World's shortest man meets world's biggest shoe

One simply has to smile at this report.

The world's shortest man, He Ping Ping, took Tokyo by storm while visiting the city on Friday to launch the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.

Mr Ping Ping, who was born with a form of dwarfism and is 74.1 cm tall and 7kg in weight, easily slipped into the shoe of the world's tallest man. He has been officially named by the book as the world's shortest man.




He lives in Inner Mongolia, China, and Tokyo is just one of many places around the world he has visited, including London and New York.

Mr Ping Ping said: 'I'm not particularly envious of someone who is tall. If you're tall it is hard to move and it's very inconvenient,' according to reports.

'I can weave my way through tight spots if I'm short. It's much better to be short,' he added.




He is friends with another title holder, Bao Xishun, who was once the world's tallest man at 2.36m. Mr Xishun also lives in China's Inner Mongolia.

The current title holder for world's tallest man is Leonid Stadnyk, a 37-year-old former veterinarian from the Ukraine. At 2.57m, he is taller than Mr Xishun by 0.22cm.

I like He Ping Ping's sense of humor. Perhaps he should talk to Mike Myers about a starring role in the next Austin Powers movie . . . as 'Micro-Me', perhaps?



Peter