‘My girlfriend wants new toys.’ Meet the man with a provocative sign in the Myrtle Beach area
While drivers in downtown Myrtle Beach are surprised to see a man holding a provocative — some might say lewd — sign on a busy downtown Myrtle Beach street corner, this is an everyday activity for John Benton.
Since last weekend, Horry County residents have spotted the man at the intersection of North Kings Highway and 10th Avenue North and near the North Myrtle Beach Walmart.
“My girlfriend wants new toy’s. I want a new girlfriend,” Benton’s cheeky sign reads.
On Thursday evening, the Palm Bay, Florida resident held his provocative plastic sign in front of the downtown Myrtle Beach Family Dollar. While some in the Myrtle Vegas Facebook group said Benton was advertising the nearby Badd Kitty lingerie shop, both Benton and a Badd Kitty employee said no.
Benton said he can get two laughs from each friendly car: People laugh when they initially see the sign. “Wait for it,” says Benton. Then he removes velcro “kiddy guard,” revealing the word “boobs,” and another wave of laughter.
The man, who said he’s “rounding 70,” fuels his sign-holding exploits with frozen bottles of Gatorade and Bon Jovi on his white corded earbuds. While in Myrtle Beach, Benton said he averaged 5 to 6 hours out on the street with his sign and little pink and blue pinwheel.
The laughter keeps Benton coming out with his sign. “It makes me feel good. How can it not be contagious?” Benton said. “I don’t have anything else I care to do.”
Benton has been doing this for up to 12 hours a day up and down the southeastern coast, from Richmond, Virginia, to Melbourne, Florida.
The text on the sign comes from something Benton’s ex-girlfriend said. He hasn’t yet found a girlfriend from his street corner escapades, but he still has hope.
Myrtle Beach “has probably been the best place that I’ve done it,” Benton said. On Wednesday, he said a couple of female bikers got a kick out of the sign and flashed him from the road. Benton counted 100 pictures and thumbs up at the intersection on Thursday, while only three people flipped him off.
“Sometimes they won’t laugh until the people next to him do it. It’s contagious,” Benton said.
The man said he doesn’t accept money, to avoid panhandling restrictions. He moved from his North Myrtle Beach post because police ran him off, but he’s come to enjoy the downtown Myrtle Beach traffic. “I like this corner. I like the shade under Circle K in the morning,” Benton said.
Benton is staying in his truck in his birthplace of Myrtle Beach. This is where his 80-year-old sister lives and his mother is buried. When not holding the sign, Benton said he likes to “go to the truck, clean it up, wash my windows, get something to eat, take a break.”
On Sunday, Benton said he planned on staying in Myrtle Beach for a few more days before making his way to the west coast by way of Georgia.
