‘What is burp?’ – the immortal words uttered by comedian Paul Foot that had Off Menu’s Ed Gamble and laughing their heads off.
Ed, 37, and James, 38, guest Paul, 49, explained that he had no recollection of ever burping – not even once – in his entire life.
Off Menu sees Ed and James sit down with a guest as they discuss their preferences for a starter, main course, side dish, dessert, and drink.
During their most recent episode, they chatted with veteran British comedian Paul, who was once part of a double act with Russell Brand 20 years ago.
Midway through the episode, after some regular chat, Paul gave them a stunning revelation about a medical condition that caught them completely off-guard.
‘I was having a conversation with a friend a few months ago and he said something about, “Ooh, I just did a little burp there,”‘ Paul recalled.
‘And then I said, “What is burp?” Because I didn’t really know what “burp” was. I didn’t know.’
He continued: ‘I’d heard the word but I didn’t know what burp was, you see? And then I discovered that you can burp either loudly or silently.’
By this point, the two hosts, who have welcomed guests such as Jamie Oliver, Louis Theroux, and Claudia Winkleman, were beyond saving due to laughter.
‘But the point is – I realised that never in my whole life have I ever burped, ever. So I’ve been training myself in burping because I looked it up online.’
The condition Paul is describing is a dysfunction of the cricopharyngeal muscle when it fails to recognise and release trapped gas in the lower esophagus.
Symptoms include the feeling of having food stuck in your throat, difficulty swallowing, or frequent coughing whenever eating or drinking.
Treatment for the dysfunction – which is a rare condition – is available and involves Botox injections. The procedure requires a general anesthetic.
Earlier this year, Paul , his career as a stand-up, and his years of dealing with poor mental health.
