World's Largest Chewed Gumball (Made From 95,200 Pieces Of Gum)

Dude, stop touching that thing! Haven’t you ever heard of little beasties called germs? This story makes me gag a little, but it’s so freaky and awesome that I had to share it with you anyway. Have you ever heard of anyone rolling around an ABC gumball like it was a piece of cookie dough? You’re about to. (ABC = Already Been Chewed)

When Barry Chappell was on an International flight, he started chewing Nicorette gum since he couldn’t smoke. Since there was no place to put the gum when he was finished chewing it, he just held it in his hand and twirled it around into a little ball with his fingers. Piece after piece, his discarded gum became a much larger ball between his fingers. (Did the person sitting next to you ask for a seat reassignment? #justaskin) It was at that moment his brilliant idea was born. Why not create the world’s largest gumball and completely stop smoking in the process?

Now, six years and 95,200 piece of gum later, Barry is a non-smoking superstar. He created a gigantic piece of chewed gum that weighs 175 pounds! Tonight he will be honored by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! on national television in the States and presented with the award for the “World’s Largest Medicated Gumball.” If you look at the behind the scenes pictures below, you can see that this process wasn’t easy. After he chews the gum and spits it out, he has to knead it, stretch it, mold it, hair dryer it and flatten it. Congratulations Barry!