A California guy whose 3.97-inch tongue won him a Guinness World Record has discovered an odd way to use his rare muscle: painting.
Nick Stoeberl, who was granted the world record for the longest tongue (male) when it was officially measured at 3.97 inches from tip to teeth in 2012, demonstrated his odd painting talents on ITV's This Morning.
Stoeberl demonstrated how he wraps his tongue in plastic wrap before dipping it in paint and drawing on a canvas for broadcasters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.
He quipped, "I may or may not be the outcome of a government experiment like The Hulk, if I'm not cautious, I may turn green," as he disclosed he works as an American government official, stating he can't go into further detail about what he does.
Nick said he first realized his tongue was longer than usual when he was a kid and would thrust it out at people. In high school, he was dubbed Gene Simmons after the long-tongued KISS rocker.
In some African cultures, long tongues have been associated with spiritual or supernatural powers. The Maasai people of Kenya, for example, believe that people with long tongues are particularly skilled at divination and prophecy. Similarly, the Yoruba people of Nigeria believe that a person with a long tongue has a special gift for public speaking and leadership.
In Hindu mythology, the goddess Kali is often depicted with a long tongue, which is said to symbolize her power and ferocity. In some depictions, her tongue is shown lolling out of her mouth as she dances on the bodies of her enemies.
In more recent times, some people have intentionally stretched their tongues through a process known as tongue splitting or tongue bifurcation. This involves cutting the tongue in half lengthwise, creating a forked appearance. The practice is generally considered to be a form of body modification rather than a cultural tradition, and is often associated with the body modification subculture.
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