IU student attempts to snap rubber band record

Some people can juggle four clubs at a time. Some can hold their breath for several minutes. Others can use a fork with their toes. Junior Jon Coombs can put more than 44 rubber bands on his face in one minute, and it might earn him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. \nBefore IU’s “All Sorts of Trouble for the Boy in the Bubble Sketch Comedy” gives its final show of the year, member Coombs will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for “Most Rubber Bands Put on One’s Face in a Minute” at 9:45 p.m. Saturday in the State Room East of the Indiana Memorial Union. \n“I’m very confident I can do this,” Coombs said. “It’s so stupid I have to be able to do it.”\nIf Coombs succeeds, this will be the second world record members of “All Sorts of Trouble for the Boy in the Bubble Sketch Comedy” have broken in six months. Last semester, Aaron Waltke, IU graduate of ‘06, broke the record for “most T-shirts worn at once.”\nCoombs said Waltke has been like a coach for him, guiding him through the three-month-long paperwork process and assisting him in deciding what record to break.\n“Don’t be afraid to aim low,” Waltke said about picking a record to beat. “Don’t be afraid to aim weird.”\nCoombs said that when he flipped through the Guinness Book of World Records the first time, he initially chose to try and break 70 bananas in half in one minute, but then he realized they had to still have the peel on them. After watching a tape of the body builder who broke the record, Coombs decided against it.\nWaltke said holding the most eggs in one hand was also considered. The previous record was eleven, but Coombs did it and said it was not difficult enough.\nWith the help of Waltke, Coombs finally settled on putting at least 44 rubber bands that are less than four-inches in diameter on his face in less than one minute.\nCoombs said he picked it because it was one of the most “feasible” records to break and because he “really wants to put it on a legitimate resume.”\nWaltke stopped by Office Max and picked out two types of rubber bands, giving them to Coombs.\nFor the past two weeks, Coombs has practiced once or twice a day. Waltke said that, unofficially, Coombs has already fit 55 rubber bands on his face in a minute.\n“I’m aiming to shatter the record,” Coombs said.\nOn Saturday, Waltke will be taping the event and sending it to the people at Guinness to make Coombs’ record official.\nSeveral people, including Coombs, thought it would be funny if one member of “All Sorts of Trouble for the Boy in the Bubble Sketch Comedy” broke a record each semester, and he is trying to keep it up.\nFreshman Courtney Crary, a theatre major and fellow group member, said she hopes members will continue to try to break world records, even if they are a little risky.\n“I was kind of worried,” Crary said. “I don’t know if you can die from rubber bands, but I thought Aaron was going to die when he was wearing all those T-shirts.”