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{{short description|French entertainer}}
[[File:LePetomane.jpeg|right|thumb|200px|Le Pétomane]]
{{Infobox person
'''Le Pétomane''' ({{IPAc-en|icon|l|ə|ˈ|p|ɛ|t|ə|m|eɪ|n}}, {{IPA-fr|ləpetɔˈman}}) was the [[stage name]] of the [[France|French]] [[flatulist]] (professional farter) and entertainer '''Joseph Pujol''' (June 1, 1857–1945). He was famous for his remarkable control of the abdominal [[muscle]]s, which enabled him to seem to [[flatulence|fart]] at will. His stage name combines the French verb ''péter'', "to fart" with the -''mane'', "-[[mania]]c" suffix, which translates to "fartomaniac". The profession is also referred to as "[[flatulist]]", "farteur", or "fartiste".<ref name=retro>[http://www.ljhelms.com/pet/_pujol/thestory/retro.htm Le Pétomane: The Strange Life of a "Fartiste"] Accessed 2012-02-02</ref>
| name = <!-- use common name/article title -->
| image = LePetomane.jpeg
| alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption =
| birth_name = Joseph Pujol
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1857|6|1}}
| birth_place = [[Marseille]], France
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1945|8|8|1857|6|1}}
| death_place =
| nationality =
| other_names =
| occupation =
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
}}
[[File:Le pétomane du Moulin Rouge (1900).webm|thumb|''Le Pétomane du Moulin Rouge'', 1900 ([[silent film]] clip)]]
'''Joseph Pujol''' (June 1, 1857 – August 8, 1945), better known by his [[stage name]] '''Le Pétomane''' ({{IPAc-en|l|ə|ˈ|p|ɛ|t|ə|m|eɪ|n}},<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nohain |first=Jean |title=Le Petomane, 1857-1945 |last2=Caradec |first2=Francois |publisher=Sherbourne Press |year=1968 |location=Los Angeles |translator-last=Tute |translator-first=Warren}}</ref> {{IPA|fr|ləpetɔman}}), was a French [[flatulist]] (professional fartist) and entertainer. He was famous for his remarkable control of the abdominal muscles, which enabled him to seemingly [[flatulence|fart]] at will.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guide |first=British Comedy |date=2021-02-07 |title=Classical gas: Galton & Simpson's Le Pétomane - Comedy Chronicles |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/comedy_chronicles/classical-gas-galton-simpson-le-petomane/ |access-date=2022-09-13 |website=British Comedy Guide |language=en}}</ref> His stage name combines the French verb ''péter'', "to fart" with the -''mane'', "-[[mania]]c" suffix, which translates to "fartomaniac". The profession is referred to as "flatulist", "farteur", or "fartiste".<ref name=retro>{{cite web|url=http://www.ljhelms.com/pet/_pujol/thestory/retro.htm|title=Le Pétomane: The Strange Life of a "Fartiste"|access-date=2012-02-02}}</ref>


It is a common misconception that Joseph Pujol actually passed intestinal gas as part of his stage performance. Rather, Pujol was able to "inhale" or move air into his rectum and then control the release of that air with his anal sphincter muscles. Evidence of his ability to control those muscles was seen in the early accounts of demonstrations of his abilities to fellow soldiers.
It was a common misconception that Pujol passed intestinal gas as part of his stage performance. Rather, he was allegedly able to "inhale" or move air into his rectum and then control the release of that air with his [[external anal sphincter|anal sphincter]] muscles. Evidence of his ability to control those muscles was seen in the early accounts of demonstrations of his abilities to fellow soldiers.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Alison|last=Moore|title=The Spectacular Anus of Joseph Pujol: Recovering the Pétomane's Unique Historic Context|journal=[[French Cultural Studies]]|volume=24|issue=1|date=February 2013|pages=27–43|doi=10.1177/0957155812466975|s2cid=193095075}}</ref>


==Biography==
==Life and career==
[[File:Joseph Pujol (Le Petomane) at concert.jpeg|right|thumb|Le Pétomane ca 1890]]
Joseph Pujol was born in [[Marseille]] and was one of five children of François (a stonemason and sculptor) and Rose Pujol. 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 sense water pouring from his anus. A doctor assured him that there was nothing to worry about.


