World's Tallest Man Meets World's Smallest

[JRM4833]

First, I just want to put into perspective how tall he is, so here's one picture of the world's tallest man walking with what looks like an average height man.



So it seems like this guy has been in the news non-stop lately. First he saves two dolphins bare-handed by reaching into their stomachs to remove dangerous pieces of plastic.

Photo in the News: World's Tallest Man Saves Dolphin

December 14, 2006—Who says superheroes don't exist?

Desperate to save two dolphins that had eaten plastic pieces at an aquarium in China's Liaoning Province, veterinarians summoned the world's tallest man—7-foot-9-inch (2.36-meter) shepherd Bao Xishun of the neighboring Inner Mongolia region.

The plastic pieces had caused the marine mammals to lose their appetites and become depressed, Royal Jidi Ocean World officials told the BBC. But the dolphins' contracting stomachs had stymied vets' attempts to use instruments to remove the objects. Instead Bao's extra-long arms were able to extract the offending shards yesterday.

After Bao, 54, "operated" on them—their teeth wrapped with towels for safety, as seen in the bottom photo—the dolphins were in "very good condition," aquarium manager Chen Lujun told the BBC.

Veterinarian Zhu Xiaoling told the state-controlled Xinhua news agency, "Some very small plastic pieces are still left in the dolphins' stomachs.

"However, the dolphins will be able to digest these and are expected to recover soon."

—Ted Chamberlain

National Geographic

The BBC article has a video I believe, but I can't see it from work and don't know if it's any good.

So then Bao Xishun, the world's tallest man, goes and marries an "average height" woman last week.

World's tallest man marries, sweeps bride off feet

Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:00 PM IST
By Kitty Bu

ERDOS, China (Reuters) - The world's tallest man married a woman two-thirds his size and almost half his age on Thursday in a traditional Mongolian ceremony sponsored by at least 15 companies hoping to cash in on his fame.

Bao Xishun, 56, a 7-ft, 9-inch herdsman from China's vast Inner Mongolia region, was carried to his wedding on the back of a mobile yurt pulled by camels at the Genghis Khan holiday resort on the grasslands near Erdos city.

Hundreds of people, some travelling for hours, turned up to see Bao wed saleswoman Xia Shujuan, a mere 5 ft 6 inches tall and just 29 years old.

Draped in a shimmering blue silk coat, Bao waved to the crowd before going into an enormous yurt where guests ate lamb and cheese and watched Mongolian song and dance shows.

"If we can have children, we'll have children," Bao told Reuters before the wedding. "If not, then not. If we have a child, I hope he or she can be 1.8-1.9-metres tall. Then he or she can play basketball."

Xia said she was madly in love.

"You need to have feelings for someone to be in love. Even if he is a big shot, you can't love him without feelings," Xia said.

Bao was confirmed as the world's tallest living man by Guinness World Records last year. He overtook the previous holder, Radhouane Charbib of Tunisia, by just 2 mm.

The Guinness World Records says Bao was of normal height until 16 but then put on a spurt that doctors were unable to explain, reaching his full height in seven years.

He put out marriage advertisements around the world, but ended up wedding somebody from his home town, Chifeng.

Bao and his wife were legally married in March, but wanted to also have an authentic Mongolian ceremony.

After a career in the army, where he was recruited for a basketball team, he returned to Inner Mongolia. He now herds livestock and hires himself out for publicity stunts.

In December, Bao saved the lives of two dolphins by reaching deep into their stomachs with his 1.06-metre long arm to pull out pieces of plastic, according to Chinese media.

Because of his fame, Inner Mongolia decided to turn the wedding into a branding event.

"He has a very good image among us in Inner Mongolia," said Bao's agent, Xin Xing. "We plan to use his name as a brand to develop tourism. We want to better help and serve our hometown."

Everything from the liquor drunk at the wedding to the shoes Bao wore were sponsored by a different company.

One firm made a 2.9-metre blanket of camel hair just for the marriage.

