Guinness Book of Freaks and people with too much time on their hands

humanji

This is a stupid rant about a stupid book. Like many of you, I remember the Guinness Book of World Records as being a bastion of human achievement with some mutants added for effect. It was filled with the fastest, the strongest and the freakishly tall.

What the f@ck happened it? At what point did they decide to let any old weirdo in it? Yesterday, two morning presenters from 98fm broke two records: the first was blowing a Malteaser with a straw and the other was keeping one in the air by blowing it. WTF?!? And today on Ireland Am, one of them got the record for putting on a duvet cover the fastest.

Is that really an acomplishment? Would you feel proud to tell people that?

You: Hey, I just got into the Guinness Book Of World Records!
Your Friend: Really? That's so cool. What did you do?
You: I put on a duvet cover.
Your Friend: No, seriously, what did you do?
You: Eh...

The book itself has a tiny handful of actual achievements. The rest is full of f@ckwits with too much time on their hands and people with severe medical deformities.

Since when did it become the TV3 of the book world?

GAAman

Well i am in it for dressin up as santa

And i guess for the whole firefox 3 download day, so thats twice in one book or maybe its two books must check it out

c - 13

I think it was Bill Bailey that said - "I saw a guy in the Guinness book of records the other day for having the most pegs on his face at one time. Thats a bit stupid isnt it ? All you have to do to beat him is have a bigger face ..."

When I glance through the book I only look at the sections that interest me, mainly human achievement, strength and endurance and technology sections.

Some of the records are admittedly a bit nuts. Theres a chap in there for longest distance travelled on a pogo stick IIRC.

Some of the collections ones are a bit crazy too.

Killgore Trout

Bring back Norris McWhirter

Sherifu

It's just a marketing tool. Not to be taken seriously silly.

Guy:Incognito

Theres only a certain amount of times they can sell the same book with the numbers slightly changed (100m record from 9.72 to 9.69 for example). They need to do something to make it different each year.

whiskeyman

Used to love Roy Castle (RIP) and Cheryl Baker going nuts after a World Record would be broken in the studio during 'Record Breakers'.

Ahhh, those were the days...

chin_grin

humanji wrote: »

This is a stupid rant about a stupid book. Like many of you, I remember the Guinness Book of World Records as being a bastion of human achievement with some mutants added for effect. It was filled with the fastest, the strongest and the freakishly tall.

What the f@ck happened it? At what point did they decide to let any old weirdo in it? Yesterday, two morning presenters from 98fm broke two records: the first was blowing a Malteaser with a straw and the other was keeping one in the air by blowing it. WTF?!? And today on Ireland Am, one of them got the record for putting on a duvet cover the fastest.

Is that really an acomplishment? Would you feel proud to tell people that?

You: Hey, I just got into the Guinness Book Of World Records!
Your Friend: Really? That's so cool. What did you do?
You: I put on a duvet cover.
Your Friend: No, seriously, what did you do?
You: Eh...

The book itself has a tiny handful of actual achievements. The rest is full of f@ckwits with too much time on their hands and people with severe medical deformities.

Since when did it become the TV3 of the book world?

This sounds a little too like a Billy Connolly joke, whereby he goes on to say any eejit can get in to the book. Talking about the man with most pegs on his face, and the only way to beat him: have a bigger face!

humanji

That was Bill Bailey, as said above.

chin_grin

humanji wrote: »

That was Bill Bailey, as said above.

Jaysus, and I have the DVD n'all! I type corrected. Thank you.

Mossy Monk

Perfect reading for the bog.

Guy:Incognito

Mossy Monk wrote: »

Perfect reading for the bog.

Muscely, sweaty athletes do it for you eh, Mossy?:)

humanji

chin_grin wrote: »

Jaysus, and I have the DVD n'all! I type corrected. Thank you.

lol, well they're both hairy comediens so it's an easy mistake to make.