How about a dose of Prohibition-era whimsy? Here stands Porkchop the bulldog bootlegger monument. He is not just a statue. He is a hilarious nod to a bygone era.
Joe Reginella created this comical memorial. He is known as the Banksy of monuments. Reginella gives New Yorkers a break from disaster with his art. This Staten Island sculptor is known for deceptive disasters. Think of a Brooklyn Bridge elephant stampede. Or even a UFO abduction during the 1977 blackout.
Porkchop stands guard over a wooden barrel. We assume it is full of hooch. He wears a button-down vest and pageboy hat. This droopy-faced bulldog is quite the character.
According to Reginella’s website bulldogs were Prohibition heroes. They delivered whiskey to speakeasies in the 1920s. Bill McCoy supposedly pioneered this delivery system. McCoy even said Porkchop had more heart than any man.
But here is the twist. The story of Porkchop is not entirely true. McCoy was a real bootlegger. He ran his yacht from Florida to the Battery. However Porkchop is Reginella’s dog. He did not smuggle alcohol in the 1920s. The sculptural Porkchop is 1.5 times larger than the real dog. The monument stands about 6.5 feet tall and weighs nearly 250 pounds.
Reginella aims for a cutesy yet devious tone. He chose McCoy because he was a stand-up bootlegger. Reginella loves watching people interact with Porkchop. They often morph from shock to confusion to amusement.
One tour guide tells Porkchop’s story as true. Some people take it at face value. Then the guide reveals the truth.
Reginella isn’t trying to trick anyone. He wants to encourage people to question what they read. His Staten Island ferry attack monument was even in a children’s book. It taught kids how to spot fake stories online.
So next time you stroll through Battery Park meet Porkchop. Remember the blend of fact and fiction. Consider supporting Reginella’s work to fund future installations. Porkchop is a hero to Reginella and his wife. Now he is a hero for the rest of New York.