Episode 17 - Cheese Rolling, Extreme Ironing, and Other Peculiar Sports

Lily Vogue

Welcome to another episode of "What the FACT?!", where we dig into the weirdest trivia you didn't know you needed. Today is Episode 17, and maybe my favorite theme yet—bizarre competitions. We're going all-in on events that make you go, "Why... and who thought of this?"

Buster McGillicuddy

Oh yeah, I'm ready. I mean, chasing cheese down a hill? That's world-class cardio with a touch of chaos.

Lily Vogue

Chaos is putting it lightly, Buster. People have broken bones doing that!

Buster McGillicuddy

Yeah, well... isn't that half the fun?

Lily Vogue

You're impossible. Anyway, we're also diving into another jaw-dropper—extreme ironing. Imagine climbing a mountain only to haul an ironing board to the summit.

Buster McGillicuddy

Yeah, because the first thing on my mind after hiking for hours is, "Where's my steam iron?"

Lily Vogue

Right? It just makes no sense... but, somehow, it's a thing. And, before we forget, today's episode is brought to you by AI Salon—theSalon.ai gives your digital ambitions a perfect makeover.

Buster McGillicuddy

They promise, no ironing required.

Lily Vogue

Thanks for clearing that up, Buster. So, grab a coffee—or your most portable ironing board—and settle in. We've got stories to tell.

Lily Vogue

Speaking of top-tier cardio with a touch of chaos, let's dive deeper into cheese rolling, shall we? This one takes the title for the granddaddy of bizarre sports. Its origins? No one really knows for sure, but it’s believed to date back to the 1800s in Gloucestershire, England. The game plan? Stand at the top of a ridiculously steep hill, chuck a wheel of cheese down, and chase it. Simple, insane, and somehow, deeply traditional.

Buster McGillicuddy

Yeah, sounds like someone just got bored at a picnic one day. Like, "Oh, we’ve got cheese, and we've got a hill. Why not?"

Lily Vogue

Honestly, that’s not too far off! But it’s actually tied to local folklore—something about marking the change of seasons. And over time, it turned into this wild spectacle with hundreds of people risking life and limb to win... a cheese wheel.

Buster McGillicuddy

Wait, wait. They’re rolling down a hill and breaking bones for cheese? Not money, not fame... cheese?

Lily Vogue

Cheese. A whopping eight-pound wheel of Double Gloucester. And, you know what? For some, it’s worth it. The event draws participants from all over—there was even a guy who won multiple years... while competing with a broken leg.

Buster McGillicuddy

Now that’s dedication... or just questionable life choices.

Lily Vogue

I think it’s a bit of both. Okay, let’s move on to something that—surprisingly—might be even stranger. Extreme ironing. This one’s a bit more modern, starting in the late 1990s. And, get this—it was invented by a guy named Phil Shaw who wanted to combine two things he loved: outdoor adventures and, um, ironing.

Buster McGillicuddy

Because nothing screams adrenaline like perfectly pressed shirts.

Lily Vogue

You joke, but it’s bizarrely captivating! Competitors climb cliffs, paddle through rivers, even skydive—all while ironing a shirt or trousers. I once saw a display at a fashion event where models were ironing on top of massive sculptures. It was oddly... hypnotic.

Buster McGillicuddy

Wait, you’ve actually seen this in action?

Lily Vogue

I have. And I can’t decide if it’s performance art or just someone’s very strange hobby taken way too far. But either way, it draws crowds. I mean, it’s visually insane—imagine someone dangling off a cliff with an ironing board strapped to them.

Buster McGillicuddy

I can’t get over the image. Do they at least get judged on how crisp the shirt looks? Please tell me there’s a wrinkle penalty.

Lily Vogue

Oh, there’s definitely judging involved! Style counts, too. It’s like competitive ironing meets extreme sports, with a flair for pageantry. And it’s grown from this small niche thing to an international craze. They even have world championships.

Lily Vogue

So, after all this talk of cliff-hanging ironing and cheese-related injuries, what is it about these quirky competitions that pulls us in? Are they just strange spectacles we can't look away from, or is there something deeper—something about connection, about community?

Buster McGillicuddy

Oh, I’m gonna go with both. I mean, where else can you see neighbors hurl themselves down a hill or iron shirts on mountain tops... and not have it feel completely insane?

Lily Vogue

Exactly! At the heart of it, these events create bonds. I mean, imagine training with your friends to tackle an extreme ironing session or cheering on your local cheese-rolling hero. These competitions often start as small, tight-knit events that snowball into something international, something bigger than anyone imagined.

