Mr. Methane
2568766
222784153
2008-07-01T02:36:16Z
75.62.129.201
{{Infobox Comedian
| name = Mr Methane
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| pseudonym = Mr Methane
| birth_name = Paul Oldfield
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Macclesfield]], [[Cheshire]], [[England]]
| death_date =
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| medium = [[Performance Art]]
| nationality = [[United Kingdom|British]]
| active = 1991-present
| genre = Speciality act
| subject =
| influences = [[Le Pétomane]]
| influenced =
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| signature =
| website = [http://www.mrmethane.com/ www.mrmethane.com]
| footnotes =
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'''Paul Oldfield''', born in [[Macclesfield]], [[Cheshire]], [[North West England]], is better known by his stage name '''Mr. Methane'''. He is a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[professional farter|flatulist]] or "professional farter" who started performing in 1991<ref>Pile, Stephen, "Ride The Wild Wind". ''Sunday Telegraph' (London), Review Section p. 7 ([[June 27]] [[1993]])}</ref>; he briefly retired in 2006 but re-started in mid-2007; he claims to be the only performing professional flatulist in the world.<ref name="Independent">{{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20040131/ai_n9686753/pg_2|title= Independent, 31 January 2004]}}</ref>
==Background==
According to ''When Will I Be Famous?'' (2003)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Will-I-Be-Famous/dp/0563487771/ref=sr_1_2/026-6911114-0761259?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189951743&sr=1-2|title= amazon.co.uk page for "When Will I Be Famous"}}</ref>, a [[BBC]] book on British variety acts, Oldfield discovered his ability at the age of fifteen when practising [[yoga]]. The next day he performed twenty rapid fire rasping [[farts]] in under a minute for a group of his friends. It became so popular he made it into a regular event. At this time he did not become a professional, but instead started working for [[British Rail]] eventually getting promoted to Train Driver. It is alleged that his BR career came to an end when his train ran away through Sheffield station and this frightened him into retiring from the footplate for good.
The word of his odorous ability spread. In the late 1980s he was transferred to the [[Buxton]] motive power depot in [[Derbyshire]]. There he met a driver called Paul Genders who played in a Macclesfield based [[soul]]/[[blues]] [[cover band]] called ''The Screaming Beavers''. Paul invited Mr. Methane to perform as a guest artist. The audience loved his performance, and he decided to try it as a career.
==Professional career==
On stage, he wears a bright green-and-purple skin-tight costume with cape and mask,<ref name="Kelner">Kelner, Martin: When Will I Be Famous (2003). BBC Books. ISBN-10: 0563487771 / ISBN-13: 978-0563487777</ref><ref name="The Age March">{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Arts/Master-blaster-returns/2005/03/18/1110913752479.html|title= Review in The Age (Australia), 20th March, 2005]}}</ref><ref>Foster, Tim: Superman's Pockets (2007) FiveFootSix. ISBN-10: 0955704006 / ISBN-13: 978-0955704000 </ref> looking like a [[superhero]]. In some early performances, he appeared as support act to UK cult music group the [[Macc Lads]] who, in 1990, wrote a song about him entitled ''Mr Methane''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macclads.co.uk/hectic_house/lyrics/lyrics_alpha/mrmeth.html|title= Lyrics to Macc Ladds' song ''Mr Methane''}}</ref>. He become a full time flatulist in 1991 and performed in Europe,<ref name="Kelner"/> North America,<ref name="Howard Stern">{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1319570/|title= Howard Stern appearances listed on IMDB}}</ref><ref name="Montreal">{{cite web|url=http://www.justforlaughs.ca/videos/tag/Methane|title= Video of Mr Methane at the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal}}</ref> Asia<ref name="Independent"/> & Australia,<ref name="The Age March"/><ref name="The Age">{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Reviews/Mr-Methane/2005/04/07/1112815662075.htmll|title= Review in The Age (Australia), 8th April, 2005]}}</ref><ref name="Chortle Melbourne">{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/shows/melbourne_comedy_festival_2005/m/15273/mr_methane:_thunderbum_is_go/review/|title= Review on Chortle, UK comedy industry website, April, 2005]}}</ref> including appearances at the [[Just For Laughs]] comedy festival in [[Montreal]],<ref name="Montreal"/>, the [[Edinburgh Fringe]] and the [[Melbourne International Comedy Festival]].<ref name="The Age"/><ref name="Chortle Melbourne"/> He also made numerous [[television]] & [[radio]] appearances, including several editions of [[Eurotrash (TV series)|Eurotrash]], [[TFI Friday]] and [[The Slammer]] in the UK and several editions of the [[Howard Stern]] TV show 2000-2002<ref name="Howard Stern"/> in the US; he became particularly popular in [[Sweden]] (through his appearances on various [[Robert Aschberg]] shows) and in [[Japan]].<ref name="Independent"/>
In [[1998]], [[BBC News]] reported that insurance companies had refused to insure his bottom.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/142982.stm|title= How The Stars Cover Their Assets (BBC News), 31st July 1998}}</ref>
In [[2000]], he released the self-titled album ''mr methane.com'' including his renditions of [[The Blue Danube]], the [[1812 Overture]] and [[Swan Lake]]. It was produced by former [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]] drummer [[Barriemore Barlow]] who was, for a time, his manager.
On 10th October [[2007]] he appeared live in the studio on [[BBC Radio 1]]'s Breakfast Show with [[Scott Mills]]. Here they played a game of name that tune using the medium of farting, causing most members of the team to leave the studio.
On 31 December 2007 he appeared on the The Podge and Rodge Show 2008 New Year's Eve Special With Frank Bruno in Ireland on RTE2 where he counted down to 2008 with his bottom.
==Discography==
*Methane, Mr (1999), ''Trouser Trumpet'' ASIN B00000JB5F
*Methane, Mr (2000), ''Mr Methane.com: Anal Madness from the Man With the Rumbling Ring'' ASIN: B00004WN21
*Methane, Mr (2001), ''Merry Methane: A Feast of Festive Flatulence''
*Methane, Mr (2002), ''Anal adventures at sausage fest featuring guest star appearances from "Ant the Pant" Mcnally ''
==DVDs==
*Methane, Mr (2000), ''Mr Methane Lets Rip!'' ASIN B00004D03A
==See also==
* [[Le Pétomane]]
==Books==
*Chapter on Mr Methane in Kelner, Martin (12 June, 2003). ''When Will I Be Famous''. BBC Books. ISBN-10: 0563487771 / ISBN-13: 978-0563487777
*Featured in Foster, Tim (1 November, 2007). ''Superman's Pockets''. FiveFootSix. ISBN-10: 0955704006 / ISBN-13: 978-0955704000
==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}
==References==
*The Independent ( London ), 1st January 1994 - front page article.
*[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2001/03/17/scflem18.xml Daily Telegraph (London), 17th March, 2001]
*[http://www.theage.com.au/news/Arts/Master-blaster-returns/2005/03/18/1110913752479.html Interview/feature in The Age (Australia), 20th March, 2005]
==External links==
*{{imdb name|1319570|Mr Methane}}
* [http://www.mrmethane.com/ Official web site of Mr. Methane]
* [http://www.myspace.com/mrmethane/ Mr Methane's MySpace page]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/scottmills/galleries/147/29/#gallery147 On The scott mills show]
[[Category:Flatulence]]
[[Category:British entertainers]]
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