Le Petomane: an unusual entertainer
Marseilles born Joseph Pujol was a natural entertainer as a young boy, showing talent in both acting and music. Despite being skilled on the trombone, it was a completely different type of wind instrument that brought him fame and fortune.
In fact, Joseph Pujol became a very famous vaudeville act due to his amazing ability to control the muscles of his derrière!
His stage name of Le Petomane (loosely translated as “the farter”) rather gives it away!
One of the highlights of his act was pumping out the Marseillaise through his bottom, even modulating tone and volume. In fact, his act was not about passing “normal” intestinal gas but using inhaled air (or water according to some reports) and muscle control to produce the effects.
At the beginning of each show, he would explain to the audience that the emissions he was about to produce were completely odourless, as he irrigated his colon daily.
Believe it or not, he became one of the most well-known and highly paid entertainers in France. At his peak, it was said that he earnt more from his daily performances at the Moulin Rouge than Sarah Bernhardt (a major star) at the same time.
If you’re hoping to hear him perform on YouTube, you’re out of luck. There is no known audio recording of his performances, only press reviews and photos.
Well dressed and dignified, his act was seen as quite refined, considering its unusual subject.
There was a short film made in the UK in the 1970s with Leonard Rossiter in the title role.
Also in Bigas Lunas’ Spanish movie ‘La Teta I La Luna’ there’s a character who earns his living with a travelling circus, lighting his farts and firing air darts from his posterior.
Lol