Joseph Pujol was born in [[Marseille]], one of five children of stonemason and sculptor François Pujol and his wife Rose, in a family of [[Catalan people|Catalan]] origin. 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.<ref name="2008 Guardian">{{Cite news
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. Pujol decided to try his talent on the stage, and debuted in Marseille in 1887. After his act proved successful, he proceeded to [[Paris]], where he took the act to the [[Moulin Rouge]] in 1892.
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/jul/23/edinburghfestival.comedy|title=The ace of trumps|last=Kelner|first=Martin|date=23 Jul 2008|work=The Guardian|access-date=18 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317235233/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/jul/23/edinburghfestival.comedy|archive-date=17 March 2022}}</ref> He ran ashore in fright and was amazed to sense water pouring from his anus.


While serving in 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 up to several yards. He found that he could suck in air as well. A trained [[baker]], Pujol would sometimes entertain his customers by imitating musical instruments and claiming to be playing them behind the counter. Pujol decided to try the stage, and debuted in Marseilles in 1887. When his act was well received, he moved to [[Paris]], where he appeared at the [[Moulin Rouge]] in 1892.<ref name=":0" />
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.<ref>[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/363/did-a-french-vaudeville-star-once-specialize-in-trained-flatulence Did a French vaudeville star once specialize in trained flatulence?] Accessed 2008-12-02</ref> He could also blow out a candle from several yards away.<ref name=retro /> His audience included [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward, Prince of Wales]], [[Leopold II of Belgium|King Leopold II]] of the [[Belgium|Belgians]] and [[Sigmund Freud]].<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s364725.htm Begone With the Wind] Accessed 2008-09-01</ref>
In 1894, the managers of the Moulin Rouge sued Pujol for an impromptu exhibition he gave to aid a friend struggling with economic difficulties. For the measly sum of 3,000 francs (Pujol's usual fee being 20,000 francs per show), the Moulin Rouge lost their star attraction, who proceeded to set up his own travelling show called the [[Theatre Pompadour]].


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.<ref>[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/363/did-a-french-vaudeville-star-once-specialize-in-trained-flatulence Did a French vaudeville star once specialize in trained flatulence?] Accessed 2008-12-02</ref> He could also blow out a candle from several yards away.<ref name=retro /> His audience included [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward, Prince of Wales]], [[Leopold II of Belgium|King Leopold II]] of the [[Belgium|Belgians]], and [[Sigmund Freud]].<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s364725.htm Begone With the Wind] Accessed 2008-09-01</ref>
In the following decade Pujol tried to 'refine' and make his acts 'gentler'; one of his favourite numbers became a rhyme about a farm which he himself composed, and which he punctuated with the usual anal renditions of the animals' sounds.
The climax of his act, however, involved him farting his impression of the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake]].{{fact|date=March 2011}}


In 1894, the managers of the Moulin Rouge sued Pujol for an impromptu exhibition he gave to aid a friend struggling with economic difficulties. Pujol was fined 3,000 francs (equivalent to Ff{{Formatnum:{{inflation|FR|30|1894|2022|r=-2}}}} in 2022), and the Moulin Rouge lost their star attraction as the disagreement led him to set up his own travelling show called the Theatre Pompadour.<ref name=":0">Moore, A. (2013). The spectacular anus of Joseph Pujol: Recovering the Pétomane’s unique historic context. French Cultural Studies, 24(1), 27–43. {{doi|10.1177/0957155812466975}}</ref>
With the outbreak of [[World War I]], Pujol, horrified by the inhumanity of the conflict, retired from the stage and returned to his bakery in Marseille.

Later he opened a biscuit factory in [[Toulon]]. He died in 1945,<ref>One source says his death occurred "shortly after the Allied landing", presumably a reference to [[D-Day]], 6 June, but that was in 1944.</ref> aged 88, and was buried in the cemetery of [[La Valette-du-Var]], where his grave can still be seen today. The [[Sorbonne]] offered his family a large sum of money to study his body after his death, but they refused the offer.
In the following decade Pujol tried to 'refine' and make his acts 'gentler'; one of his favourite numbers became a rhyme about a farm which he himself composed, and which he punctuated with anal renditions of the animals' sounds.<ref name=":0" />

With the outbreak of [[World War I]], Pujol retired from the stage and returned to his bakery in Marseilles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rivierareporter.com/features/833-le-petomane-the-mad-farter-joseph-pujol|title=Le Pétomane, The Mad Farter: Joseph Pujol – Riviera Reporter|website=www.rivierareporter.com|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref> Later he opened a biscuit factory in [[Toulon]]. He died in 1945,<ref>One source says his death occurred "shortly after the Allied landing", presumably a reference to [[D-Day]], 6 June, but that was in 1944.</ref> aged 88, and was buried in the cemetery of [[La Valette-du-Var]], where his grave can still be seen today.


