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6 Rumors About Bathroom Business That Snopes Investigated in 2021

Some of these claims didn’t pass the sniff test.

Published Dec. 20, 2021

SCHWELM, GERMANY - JANUARY 10:  Water pours down the toilet on January 10, 2007 in Schwelm, Germany.  (Photo Illustration by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
SCHWELM, GERMANY - JANUARY 10: Water pours down the toilet on January 10, 2007 in Schwelm, Germany. (Photo Illustration by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

U.S. President Joe Biden wasn't the only target of viral rumors about bodily functions in 2021.

Manatees were at the center of an Instagram post that accurately claimed they can control their buoyancy underwater by passing gas, and an Iowa-based meteorologist went viral for saying that icicles contain bird poop, for examples.

Some such rumors didn't quite pass the sniff test.

[See also: 2021 Snopes Fact Checks: Alleged Presidential Faux Pas.]

Below, Snopes staff members compiled a selection of 2021 pieces about feces or farts (yes, you read that right) as part of their annual review of Snopes’ content.

You can read all of our “Staff Picks & Standouts” for a variety of content categories here.


Was the World’s Longest Human Poop 26 Feet Long?

False. The world record was supposedly set at a bowling alley.


Yes, You Can Pay a Cat To Poop on an Ex’s Name This Valentine’s Day

It’s a “smear campaign” like no other.

Lexington Humane Society's Instagram.


Do Manatees Control Their Buoyancy by Farting?

True. Manatees appear to have harnessed the energy-saving power of their manatoots.

Image via NOAA/Public Domain.


Did a Meteorologist Claim That Icicles Contain Poop?

Correct attribution. A public service announcement warned viewers to avoid eating icicles in winter 2021.

Image via Public Domain.


Does the Phrase ‘Blow Smoke Up Your Ass’ Come From ‘Tobacco Enemas’?

Mostly false. Let’s get one thing out of the way — tobacco enemas were totally a thing.

Image via wikimedia.org.


Do Polar Bears Yell When They Poop?

False. If you repeat a joke over and over, it may eventually be considered an interesting “fact.”

Image via Wikipedia.


Want something fact checked in 2022? Submit your misinformation leads and questions to Snopes, subscribe to our newsletters, and support us financially by becoming a member or making a direct contribution.

Jessica Lee is Snopes' Senior Assignments Editor with expertise in investigative storytelling, media literacy advocacy and digital audience engagement.