Some of the Strangest Guinness World Records Were Set in Kentucky

When Christmas memories start flooding in, gifts are always a part of it. One of those gifts was the Guinness Book of World Records. I found it fascinating. Even today, the website is a fun rabbit hole to explore.

And Kentucky makes quite a few appearances, and in some strange categories, as you will see.

The Largest Bubblegum Bubble Blown Through the Nose

Joyce Samuels of Louisville was immortalized in the pages of Guinness in 2000 after blowing a bubble through her nose on the set of a Guinness TV special in Los Angeles. She chewed the gum until the sugar was gone and got the bubble to 11 inches in diameter. I couldn't find a video of the event, but do we really want to see it?

The Oldest Regular Blood Donor

Regular blood donor and veteran Dale Faughn of Madisonville entered the Guinness Book in 2016 at the age of 90. A true hero for his kindness and generosity, Dale passed away in 2024 at the age of 98.

The Longest Beard on a Female

The Guinness Book of World Records first went into print in 1955. Seventy-one years earlier, this record was set by Bracken County's Janice Deveree. It was 14 inches long. Also sometimes known as "werewolf syndrome," hypertrichosis is the abnormal growth of hair on the body.

The Largest Water Balloon Fight

I believe the last time I got into a water balloon fight was when I was in college at Western Kentucky University. It seems college students are inherent water balloon fighters . The world record belongs to the 2011 Christian Student Fellowship at the University of Kentucky. 8,957 students engaged in battle using 175,141 water balloons. Sounds like a blast. Looks like one, too:

If you plan to break a record or set one, you can apply on the Guinness website. Good luck. I can't wait to see what oddball activity will put you in the record books.