Methane is a world-famous entertainer, and he has a very special talent when it comes to “wind”.
Among all the superpowers one might have, the ability to fart at will may be near the bottom of the list for most people. Yet, Methane is one of the few known individuals who can control their flatulence and has managed to build a career around this unique ability.
Paul Oldfield, also known as “Mr. Methane”, discovered his unusual “farting” talent during his teenage years. He later used it as a means to earn a living, traveling around to showcase his rather peculiar skill to the world.
Born in Macclesfield, Paul Oldfield currently holds the record for the most farts produced in a minute, but he is also known for performing famous songs by farting and executing various other special tricks.
Mr. Methane currently holds the record for the most farts produced in a minute.
Paul Oldfield discovered his “superpower” as a teenager while doing some yoga exercises with his sister. While attempting to perform the lotus position, Paul realized he could inhale and exhale using both “ends” of his body.
Excited about his new talent, the next day, to show off his “achievement” to his friends, Paul farted 20 times in a row in under a minute.
However, Paul didn’t immediately build a career around his “farting” talent, using it simply to entertain people. Initially, he underwent training to become a train driver. Yet, in the end, rather than choosing to wake up at 3 AM to drive trains, he decided to “monetize” his superpower.
In the late 1980s, Paul Oldfield began performing as an opening act for a local band, and later moved to New York, where he impressed hosts like Howard Stern with his farting abilities.
Paul Oldfield has produced parody tracks of famous songs, including “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins, and has appeared on shows such as Britain’s Got Talent and Germany’s Das Supertalent.
Explaining Mr. Methane’s quirky ability, Dr. Peter Whorwell, a gastrointestinal expert at Withington Hospital in Manchester, stated that elevating the diaphragm can draw air into the colon through an open sphincter, then closing the sphincter before expelling the air.
By moving the muscles in his buttocks, Mr. Methane can change the tone and pitch of his farts, allowing him to cover famous songs in an unusual way.
Paul Oldfield’s story is reminiscent of that of Le Pétomane, a 19th-century French entertainer who learned to draw air into his colon through an open sphincter, then close the sphincter before expelling the air.
In 2018, Methane contacted the Guinness World Records organization to request that his ability to fart multiple times in a minute be officially recognized. Methane aimed to reach a total of 50, but the final record he reportedly achieved was an astounding 86 farts.
This was not his first attempt to get his name in the world’s most famous record book. He had also reached out to them in 1990, but at that time, Methane’s talent was not something Guinness wanted to associate with their brand.