Reuters India

Now Xishun is back in the news yet again. This time the buzz is about him meeting a man who is allegedly the world's smallest man, He Pingping.

World's Tallest Man Meets World's Smallest Man
Saturday , July 14, 2007

The world's tallest man has met one of the world's smallest in China.

Bao Xishun, a 56 year-old herdsman from Inner Mongolia, is the world's tallest man and measures 7' 9" tall.

Meanwhile, He Pingping is applying to be entered in the Guinness World Record as the world's shortest adult, standing at a mere 2' 4".

According to the organiser of the meeting, it was He's long-cherished dream to meet Bao.

In March, Bao married saleswoman Xia Shujian, who stands a rather average 5' 6", after a global search for a suitable bride.

They celebrated a traditional Mongolian wedding in the tomb of Kublai Khan on Thursday.

Bao was confirmed as the world's tallest living man by Guinness World Records last year. He overtook the previous holder, Radhouane Charbib of Tunisia, by just 2 millimeters.

Guinness World Records says Bao was of normal height until 16 but then put on a spurt that doctors were unable to explain, reaching his full height in seven years.

But Bao is far shorter than Robert Pershing Wadlow, from Illinois in the U.S., who died in 1940 aged 22 and stood at a massive 8' 11.1".

Fox News

They're scheduling a Pay Per View fight between the two. I'm giving out 5-1 odds on the little guy for anyone who wants in.

[sportsfan1433]

thts awesome

[JRM4833]

And I don't care how old the guy is. The Celtics need a damn center, and all he'd have to do is stand there and take the ball off his head now and then.

[sportsfan1433]

And I don't care how old the guy is. The Celtics need a damn center, and all he'd have to do is stand there and take the ball off his head now and then.

and the cubs need the shortest guy to get walked every time

[The Artful Dodger]

And I don't care how old the guy is. The Celtics need a damn center, and all he'd have to do is stand there and take the ball off his head now and then.

If this guy is the key to keeping Kobe Bryant a Laker, by all means, Mitch Kupchak, get him!

[StlSluggers]

But Bao is far shorter than Robert Pershing Wadlow, from Illinois in the U.S., who died in 1940 aged 22 and stood at a massive 8' 11.1".

Guess what town I'm from in Illinois. My grandmother actually rode to school with Wadlow. They had to put him in the back of a pick-up and put the gate down so that his feet could hang out of the back of the truck. They have a statue of him in town. It's weird because you go stand next to it, and you're below his elbows. Then it hits you that the statue is life size - it's not blown out of proportion like nearly every other statue.

Trivia Note: Wadlow still hadn't stopped growing when he died.

Wiki entry on Wadlow

[JRM4833]

But Bao is far shorter than Robert Pershing Wadlow, from Illinois in the U.S., who died in 1940 aged 22 and stood at a massive 8' 11.1".

Guess what town I'm from in Illinois. My grandmother actually rode to school with Wadlow. They had to put him in the back of a pick-up and put the gate down so that his feet could hang out of the back of the truck. They have a statue of him in town. It's weird because you go stand next to it, and you're below his elbows. Then it hits you that the statue is life size - it's not blown out of proportion like nearly every other statue.

Trivia Note: Wadlow still hadn't stopped growing when he died.

Wiki entry on Wadlow

I had missed that originally. Pretty amazing.

[Yoda]

But Bao is far shorter than Robert Pershing Wadlow, from Illinois in the U.S., who died in 1940 aged 22 and stood at a massive 8' 11.1".

Guess what town I'm from in Illinois. My grandmother actually rode to school with Wadlow. They had to put him in the back of a pick-up and put the gate down so that his feet could hang out of the back of the truck. They have a statue of him in town. It's weird because you go stand next to it, and you're below his elbows. Then it hits you that the statue is life size - it's not blown out of proportion like nearly every other statue.

Trivia Note: Wadlow still hadn't stopped growing when he died.

Wiki entry on Wadlow

That's awesome...