==Legacy==
==Legacy==
Le Pétomane left an enduring legacy and has inspired a number of artistic works. These include several musicals based on his life, such as ''The Fartiste'' (awarded Best Musical at the 2006 [[New York International Fringe Festival]]) and Seth Rozin's ''A Passing Wind'' which was premiered at the [[Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts|Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts]] in 2011. In addition, Le Pétomane was added to David Lee's 2007 reworked revival of the 1953 Broadway play ''[[Can-Can]]'', which had originally been written by Abe Burroughs and [[Cole Porter]]. The updated play, staged at the [[Pasadena Playhouse]], featured musical theatre actor Robert Yacko as the fartiste, with sound effects provided by the band's trombone and piccolo players. More recently, the re-released works of English toilet humour specialist [[Ivor Biggun]] include "Southern Breeze", a song about a "Famous French Farteur" who describes in rhyme a stroll through a farmyard, accompanied by appropriate farting noises.


Le Pétomane left an enduring legacy and has inspired a number of artistic works. These include several musicals based on his life, such as ''The Fartiste'' (awarded Best Musical at the 2006 [[New York International Fringe Festival]]) and Seth Rozin's ''A Passing Wind'' which was premiered at the [[Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts|Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts]] in 2011. In addition, Le Pétomane was added to David Lee's 2007 reworked revival of the 1953 Broadway play ''[[Can-Can (musical)|Can-Can]]'', which had originally been written by Abe Burroughs and [[Cole Porter]]. The updated play, staged at the [[Pasadena Playhouse]], featured musical theatre actor Robert Yacko as the fartiste, with sound effects provided by the band's trombone and piccolo players.{{citation needed|date = October 2014}}
Los Angeles-based Sherbourne Press published Jean Nohain and F. Caradec's ''Le Pétomane'' as a small hardcover English language edition in 1967. Due to its ‘sensitive’ nature, the usual national publicity venues shied away, some claiming that an author was needed for interviews (both elderly writers lived in France). However, ‘behind the curtain’ acceptance created a buzz within the national radio/TV promotional circuit and word-of-mouth discussion kept the book in stores for several years. Dorset Press, a division of [[Barnes & Noble]], reissued the book in 1993. [[Ricky Jay]] discusses Le Pétomane in his book ''Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women''. [[Jim Dawson]] included a chapter on Le Pétomane in his book ''Who Cut the Cheese?'' (Ten Speed Press, 1999) and a chapter on the various films about Le Pétomane in ''Blame It on the Dog'' (2006). [[Simon & Schuster]] released a 2008 children's book about his life called ''The Fartiste'' written by [[Kathleen Krull]] & Paul Brewer and illustrated by Boris Kulikov. ''[[The Baby Killers]]'', a 2010 [[steampunk]] novel by [[Jay Lake]] from [[PS Publishing]] recasts Le Pétomane as a French secret agent. Pujol is a primary character in [[Sarah Bynum]]'s novel ''Madeleine is Sleeping''.


[[File:Joseph Pujol (Le Petomane) at concert.jpeg|left|thumb|Le Pétomane ''ca.'' 1890]]
The character has been portrayed several times in film. In 1979 Ian MacNaughton made a short humorous film, written by [[Galton and Simpson]] called ''Le Pétomane'', based on Pujol's story and starring veteran comic actor [[Leonard Rossiter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britmovie.co.uk/films/Le-Petomane_1979/ |title=Le Petomane (1979)|work=British movies|publisher=Britmovie.co.uk|accessdate=2009-01-05}}</ref> The 1983 Italian movie ''Il Petomane'', starring [[Ugo Tognazzi]], gives a poetic rendition of the character, contrasting his deep longing for normalcy with the condition of 'freak' to which his act relegated him. The 1998 mockumentary ''Le Pétomane'' by [[Igor Vamos]] examines Joseph Pujol's place in history through archival films (none of which actually include him), historical documents, photographs, recreations and fake or tongue-in-cheek interviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.impossiblefunky.com/archives/issue_13/13_lepetomaine.asp?IshNum=13&Headline=Le%20Petomane|title=Le Petomane: Fin de Siècle Fartiste (Igor Vamos, 2000)|last=White|first=Mike|publisher=Cahiers du Cinemart|accessdate=2009-10-19}}</ref>


