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Monday, September 14, 2009

Health / Life / Theater I Have Found It!

Posted by Lindy West on Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 5:21 PM

The best entry in all of Wikipedia.

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you the life and times of Le Pétomane:

Le Pétomane was the stage name of the French professional farter and entertainer Joseph Pujol (June 1, 1857 - 1945).

Soon after he left school he had a strange experience while swimming in the sea. He put his head under the water and held his breath, whereupon he felt an icy cold penetrating his rear. He ran ashore in fright and was amazed to see water pouring from his anus. A doctor assured him that there was nothing to worry about.

When he joined the army he told his fellow soldiers about his special ability, and repeated it for their amusement, sucking up water from a pan into his rectum and then projecting it through his anus up to several yards. He then found that he could suck in air as well. Although a baker by profession, Pujol would entertain his customers by imitating musical instruments, and claim to be playing them behind the counter.

Some of the highlights of his stage act involved sound effects of cannon fire and thunderstorms, as well as playing 'O Sole Mio and La Marseillaise on an ocarina through a rubber tube in his anus. He could also blow out a candle from several yards away. His audience included Edward, Prince of Wales, King Leopold II of the Belgians and Sigmund Freud.

The Sorbonne offered his family a large sum of money to study his body after his death, but they refused the offer.

Further reading: Roland the Farter, court flatulist of King Henry II.

Also, the Latin word for "fart" is "bumbulum."

And, of course:

Comments (12) RSS

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FIRST!

Posted by The Honorable William J LePetomane on September 14, 2009 at 5:28 PM

And he went on to become A corrupt fictional governor.

Posted by Banna

on September 14, 2009 at 5:28 PM

according to Dan everyone leaks, eventually

Posted by but then, he's full of shit on September 14, 2009 at 5:33 PM

Finally! That Blazing Saddles joke has been nagging at me for years!

Posted by Alicia

on September 14, 2009 at 5:50 PM

He's been my official idol for several years. I've managed to sneak references to Le Petomane into major software products, among other things, for most of my adult life.

Posted by diggum on September 14, 2009 at 6:09 PM

This is my new favorite article. Sorry, Hippopotamus Service, you've been displaced.

Posted by Zebes

on September 14, 2009 at 6:54 PM

He should have just stuck with his real name. Poo-hole is pretty fitting for his act.

Posted by JenV on September 14, 2009 at 7:37 PM

There's a brief little book about his life story. I've read it; it's a gas!

http://www.amazon.com/Petomane-Jean-Noha…

Posted by CP on September 14, 2009 at 7:49 PM

At times like this I wish I had your job, Lindy. Then I think of how much of my life I'd have to spend watching bad movies and doing rewrites.

Posted by Keister Button on September 14, 2009 at 8:13 PM

Interested parties should track down the documentary, "Le Petomane: Fin-de-Siecle Fartiste", directed by Igor Vamos. It features interviews with Pujol's descendants and archival footage, including a Edison Kinetoscope of Pujol himself -- sadly, there is no sound. I'm not sure if it's for sale anywhere, but people have tracked it down through interlibrary loan.

Posted by bottsford on September 14, 2009 at 10:48 PM

A collector friend of mine has a 78 recorded by the Fartiste.

Posted by graham o'phone on September 15, 2009 at 7:46 AM

Oh Christ, that makes that one remark in Blazing Saddles even funnier. When they see the William J. Le Petomane Memorial Toll Collection Point and bitch that someone's gonna have to go back and get a shitload of dimes..."What will that asshole think of next?!"

Posted by Geni on September 15, 2009 at 1:17 PM