Joseph Pujol

June 21, 2004 8:11 PM

(FPA: First Post Alert) A century or so ago, there lived a French baker with a most prodigious talent. He was also one of the Moulin Rouge's most successful performers (sorry about that, Nicole Kidman). In 1974, Mel Brooks gave him a sly homage in Blazing Saddles that blew over the heads of most theatregoers. And now, sadly, his fame and talent has been mostly forgotten to the ages. His name was Joseph Pujol, aka Le Petomane ("The Fartiste"), and in opposition to today's world of increasingly strict decency standards (and promotion of the unmanly pimpf lifestyle), the legend of this bellowing* blowhard deserves to live on.

*Warning: Salaciously-questionable graphic at the top of this link's page - click on one of the latter three links if you are of a delicate constitution or in a workish environment.
posted by dakotadusk (17 comments total)

FYI, I first read about this flatulent fella in Ricky Jay's excellent book, Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women.
posted by dakotadusk at 8:19 PM on June 21, 2004

Le Petomane, starring the late lamented Leonard Rossiter, is a terrific short film about M.Pujol.
Worth seeing if you get the chance.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 8:33 PM on June 21, 2004

I'll pass. (heh.)
posted by SPrintF at 8:40 PM on June 21, 2004

"I'll pass."

Party pooper.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:46 PM on June 21, 2004

Sounds like just a lot of hot air to me.
posted by dg at 9:00 PM on June 21, 2004

Fortunately, we have Terrance and Philip

as modern day masters of the art of fart.
posted by birdherder at 9:00 PM on June 21, 2004

A typical man between 25 and 35 years of age averages 13 farts a day.

i fart about 13 times an hour. constant intake of mexican food and margaritas will do that to you
posted by bob sarabia at 9:27 PM on June 21, 2004

This post stinks.

I keed!
posted by whatnot at 10:00 PM on June 21, 2004

The Fartiste is also celebrated in Who Cut the Cheese.
As my contribution to your first post (most excellent indeed), let me add a little musical interlude courtesy of the world famous farting nun organ.
posted by madamjujujive at 11:04 PM on June 21, 2004

What about this legendary French baker...
posted by uncanny hengeman at 11:35 PM on June 21, 2004

Anyone remember Fartin' Rudy's sitcom?

If at first you don't succeed
A Second Wind is all you need
Then a Second Wind
Comes blowin' in
With a second chance for love!
posted by Mayor Curley at 3:47 AM on June 22, 2004

A typical man between 25 and 35 years of age averages 13 farts a day.

A significant portion of that must be while asleep.
posted by Ynoxas at 6:44 AM on June 22, 2004

Somebody's gotta go back and get dakotadusk a shitload a' dimes.
posted by putzface_dickman at 7:02 AM on June 22, 2004

A significant portion of that must be while asleep.

I woke myself in the middle of the night last week, mid-fart, it was so... bum-bastic.

Just another in the series of "I'm-getting-old-and-am-just-like-my-dad" event.
posted by papercake at 8:35 AM on June 22, 2004

Looks like there's a contemporary guy with the same talent. Mr. Methane.
posted by lobakgo at 8:52 AM on June 22, 2004

Don't forget the newest gassy superhero (created by a guy who lives here in the pristine air of Down East Maine), Walter the Farting Dog.
posted by LeLiLo at 8:59 AM on June 22, 2004

At last I've found my patron saint.
posted by michaelbrown at 1:16 PM on June 22, 2004