The character has been portrayed several times in film. In 1979 [[Ian MacNaughton]] made a short humorous film, written by [[Galton and Simpson]] called ''[[Le Pétomane (film)|Le Pétomane]]'', based on Joseph Pujol's story and starring veteran comic actor [[Leonard Rossiter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britmovie.co.uk/films/Le-Petomane_1979/|title=Le Petomane (1979)|work=British movies|publisher=Britmovie.co.uk|access-date=2009-01-05|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203014504/http://www.britmovie.co.uk/films/Le-Petomane_1979|archive-date=2010-12-03}}</ref> The 1983 Italian movie ''[[Petomaniac|Il Petomane]]'', directed by [[Pasquale Festa Campanile]] and starring [[Ugo Tognazzi]], gives a poetic rendition of the character, contrasting his deep longing for normality with the condition of 'freak' to which his act relegated him. The 1998 documentary ''Le Pétomane'' by [[Igor Vamos]] examines Joseph Pujol's place in history through archival films (none of which actually include him), historical documents, photographs, recreations and fake or tongue-in-cheek interviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.impossiblefunky.com/archives/issue_13/13_lepetomaine.asp?IshNum=13&Headline=Le%20Petomane|title=Le Petomane: Fin de Siècle Fartiste (Igor Vamos, 2000)|last=White|first=Mike|publisher=Cahiers du Cinémart|access-date=2009-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716052020/http://www.impossiblefunky.com/archives/issue_13/13_lepetomaine.asp?IshNum=13&Headline=Le%20Petomane|archive-date=2011-07-16|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Other appearances include ''Le Pétomane: Parti Avec Le Vent'' (Le Pétomane: Gone With The Wind), a 2005 short film based on Pujol's life, and in [[Baz Luhrmann]]'s 2001 film ''[[Moulin Rouge!]]'' played by Australian actor Keith Robinson. Other references to Le Pétomane include [[Mel Brooks]]'s 1974 film ''[[Blazing Saddles]]'', [[Kevin Gilbert]]'s ''[[The Shaming of the True]]'', the 1984 college romp film ''[[Up the Creek (1984 film)|Up the Creek]]'', directed by [[Robert Butler (director)|Robert Butler]], in which the four protagonists represent ''Lepetomane University'' in an inter-collegiate river raft race, [[Kinky Friedman]]'s 1999 novel ''Spanking Watson,'' and [[John Hodgman]]'s book ''[[The Areas of My Expertise]]''.

Le Pétomane is also referenced in ''[[Blazing Saddles]]'', a 1974 satirical Western comedy film directed by [[Mel Brooks]]. Brooks appears in multiple supporting roles, including the dim-witted Governor William J. Le Petomane, whose name suggests he is full of hot air.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brain-sharper.com/entertainment/blazing-saddles-tb/34/|title = 'Blazing Saddles' Producers Hid These Facts from the Public|date = 16 September 2019}}</ref>

'Le Petoman' (without the {{em|e}}, because English-speaking audiences will pronounce {{nowrap|{{ndash}}mane}} differently from {{nowrap|{{ndash}}man}}) was adapted for the theatre in 2001 by Tony Stowers, from the book 'Le Petomane 1857–1945' by J. Nohain & F. Caradec. It was turned down by [[Hull Truck Theatre|Hull Truck]], [[Salisbury Playhouse]] and the [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]] in the UK on the grounds that they felt their audiences would be 'too sophisticated' for the subject matter. It was read in English in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2005 and in Paris in 2010 and in Nantes (in French) in June 2023 finally made it to the stage with amateur actors.


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Toilet humour]]
* [[Roland the Farter]]
* [[Mr. Methane]]
* [[Flatulence humor]]
* [[Flatulence humor]]
* [[Mr. Methane]]
* [[Roland the Farter]]
* [[Toilet humour]]


==References==
==Notes and references==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==Further reading==
==Further reading==
* Moore, Alison (February 2013) "The Spectacular Anus of Joseph Pujol: Recovering the Pétomane's Unique Historic Context" ''French Cultural Studies'' v.24, n.1, pp.&nbsp;27–43.
* ''Le Pétomane 1857-1945'' by Jean Nohain and F. Caradec; translated by Warren Tute. Sherbourne Press (1967)
* ''Le Pétomane 1857-1945'' by Jean Nohain and F. Caradec; translated by Warren Tute. Dorset Press (1993)
* Nohain, Jean and Caradec, F. (1993) [1967] ''Le Pétomane 1857–1945: A Tribute to the Unique Act Which Shook and Shattered the Moulin Rouge''. Translated by Warren Tute. New York: Dorset Press {{ISBN|9781566193740}}; originally published by Sherbourne Press.


