DRIP DRIP

What On Earth Is “Bubbling” And Why Did It Cost Aussie Rugby Star Todd Carney $3 Million?

789420374469986479Let’s start class with a little vocabulary.

The fifth definition listed for “bubbling” on Urban Dictionary is as follows:

The art of urinating directly into ones mouth.

Often whilst standing, can be done in hotel rest rooms and mosh pits.
Is that guy pissing directly into his own face? Yeah man, he is bubbling!! What a legend.

Which means bubbling is a thing, right?

Well, yes and no.

The definition was added on June 30, six days after Vice published an article titled “Pissing Into Your Own Mouth Is ‘Huge’ In Australia.”

The piece references a post on Noisy that spends an amusing amount of energy analyzing a photo of a concertgoer “bubbling” at a show in Melbourne.

Vice does one better and finds someone willing to go on the record about the act — skater Troy “Skategypsy” West — who gives an equally amusing though less-than-believable interview on the subject. He says things like:

“It’s part of our everyday life. My dad actually taught me how to do it when I was a kid.”

And:

“Bubble on!”

But despite the seeming absurdity of the conversation, the lede photo clearly shows Troy engaging in a little human water fountain — excuse me — bubbling.

Still, bubbling can’t actually be a trend in Australia, right?

According to Mashable, absolutely not.

In their hard hitting response piece, “Everybody Calm Down. ‘Bubbling’ Is Not a Thing in Australia,” bubbling is made out to be a mere publicity stunt on the part of a few skaters trying to get a rise out of everyone.

Which we totally buy.

Except that it somehow became a thing in the process of not being a thing.

719129-todd-carneyBy Mashable’s own account:

Todd Carney, an Australian Rugby League footballer, apparently decided to give it a shot in the bathroom at a pub. It isn’t clear if it was a dare for money or a stupid joke or if the idea came off the back of Troy’s media appearances.

Todd’s team, the Cronulla Sharks, were not amused by the stunt. On account of his viral bubbling photo, the team sacked him and dissolved his $3 million contract.

Mashable still blames the rambunctious skaters for the whole thing, but Todd was of course the one responsible for whipping it out and letting it flow (into his mouth) on camera.

And for what it’s worth, is that really an appropriate reason to be fired?

Well if it wasn’t a thing before Todd got canned, it certainly is now.

Junkee reports there’s a whole facebook movement of people bubbling in solidarity with Todd (you can see some of the NSFW images here).

And with that, welcome to a world where bubbling is a thing.

Goodnight.

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