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Is it True that Old People Pass Gas More Often?
The facts about senior flatulence
Back in 1985, Comic Billy Crystal released Mahvelous!, a comedy album (remember those?) that included a hilarious routine about his 71-year-old grandfather, who was both very flatulent and hard of hearing.
As Crystal portrayed him, Grandpa went about his day continuously farting and then exclaiming, “God damn it!”
These days, Billy Crystal is 76 years old himself.
I wonder if he’s laughing now.
Farting is a natural part of life, which is something I thought about recently while taking care of my favorite four-month-old baby, who was noisily digesting a tummy full of formula.
Babies fart un-self-consciously and unapologetically. But as we grow, we are supposed to grow manners too, and eventually we learn to either keep it inside, or if we absolutely must let it out, to apologize.
There are adults who believe that farting is nothing to be ashamed of, and that we should all pass gas as brazenly as…