Hey Mate, got a match?
Richard Plaud spent eight years building a 23 ft tall replica of the Eiffel Tower out of matchsticks, now his dream may be going up in smoke. Richard assembled 706,900 matchsticks with about 60 gallons of glue to build the work of his dreams. He built a detailed scale model of the Landmark of Paris known around the world. He created 402 panels from the matches, which he then connected into the huge structure. His amazing tower would have dwarfed the current record for the tallest 21.5 foot tall model matchstick sculpture ever. Richard, who has loved making models since he was eight, had originally bought matches in supermarkets to build the structure. Richard was bothered that he bought all these matches and then had to scrape off and the chemical end and clean up the sticks before he could build with them. Having grown tired, Richard struck a deal with a manufacturer to sell 33-pound boxes of headless matches. But his arduous plans to win the Guinness World Record fell apart when he decided skipped the process was too ‘fastidious’ – and asked French matchstick maker “Flam’Up” to supply him with huge boxes of filled with 190,000 headless matches.
When Richard asked the Guiness book to verify his magnificent creation they rejected it point blank because he had not used match sticks that could be bought at any retail store. They did not even come to verify the structure existed. Though by this point hundreds or thousands had seen and or read about his attempt to glorify France. Richard was very upset, he raged against the decision – horrified that his patriotic project had met its match against record-breaking bureaucracy. ‘It’s disappointing, frustrating, incomprehensible and not very fair play,’ he told The Times. Guinness said the 706,900 sticks the 47-year-old used were not commercially available and had been changed beyond recognition from their original form – meaning they could not take his attempt. Council-worker Mr Plaud, who is married, raged against the decision – horrified that his patriotic project had met its match against record-breaking bureaucracy. ‘It’s disappointing, frustrating, incomprehensible and not very fair play,’ he told The Times. He had hoped Guinness would take pity on him, but he was left devastated when they refused. ‘It’s part of the dream that has escaped.” In a furious post on social media, he added: ‘Tell me how 706,900 sticks stuck one by one are not matches. ‘My matchstick tower still stands and will be the tallest in the world for a long time. Richard, who works in the artworks and bridges division of the Charent-Maritime department council in southwest France, finally completed his project on December 27, the 100th anniversary of the death of the original tower’s engineer.
He told Le Parisien that he had to make some ‘fairly complex calculations’ to make sure the legs of the tower would support its weight. He estimated that he had poured 4,200 hours of his time into the project since he started in December 2015. Speaking to a local television station before his record breaking attempt, Ricahard’s wife Sandra spoke of her hope that after more than 20 years of dreaming he would finally be successful. ‘That way, I will be able to get my living room back,’ she laughed.
Mark McKinley, director of Guinness’ central records services, said judges may have been too quick to dismiss the Plaud’s structure, according to NBC News. “It’s the job of our records management team to be thorough and fastidious in reviewing evidence to make sure the playing field is level for everyone attempting a Guinness World Records title, however it does appear we might have been a little heavy-handed with this application,” McKinley told the outlet. “We will make contact with the record holder again as well as review rules for similar records as a priority, to see what can be done.”
Eiffel towering humor
This is the first year I’m not going on vacation to Paris because of covid.
Usually I don’t go because I can’t afford it.
What do the Eiffel Tower and a tick have in common?
They’re both Paris sites.
For fashion week, Paris covered the famous Eiffel Tower in camouflage.
I’ll be honest, I don’t see the attraction.
Why do French people look so depressed?
Because the light at the end of the tunnel is England.
February 9th Birthdays
1982 – Tom Hiddleston, 1943 – Joe Pesci, 1997 – Jimmy Bennett, 1997 – Saquon Barkley
1997 – Kelli Berglund, 1988 – Rose Leslie, 1999 – Isabella Gomez, 1943 – Carol King