==External links==
==External links==
* {{YouTube|tixKopGjn5s|1903 recording by "Mr Lefires", a Pujol imitator }}
* {{IMDb name|700254|Joseph Pujol}}


{{Authority control}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tixKopGjn5s 1903 recording by "Mr Lefires" a Pujol imitator]
* [http://www.paulbrewer.com/news.html ''The Fartiste'' a children's book 2008]
* [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_394.html Did a French vaudeville star once specialize in trained flatulence?] (from [[The Straight Dope]])
* [http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=202 Damn Interesting » Professional Farters]
* [http://www.mundieart.com/jgm/drawing35.htm Illustration for ''Shocked and Amazed!'' by James G. Mundie]
* [http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~lofty/pujol.htm "Joseph Pujol, the Fartiste"<!-- bot-generated title -->] at easyweb.easynet.co.uk


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|PLACE OF DEATH =
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Petomane, Le}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Petomane, Le}}
[[Category:1857 births]]
[[Category:1857 births]]
[[Category:1945 deaths]]
[[Category:1945 deaths]]
[[Category:French entertainers]]
[[Category:19th-century French people]]
[[Category:20th-century French people]]
[[Category:French male entertainers]]
[[Category:Entertainers from Marseille]]
[[Category:Flatulists]]
[[Category:Flatulists]]
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Latest revision as of 09:05, 5 November 2024

Le Pétomane
Born
Joseph Pujol

(1857-06-01)June 1, 1857
Marseille, France
DiedAugust 8, 1945(1945-08-08) (aged 88)
Le Pétomane du Moulin Rouge, 1900 (silent film clip)

Joseph Pujol (June 1, 1857 – August 8, 1945), better known by his stage name Le Pétomane (/ləˈpɛtəmeɪn/,[1] French pronunciation: [ləpetɔman]), was a French flatulist (professional fartist) and entertainer. He was famous for his remarkable control of the abdominal muscles, which enabled him to seemingly fart at will.[2] His stage name combines the French verb péter, "to fart" with the -mane, "-maniac" suffix, which translates to "fartomaniac". The profession is referred to as "flatulist", "farteur", or "fartiste".[3]

It was a common misconception that Pujol passed intestinal gas as part of his stage performance. Rather, he was allegedly able to "inhale" or move air into his rectum and then control the release of that air with his anal sphincter muscles. Evidence of his ability to control those muscles was seen in the early accounts of demonstrations of his abilities to fellow soldiers.[4]

Life and career

[edit]

Joseph Pujol was born in Marseille, one of five children of stonemason and sculptor François Pujol and his wife Rose, in a family of Catalan origin. 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.[5] He ran ashore in fright and was amazed to sense water pouring from his anus.

While serving in 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 up to several yards. He found that he could suck in air as well. A trained baker, Pujol would sometimes entertain his customers by imitating musical instruments and claiming to be playing them behind the counter. Pujol decided to try the stage, and debuted in Marseilles in 1887. When his act was well received, he moved to Paris, where he appeared at the Moulin Rouge in 1892.[6]

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.[7] He could also blow out a candle from several yards away.[3] His audience included Edward, Prince of Wales, King Leopold II of the Belgians, and Sigmund Freud.[8]

In 1894, the managers of the Moulin Rouge sued Pujol for an impromptu exhibition he gave to aid a friend struggling with economic difficulties. Pujol was fined 3,000 francs (equivalent to Ff96,000 in 2022), and the Moulin Rouge lost their star attraction as the disagreement led him to set up his own travelling show called the Theatre Pompadour.[6]

In the following decade Pujol tried to 'refine' and make his acts 'gentler'; one of his favourite numbers became a rhyme about a farm which he himself composed, and which he punctuated with anal renditions of the animals' sounds.[6]

With the outbreak of World War I, Pujol retired from the stage and returned to his bakery in Marseilles.[9] Later he opened a biscuit factory in Toulon. He died in 1945,[10] aged 88, and was buried in the cemetery of La Valette-du-Var, where his grave can still be seen today.

