Matt Alaeddine

Last updated

(Kamal)Matt Alaeddine is a Canadian-based entertainer from Edmonton, Alberta who is the world's fattest contortionist. [1] He has travelled around the world performing in a variety of venues. After getting his start at the Edmonton Fringe Festival, he has gone on to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Canada's Got Talent, and Comedy Central's Gong Show. [2] He holds the world records for "Heaviest Man to Touch Own Feet to Ears" and "Heaviest Man to Fit Through a Hula Hoop." [3]

Contents

He is known by many nicknames and stage names including Fatt Matt, Big Mac, and Powermann,

Abilities

Despite his 400+ pound weight, Alaeddine is skilled at contortion. He is capable of performing a side split. He can also dislocate his shoulders which he can use to escape from a straitjacket. He can place his leg behind his head, or create a form he refers to as the "fruit bowl" in which he touches both the soles of his feet to his cheeks [4]

The Jim Rose Circus

In 2004 Alaeddine joined The Jim Rose Circus alongside fellow Edmontonian Ryan Stock. As part of the Jim Rose Circus, he has performed as far away from his hometown as Iceland and Australia. [5]

Comedy career

Named Edmonton's funniest working comedian, Alaeddine is also a well-known stand-up comic. [6] Alaeddine also hosted The Comedy Clubhouse on CJSR-FM. [7]

Related Research Articles

In North America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, carnival, fair, or other such attraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Contortion</span> Performance art using skills of extreme physical flexibility

Contortion is a performance art in which performers called contortionists showcase their skills of extreme physical flexibility. Contortion acts often accompany acrobatics, circus acts, street performers and other live performing arts. Contortion acts are typically performed in front of a live audience. An act will showcase one or more artists performing a choreographed set of moves or poses, often to music, which require extreme flexibility. The physical flexibility required to perform such acts greatly exceeds that of the general population. It is the dramatic feats of seemingly inhuman flexibility that captivate audiences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Carr</span> British-Irish comedian and television presenter

James Anthony Patrick Carr is a British-Irish comedian, presenter, writer, and actor. He is known for his deadpan delivery of controversial one-liners, for which he has been both praised and criticised, and his distinctive laugh. He began his comedy career in 1997, and he has regularly appeared on television as the host of Channel 4 panel shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.

The Jim Rose Circus is a modern-day version of a circus sideshow. It was founded in Seattle in 1991 by Jim Rose and his wife BeBe Aschard Rose. The sideshow came to prominence to an American audience as a second stage show at the 1992 Lollapalooza festival, then called the "Jim Rose Circus Sideshow", although they had toured the Northwest and Canada and had several US TV appearances before this time. Rolling Stone magazine called the show an "absolute must-see act" and USA Today termed Rose's troupe "Lollapalooza's word-of-mouth hit attraction".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Lizardman (performer)</span> American sideshow performer

Erik Sprague, known professionally as the Lizardman, is an American freak show and sideshow performer. He is best known for his body modification, including his sharpened teeth, full-body tattoo of green scales, bifurcated tongue, subdermal implants and green-inked lips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Gaffigan</span> American comedian, actor, writer, and producer

James Christopher Gaffigan is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. His material often addresses fatherhood, laziness, food, religion, and general observations. He is regarded as a "clean" comic, using little profanity in his routines. He has released several successful comedy specials, including Mr. Universe, Obsessed, Cinco, and Quality Time, all of which have received Grammy nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plate spinning</span> Circus art balancing spinning objects

Plate spinning is a circus manipulation art where a person spins plates, bowls and other flat objects on poles, without them falling off. Plate spinning relies on the gyroscopic effect, in the same way a top stays upright while spinning. Spinning plates are sometimes gimmicked, to help keep the plates on the poles.