Buster McGillicuddy

Yeah, it starts with a few folks having a laugh, and next thing you know, it’s on TV and people all over the world are tuning in. It’s like... small-town weirdness turned global.

Lily Vogue

There’s definitely a "small-town turned global" vibe. But what’s fascinating is how seriously people take these things. Some competitors spend months—years even—preparing. Have you seen the custom gear they use? Specialized cheese-chasing boots or souped-up ironing boards designed for rock climbing?

Buster McGillicuddy

Hold on. Souped-up ironing boards? Like, with what—rocket boosters and cup holders?

Lily Vogue

Not quite, but close! There are boards designed to be strap-mounted, lightweight, sometimes even collapsible for portability. Apparently, you need one that’s both durable and light enough to, well, haul up a glacier or cling to a cliff face.

Buster McGillicuddy

I’m telling you, Lily, this takes backyard shenanigans to a whole new level. Back where I grew up, we had something called a "cow-chip toss." Basically, whoever could throw a dried cow patty the farthest won. No boards, no boots—just... you know, cow chips.

Lily Vogue

That might be one of the strangest things you’ve told me, Buster. But—believe it or not—it proves my point. These quirky contests bring people together in ways you wouldn’t expect. Whether it’s cheering on the cheese-chasing champ or competing to throw, uh, cow chips.

Buster McGillicuddy

Hey, don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it. It’s all about technique... and, uh, not thinking too hard about germs.

Lily Vogue

I’ll take your word for it. But jokes aside, these events are proof of how inventive—and connected—we are as people. Even with competitions that sound ridiculous on paper, they somehow create these incredible atmospheres of camaraderie. It’s about the spirit of the challenge, not just the win.

Buster McGillicuddy

Yeah, and I guess the weirder it gets, the more fun everyone has watching. There’s something kind of wholesome about that.

Lily Vogue

Wholesome and, let’s be honest, wildly entertaining.

Lily Vogue

Speaking of quirky competitions, here’s the real kicker. For all the strange and wild events we've talked about, you’d think Wikipedia—the supposed vault of all human knowledge—would have a centralized list for unusual sports. But guess what? It doesn’t. Nothing. Not a single definitive page.

Buster McGillicuddy

Wait, what? Not even a single page? That seems... I don’t know—like a missed cultural opportunity.

Lily Vogue

Exactly. I mean, they’ve got lists for practically everything else—odd foods, record-breaking animals... even fictional ship names. But weird sports? Completely overlooked.

Buster McGillicuddy

Oh, I can fix that. Hear me out: “Buster’s Definitive Guide to Bonkers Sports.” First entry? Cheese rolling, obviously.

Lily Vogue

Naturally. But if we’re creating a list, I’d like to nominate extreme ironing next. It’s earned its place, no question.

Buster McGillicuddy

Oh, we’re making this official now? Cool, because I’ve got one. Two words: duck-call karaoke.

Lily Vogue

Duck-call... what?

Buster McGillicuddy

It’s simple. You take a duck call—you know, one of those whistle thingies hunters use—and perform karaoke classics with it. Imagine “Bohemian Rhapsody” but with quacks.

Lily Vogue

That’s possibly the strangest yet most on-brand thing you’ve ever suggested. But how would it even work? Are there... judges? Criteria for good quacking?

Buster McGillicuddy

Oh, absolutely. You’d get points for tone, creativity, and, obviously, how much it sounds like an actual duck. Bonus points if you can nail the high notes.

Lily Vogue

Of course. Because nothing says world-class competition like imitating a duck in falsetto. I can’t decide if this is genius or a cry for help.

Buster McGillicuddy

Definitely genius. Trust me, Lily, this is the next viral phenomenon. We’ll be hosting the first Duck-Call Karaoke World Championships by next year. I’ll even let you emcee.

Lily Vogue

Thanks, but I think I’ll stick to spectator status for that one. And on that note, maybe we should officially pitch this list idea to Wikipedia. If competitions like these can bring people together, surely they deserve their own encyclopedia spotlight.

Buster McGillicuddy

Couldn’t agree more. Hey, listeners—if any of you are secret Wikipedia editors, let’s make it happen!

Lily Vogue

And that’s all for today’s dive into the wonderfully weird world of bizarre sports. Thanks for sticking with us through cheese-chasing, shirt-pressing, and, somehow, duck-call karaoke. It’s been a ride.

Buster McGillicuddy

As always, it’s been a blast. Keep chasing those quirky dreams, folks. Who knows—you might spark the next big, bizarre tradition.

Lily Vogue

And on that note, we’ll see you next time. Stay curious out there!