Who was Le Pétomane?
Next time you watch the movie, look closely at the performers during the scenes introducing the Moulin Rouge. After watching Christian and Satine dance to 'Rhythm of the Night', you will see a tall man dressed in a suit standing near the dancing Petite Princess. The man is standing sideways with a rather odd look on his face, and for good reason too. In fact, he is bent over as as if he is... er... letting one go! That's Le Pétomane, and he literally is letting one go! Le Pétomane was a real person, and was a performer at the real Moulin Rouge. His act, to the delight of Parisians at the time, was to unleash a cacophony of smelly farts upon the audience.
In a book called Le Moulin Rouge by Jacques Pessis (available to buy at the real Moulin Rouge establishment), there is an actual transcript of one of the shows that took place starring Le Pétomane. The following was translated from the French text, and is very crazy indeed...
11 February 1890: The Debut of Pétomane
Zidler: And what does your speciality consist of?
Le Pétomane: Sir, you see, I have an anus hoover. As I said, my anus is elastic with which I can open and close it in the manner of a volcano.
Zidler: And then?
Le Pétomane: It comes, Sir, when I absorb a quantity of liquid…
Charles Zidler offers him a huge jug of water—naturally, not mineral water—and he drinks it.
Le Pétomane: That’s not all! After this, I expel smelly gasses…The secret of my act is that I can make all sorts of sounds…
Zidler: Then, sing from your arse!
Le Pétomane: Yes, sir. The tenor: one! The baritone: two! The bass: three! The quatro: four! The soprano: five! Now, a vocalisation…
Zidler: And your mother in law?
(Loud, obnoxious fart)
Le Pétomane: There!
Rapturous applause.