Ryan Stock is a Canadian-based TV stunt man from Beaumont, Alberta who has a show on the Discovery Channel called "Guinea Pig". Stock and his fiancée Amber Lynn Walker travel around Canada and the United States and perform stunts involving electrical shocks, automobile crashes and intentional poisoning. The Guinea pig show is no longer in production but may still air in some countries. Stock became fascinated with magic at an early age and quickly developed his skills as a magician. He soon moved on from simple tricks to performing feats such as fire-eating and fire-breathing. Stock is also the creator and originator of several sideshow stunts performed around the world, notably his signature piece entitled "The Human MeatHead", created in 2000. This stunt involves forcing a large meat hook into his nose and out his mouth, from which he then hangs weight from the hook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Jefferies</span> Australian stand-up comedian, actor and writer

Geoff James Nugent, known professionally as Jim Jefferies, is an Australian comedian, actor, and writer who holds dual Australian and American citizenship. He created and starred in the American FX sitcom Legit (2013–2014) and the Comedy Central late-night show The Jim Jefferies Show (2017–2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irina Kazakova</span> Russian rhythmic gymnast

Irina Kazakova is known as one of the world's most flexible rhythmic gymnasts. She specializes in contortion and rhythmic gymnastics on Russia's national team. She is trained with a personal trainer, with whom she works on her oversplits. Her most popular performance is her "Snake Dance". As a rhythmic gymnast, she has performed with the ball, clubs, hoop, and ribbons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Muraine</span>

Robert "Mr. Fantastic" Muraine is a dancer in the popping style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Captain Frodo</span>

Captain Frodo, also known as “The Incredible Rubberman”, is a Guinness World Record breaking contortionist living in Australia. He is the son of a famous Norwegian magician known as “The Great Santini”.

<i>Totem</i> (Cirque du Soleil)

Totem is a touring show by Cirque du Soleil that premiered in Montréal on April 22, 2010. It was written and directed by previous collaborator Robert Lepage (). Cirque du Soleil describes Totem's theme as the evolution of humanity from its primordial, amphibian state toward the aspiration of flight, taking inspiration from many of humanity's founding myths. The show was awarded the 2013 New York Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience.

Dave Thornton is an Australian stand-up comedian, actor, television and radio presenter. He has performed stand-up comedy throughout Australia, in Edinburgh, Singapore and New York. He has also appeared on Australian television and radio.

Aleksei I. Goloborodko is a Russian contortionist. In addition to contortion, he has trained in classical and modern dance and Chinese martial arts. He has performed in a variety of arts festivals and competitions, television programs, circuses, and shows. He is currently in the Cirque du Soleil show Luzia.

Christopher Alfred Goode, better known as Chris Cross, is an English magician, escapologist, and former contortionist. He has performed worldwide and appeared on British television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wanderlust Circus</span>

Wanderlust Circus is a theatrical circus troupe based in Portland, Oregon, founded in 2006 by creative partners Noah Mickens and Nick "The Creature" Harbar. Since 2006, Wanderlust Circus has grown from a small band of creatives to a full-fledged circus troupe, and non-profit organization. The organization presently comprises a team of acrobats, a 10-piece swing band, a trick-roping cowboy clown; and several aerialists, contortionists, hand balancers, jugglers, and dancers. Their most popular recurring shows have been The White Album Christmas, A Circus Carol, and the dance party series MegaBounce.

"I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)", also known as "I Can't Stand It", is a song written and recorded by James Brown in 1967. It is the most successful of the handful of recordings he made with The Dapps, a band of white musicians led by Beau Dollar. The single release of the song, on which its transposure was pushed up a half step/key, rose to #4 on the Billboard R&B chart and #28 on the Pop chart. The single's B-side, "There Was a Time", also charted.

Leilani "Lucky" Franco, is a British contortionist based in London and Berlin.

Marina Mazepa is a Ukrainian actress, model, dancer, and contortionist. She is known for competing in the fourteenth season of America's Got Talent and reaching the quarterfinals. She has also competed in talent show competitions such as So You Think You Can Dance, France's Got Talent, and Ukraine's Everybody Dance! As an actress, she has appeared in films such as Malignant, The Unholy, and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.

References

  1. "Ambush Contortion with "Fat Matt" Alaeddine". YouTube. Edmonton Journal. 25 February 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  2. "Matt Alaeddine". IMDB. IMDB. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  3. "Fatt-Matt-Alaeddine". Record Setter. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  4. Goodman, William (1 March 2011). "Ambush contortion with "Fat Matt" Alaeddine (VIDEO)". CBS News. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  5. Jerome, David (7 December 2010). "VIDEO: Contortionist Matt Alaeddine". CBC News. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  6. Tiedemann, Emil. "EDvent/ The F**k You Comedy Show". I Heart Edmonton. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  7. "Matt Alaeddine's Stand-up". Rooftop Comedy. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.