Professional Flatulists (farters) have been around for a long time. There is a scroll from Japan’s Kamakura era (1185 to 1333), called The King of Farts, about a performer who danced fart dances for the aristocracy. The farting performers were called “heppiri otoko,” meaning “farting men”.
There are fart jokes in Shakespeare and also in St. Augustine’s City of God. Then there is Roland the Farter, who performed his celebrated “Unum saltum et siffletum et unum bumbulum” (one jump, one whistle, and one fart) for Henry II‘s court every Christmas. He was rewarded with Hemingstone Manor and 30 acres of land for his yearly performance.
Medieval times were a boom time for Flatulists, although they were called braigetoír and their talent was considered requiring as much skill as playing a musical instrument.
Joseph Pujol was a French performer whose stage name was Le Pétomane, which translates to “fartomaniac”. Le Pétomane could fart at will and play songs from his anus. He did not pass intestinal gas; he had a rare ability to inhale through his anus. He was the star attraction at the Moulin Rouge in 1892. He was fired from the Moulin Rouge for moonlighting after he gave an impromptu performance to help out a friend in financial trouble. His life inspired several musicals as well as a nod from Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles where Mel’s character is named Governor William J. Le Petomane.
One can only imagine how many bean burritos must be consumed on a daily basis order to maintain a career as a professional farter. I personally am not interested in finding out!
References:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92809202
http://www.zmescience.com/other/offbeat-other/roland-le-fartere-medieval-flatulist-12th-century/
Photo by John Galleto
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