Oscar winner Will Smith once passed gas on the set of “Men in Black” that was so pungent it caused a three-hour evacuation of the cast and crew, according to the movie’s director, Barry Sonnenfeld.
Gastrointestinal experts suggested that Smith might have had an overgrowth of bacteria in his small intestine, leading to excessive flatulence.
Sonnenfeld, who also directed the Addams Family films, described Smith as a “farter” and noted that the actor seemed embarrassed by the incident, which occurred in 1997 while he and co-star Tommy Lee Jones were in a “hermetically sealed” pod, as reported by Daily Mail.
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Smith, 56, has previously admitted to being a “gassy” person, a topic his family humorously discussed in a roundtable with his wife, Jada, and their children.
While flatulence is a normal part of healthy digestion and is generally harmless, it can be socially problematic. Excessive gas can result from hard-to-digest foods and might indicate conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, a gut bacteria imbalance, or an allergy.
Sonnenfeld revealed that Smith’s flatulence on the “Men in Black” set was so pungent that it forced the cast and crew to evacuate the area until the stench dissipated.
He said: “We evacuated the stage for about three hours. And that’s incredible. No, he’s, you know, a lovely guy. Just, he farts.”
Excessively smelly flatulence can result from an imbalance in gut bacteria, leading to the production of sulfur-containing gases responsible for the strong odor.
An overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gut, caused by this imbalance, produces more smelly byproducts as they break down undigested food.
While most human bacteria are stored in the large intestine (the gut), the small intestine typically has a smaller bacterial population.
Having bacteria in the small intestine is normal, but an overgrowth can overwhelm beneficial bacteria and lead to digestive problems.
Dr Shilpa Sayana, an internal medicine physician based in Los Angeles, told DailyMail.com: “I would think his pungent gas was likely Hydrogen Sulfide Dominant SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), which is a very commonly under-diagnosed medical condition with some easy fixable solutions.
“Treatments vary from antibiotics, supplements, diet changes and evaluating the root causes such as recent food poisoning, chronic stress, and toxin exposure.”
The average healthy person has one or two bowel movements daily, but Smith revealed in a 2019 episode of “Red Table Talk” that he frequently experiences constipation, sometimes going three days without a bowel movement.
His son Jaden responded: “That is not good. And that’s why your farts smell like that.”
Then, when his mother-in-law mentioned she is “gassy all the time,” Smith agreed and added, “I like being gassy.”
While the body’s bacterial makeup significantly influences digestion and gas production, the food one eats also affects gas odor.
Sulfur-rich foods can cause smellier flatulence because gut bacteria break down sulfur-containing compounds, producing hydrogen sulfide gas, which has a distinctive rotten-egg smell.
Sulfur-rich foods like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, onions, meat and eggs as well as certain beans, can cause smelly flatulence.
Dairy products and fruits high in fructose can also lead to gas. Improper digestion of fructose can result in stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, and bad gas.
Jada Smith mentioned her husband’s diet as a contributing factor to his gas issues during their family discussion.
She said: “If you’re going to eat broccoli and then ice cream? Chocolate cake and an apple? That’s why he smells the way he does.”
Dr. Sheila Walker-Carroll, a holistic practitioner based in Dallas, explained that undigested food can ferment in the intestines, producing gases with particularly unpleasant odors.
She added that not getting enough water could be making the problem worse: “Insufficient water intake can affect digestion and lead to constipation, which can exacerbate gas issues.”
Excessive flatulence can indicate irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which disrupts intestinal function and alters motility, trapping gas and causing bloating.
Certain allergies can also lead to excessive and particularly smelly gas.
Dr. David Clarke, a gastroenterologist in Oregon, said: “Diseases (such as Celiac disease) that cause reduced absorption of nutrients from the gut can lead to increased gas as bacteria metabolize the nutrients.”
Dr Walker-Carroll added: “Intolerances (like lactose or gluten) can lead to gas as the body struggles to break down certain foods.”
