tugmoose Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 The Language of FartingBy EVAN R. GOLDSTEIN Meet Roland the Farter. A minstrel in the court of Henry II of England, Roland had an annual Christmas Day engagement with the king and his fellow revelers. Roland's act consisted of a dance that culminated with his trademark forte: a synchronized jump, whistle, and fart. Though accounts are sketchy, they indicate that Roland's remarkable trifecta was performed simultaneously (and not surprisingly, only once). Roland was so valued as an entertainer that the king rewarded his impressive feat of dexterity with a plot of land. The story of Roland the Farter is told by Valerie Allen in On Farting: Laughter and Language in the Middle Ages, published by Palgrave Macmillan. Allen uses flatulence as a prism through which to explore the entertainment mores of medieval society. Roland's popularity calls to mind our own longstanding (if sometimes sheepish) embrace of bathroom humor. Among many other revelations found in the pages of Bob Woodward's State of Denial is that President Bush is fond of cracking fart jokes with Karl Rove. And the flatulent campfire scene in Mel Brooks's 1974 film Blazing Saddles remains a cultural touchstone. The young comedian Sarah Silverman once commented that fart jokes are "the sign language of comedy." What is it about farts that we find so funny? We asked Allen. Valerie Allen, associate professor of literature at City University of New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice: Freud saw it as a mark of our own civilization that smell is suppressed. We would start sniffing the ground, and then as we became erect on two legs we did not need our noses so much. So we use our eyes rather than our nose. One of the most enjoyable aspects of doing the research was reading about smell. I had not been aware of how underrated, undervalued, and underused a sense it is. Much can be learned by thinking about farts and smell in particular. We have plenty in common with Roland Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 Now THAT'S what I call RESEARCH. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 There are few genuine, unassailable truisms in life, but here is one: Farts Are Funny. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Unfortunately, at $60+, it's not going to find many casual buyers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brianjeremy Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Indeed. I am genuinely intrigued. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Farting may be the only language that needs no translation--it's truly universal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 There are few genuine, unassailable truisms in life, but here is one: Farts Are Funny. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tugmoose Posted July 19, 2007 Author Share Posted July 19, 2007 Unfortunately, at $60+, it's not going to find many casual buyers. Wait for the paperback. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 There are few genuine, unassailable truisms in life, but here is one: Farts Are Funny. I'm not laughing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 I'm not laughing. Well, clearly you have never experienced one of my wife's taco-based dutch ovens. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oatmealblizzard Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Good thread. Quite possibly the greatest thing in the world ever. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trestle Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Good thread. Quite possibly the greatest thing in the world ever. well....i wouldn't go that far, but oh my goodness. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Quite possibly the greatest thing in the world ever.She should have taken a cue from David Niven: "Just think, the only laugh that man will probably ever get is for stripping and showing off his shortcomings." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
embiggen Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Farts carry anxiety and humor and disgust. People see themselves in the reactions of others and are thus intensely aware of themselves in those moments when farts manifest themselves. When you smell somebody you are closer to them than when you are just looking at them, but you are farther away than when you are touching them. Farts can create these moments rich with insight. I think much of the humor of farting is located on this very ordinary, humble level. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 The humans in my house never fart, but Henry the cat sure does. Sometimes we experience his handiwork when he's not even in the room. He's very talented ... and prolific. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
quarter23cd Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 performance fartingI am in the wrong line of work, my friends. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JUDE Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 I think accidental sharting is much funnier (as an observer of course). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
viatroy Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 peformance sharting Quote Link to post Share on other sites
deepseacatfish Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 This is awesome, though I wouldn't buy it for the price. Farts can be endlessly amusing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 peformance shartingThat could mean an entirely different level of audience participation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
viatroy Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 ala Gallagher? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 ala Gallagher?Gallagher meets Jackson Pollock. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
embiggen Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 You won't know. Unless I'm upwind. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 ala Gallagher?Well ... let's just say that, like with Gallagher, you don't want to be in the first three rows. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
embiggen Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 farting in front of guests is not funny. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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