Legacy

[edit]

Le Pétomane left an enduring legacy and has inspired a number of artistic works. These include several musicals based on his life, such as The Fartiste (awarded Best Musical at the 2006 New York International Fringe Festival) and Seth Rozin's A Passing Wind which was premiered at the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts in 2011. In addition, Le Pétomane was added to David Lee's 2007 reworked revival of the 1953 Broadway play Can-Can, which had originally been written by Abe Burroughs and Cole Porter. The updated play, staged at the Pasadena Playhouse, featured musical theatre actor Robert Yacko as the fartiste, with sound effects provided by the band's trombone and piccolo players.[citation needed]

Le Pétomane ca. 1890

The character has been portrayed several times in film. In 1979 Ian MacNaughton made a short humorous film, written by Galton and Simpson called Le Pétomane, based on Joseph Pujol's story and starring veteran comic actor Leonard Rossiter.[11] The 1983 Italian movie Il Petomane, directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile and starring Ugo Tognazzi, gives a poetic rendition of the character, contrasting his deep longing for normality with the condition of 'freak' to which his act relegated him. The 1998 documentary Le Pétomane by Igor Vamos examines Joseph Pujol's place in history through archival films (none of which actually include him), historical documents, photographs, recreations and fake or tongue-in-cheek interviews.[12]

Le Pétomane is also referenced in Blazing Saddles, a 1974 satirical Western comedy film directed by Mel Brooks. Brooks appears in multiple supporting roles, including the dim-witted Governor William J. Le Petomane, whose name suggests he is full of hot air.[13]

'Le Petoman' (without the e, because English-speaking audiences will pronounce –mane differently from –man) was adapted for the theatre in 2001 by Tony Stowers, from the book 'Le Petomane 1857–1945' by J. Nohain & F. Caradec. It was turned down by Hull Truck, Salisbury Playhouse and the National Theatre in the UK on the grounds that they felt their audiences would be 'too sophisticated' for the subject matter. It was read in English in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2005 and in Paris in 2010 and in Nantes (in French) in June 2023 finally made it to the stage with amateur actors.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Notes

  1. ^ Nohain, Jean; Caradec, Francois (1968). Le Petomane, 1857-1945. Translated by Tute, Warren. Los Angeles: Sherbourne Press.
  2. ^ Guide, British Comedy (2021-02-07). "Classical gas: Galton & Simpson's Le Pétomane - Comedy Chronicles". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  3. ^ a b "Le Pétomane: The Strange Life of a "Fartiste"". Retrieved 2012-02-02.
  4. ^ Moore, Alison (February 2013). "The Spectacular Anus of Joseph Pujol: Recovering the Pétomane's Unique Historic Context". French Cultural Studies. 24 (1): 27–43. doi:10.1177/0957155812466975. S2CID 193095075.
  5. ^ Kelner, Martin (23 Jul 2008). "The ace of trumps". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Moore, A. (2013). The spectacular anus of Joseph Pujol: Recovering the Pétomane’s unique historic context. French Cultural Studies, 24(1), 27–43. doi:10.1177/0957155812466975
  7. ^ Did a French vaudeville star once specialize in trained flatulence? Accessed 2008-12-02
  8. ^ Begone With the Wind Accessed 2008-09-01
  9. ^ "Le Pétomane, The Mad Farter: Joseph Pujol – Riviera Reporter". www.rivierareporter.com. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
  10. ^ One source says his death occurred "shortly after the Allied landing", presumably a reference to D-Day, 6 June, but that was in 1944.
  11. ^ "Le Petomane (1979)". British movies. Britmovie.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2010-12-03. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  12. ^ White, Mike. "Le Petomane: Fin de Siècle Fartiste (Igor Vamos, 2000)". Cahiers du Cinémart. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2009-10-19.
  13. ^ "'Blazing Saddles' Producers Hid These Facts from the Public". 16 September 2019.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Moore, Alison (February 2013) "The Spectacular Anus of Joseph Pujol: Recovering the Pétomane's Unique Historic Context" French Cultural Studies v.24, n.1, pp. 27–43.
  • Nohain, Jean and Caradec, F. (1993) [1967] Le Pétomane 1857–1945: A Tribute to the Unique Act Which Shook and Shattered the Moulin Rouge. Translated by Warren Tute. New York: Dorset Press ISBN 9781566193740; originally published by Sherbourne Press.
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