively,” he said. His Shannon Noll version of the product is described on the Gatorbeug website as a “fully functional Nollsy bong”. The Donald Trump version, six dollars cheaper than Warne’s, was made in honour of the man that the company says is “currently sitting in first place as the world’s most visible dickhead”.
The unconventional tributes to pop culture icons were released today in honour of “420 day”, an unofficial worldwide counterculture celebration observed by marijuana enthusiasts on 20 April every year.
