A Huntersville man will have the opportunity to paddle his way into the Guinness Book of World Records next week. But he won’t employ either a canoe or an instrument of corporal punishment!
Comedian and variety entertainer Steve Langley, aka “The Great Fettucini,” has become master of the art of paddle ball. So much so, in fact, that he has been invited to take an all-expenses paid trip to Milan, Italy, April 4-10 to establish a record for that prop on the Guinness-sponsored prime-time television show “Lo Show del Record.”
Langleyexpects to establish the record at six paddle balls bounced simultaneously by holding three paddles in each hand. The rules of the show stipulate that hemust continue paddling for thirty seconds without a miss, tangle or bobble, and Langley said that represents about 150-160 bounces with each ball. Guinnessofficials will be on hand to judge and certify the attempt.
Langley, who serves as host for the annual Vaudeville Extravaganza show at Davidson College each Labor Day weekend, said the path to Guinness began with an Internet video contest last fall. The Swiss company Active People Toys offered an iPad to the creator of the best video showing someone playing with one of its props. The company makes paddle balls, so Langley created and submitted a clever “A Day in the Life of The Paddle Ball King” video that was judged as the winner.
Active People was so impressed they signed on as sponsor for Langley’s paddle ballactivities and appearances, and the video eventually found its way to Guinness officials and resulted in their request that he appear on “Lo Show del Record.”
In addition to keeping multiple paddle balls going, Langley has been developing an act/persona called The Paddle Ball King (http://www.thepaddleballking.net/) and has incorporated several single paddleball tricks into his act. They include popping balloons, knocking levitating ping pong balls out of the air, and snuffing out a candle flame. He is also developing methods of playing music on digitally synthesized paddle balls.
