Pass gas. Toot. Break wind. Flatulence.
Yes, we’re talking farts. We all do it, and it’s probably safe to say we all laugh at it, too. Chaucer wrote fart jokes. So did Shakespeare.
Even Dame Julie Andrews isn’t above laughing at fart sounds. She and co-star Christopher Plummer couldn’t stop giggling at the less-than-polite noises coming from the lights above them while filming the most romantic scene in “The Sound of Music,” causing director Robert Wise to switch to a backlit wide shot (and what an iconic shot it was).
To really make a fart joke land, you have to pair it with the perfect fart sound effect. It needs nuance. Anyone can make a fart joke—but making one that lands with an audience takes some skill and know-how.
These are just a few examples of fart jokes that have stood the test of time. It’s time to take the art of not taking ourselves seriously, seriously.
Content warning: You’re about to see and/or hear a lot of bathroom humor.
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Obviously, we had to start with the Mel Brooks classic. Can you think of a more iconic fart scene? (OK, maybe Dumb and Dumber, but that’s a little too graphic for the Soundstripe blog.)
This gag is easily the lowest common denominator—just a bunch of cowboys eating beans and breaking wind. But that doesn’t mean it’s not funny or effective. This is a film that was released more than 50 years ago and it still is the gold standard for fart jokes today. Perhaps we as a society have become too sophisticated, but they just don’t make fart jokes like that anymore.
The key to this scene is variety, while not going overboard. Don’t just grab every fart sound you hear—create a rhythm and treat the fart noises as a soundtrack.
Similar SFX:
- https://app.soundstripe.com/sound-effects/72552
- https://app.soundstripe.com/sound-effects/67610
- https://app.soundstripe.com/sound-effects/67607
Caddyshack (1980)
This is a one-off joke and only runs for a few seconds. It is peak Rodney Dangerfield—he’s irreverent, doesn’t care that he does not fit in, and lets one rip. Then, rather than being demure or ignoring it, he cracks a joke on top of it. It’s short, sweet, and perfectly timed.
The fart sound itself isn’t over the top—it’s exactly what you would expect, and mostly likely, a whoopee cushion. And that’s the beauty in it. It’s simple, and it’s letting Rodney drive the joke with a perfect one-liner to follow it up.
The lesson here? Don’t overthink the fart.
Similar SFX: https://app.soundstripe.com/sound-effects/61309
Step Brothers (2008)
This one is in it for the long haul. Oscar nominee John C. Reilly lets one rip at a job interview (in a tuxedo, no less), while making intense eye contact. The following exchange about the fart is exactly what you’d expect out of early-2000s Seth Rogen and it fits the sound effect perfectly. No notes.
Similar SFX: https://app.soundstripe.com/sound-effects/61285
Bridesmaids (2011)
The wedding dress shop scene is truly iconic, though I’ll spare you the video. They did not hold back, and that is what makes it so shocking and iconic. Rarely do you see such sophomoric humor performed by women. When was the last time someone was nominated for an Oscar while performing possibly the most stomach-wrenching scene of the year? Well, Melissa McCarthy did exactly that.
This one is filled with bathroom sounds of all kinds, really relying on variety to give each character their own, er, soundtrack.
Saturday Night Live - American Inventors (2022)
This sketch from 2022 perfectly encapsulates why you need a good fart sound. Chronicling the (made-up) invention of the whoopee cushion, it features Steve Martin as Archie Gizmo trying to find the perfect sound for the invention.
This one is teaming with fart sounds, as well as other classic sound effects like a car horn beep and a doorbell, as Gizmo attempts to find the perfect sound. The unexpected sound of doorbell coming out of a whoopee cushion adds to the comic relief, and actually makes the fart noises less funny. Go figure.
Pairing your sound effects with music
Movies and TV shows need more than sound effects to build the story and connect with the audience. Music is key to setting the tone of the scene, and chances are, if you’re relying on fart sounds, you’re probably making a comedy. Check out some fun tracks with Soundstripe. No matter the vibe you’re going for, you’ll find the song for it.
