Anal probing
Encyclopedia
Anal probing is the insertion of an instrument into the anal cavity of a human or animal to assess the condition of the lower bowel. Instruments used include pliers
, tongs
, fiber-optic cables, syringe
s, eye drop
pers, thermometer
s, and specialized balloon
s. Anal probing is most often used to identify digestion
problems; however, it can also be used to identify parasites, organ
damage, anal flooding, anal bruising, and foreign object
s in the rectal
cavity.
is a common theme in popular culture that originates with the book Communion: A True Story (1987) by Whitley Strieber
:
In 1989, this book was made into a movie starring Christopher Walken
. Alien anal probing has been a comedy staple since 1995, when Saturday Night Live did a segment about it. It is also referenced in the following examples:
Pliers
Pliers are a hand tool used to hold objects firmly, for bending, or physical compression. Generally, pliers consist of a pair of metal first-class levers joined at a fulcrum positioned closer to one end of the levers, creating short jaws on one side of the fulcrum, and longer handles on the other...
, tongs
Tongs
Tongs are used for gripping and lifting tools, of which there are many forms adapted to their specific use. Some are merely large pincers or nippers, but the greatest number fall into three classes:...
, fiber-optic cables, syringe
Syringe
A syringe is a simple pump consisting of a plunger that fits tightly in a tube. The plunger can be pulled and pushed along inside a cylindrical tube , allowing the syringe to take in and expel a liquid or gas through an orifice at the open end of the tube...
s, eye drop
Eye drop
Eye drops are saline-containing drops used as a route to administer medication in the eye. Depending on the condition being treated, they may contain steroids, antihistamines, sympathomimetics, beta receptor blockers, parasympathomimetics, parasympatholytics, prostaglandins, non-steroidal...
pers, thermometer
Thermometer
Developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, a thermometer is a device that measures temperature or temperature gradient using a variety of different principles. A thermometer has two important elements: the temperature sensor Developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, a thermometer (from the...
s, and specialized balloon
Balloon
A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
s. Anal probing is most often used to identify digestion
Digestion
Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into smaller components that are more easily absorbed into a blood stream, for instance. Digestion is a form of catabolism: a breakdown of large food molecules to smaller ones....
problems; however, it can also be used to identify parasites, organ
Organ (anatomy)
In biology, an organ is a collection of tissues joined in structural unit to serve a common function. Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic tissues . The main tissue is the one that is unique for the specific organ. For example, main tissue in the heart is the myocardium, while sporadic are...
damage, anal flooding, anal bruising, and foreign object
Foreign object
The term foreign object or foreign objects may refer to:*An object that intrudes where it should not be, as into a living body or machinery: see foreign body...
s in the rectal
Rectum
The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in some mammals, and the gut in others, terminating in the anus. The human rectum is about 12 cm long...
cavity.
In popular culture
Anal probing by aliensExtraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
is a common theme in popular culture that originates with the book Communion: A True Story (1987) by Whitley Strieber
Whitley Strieber
Louis Whitley Strieber is an American writer best known for his horror novels The Wolfen and The Hunger and for Communion, a non-fiction account of his perceived experiences with non-human entities. Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the film about...
:
There were clothes strewn apart, and two of the stocky ones drew my legs apart. The next thing I knew I was being shown an enormous and extremely ugly object, grey and scaly, with a sort of network of wires on the end. It was at least a foot long, narrow, and triangular in structure. They inserted the thing into my rectum. It seemed to swarm into me as if it had a life of its own. Apparently, its purpose was to take samples, possibly of fecal matter, but at the same time I had the impression I was being raped and for the first time I felt anger.
In 1989, this book was made into a movie starring Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
. Alien anal probing has been a comedy staple since 1995, when Saturday Night Live did a segment about it. It is also referenced in the following examples:
- In the "Citizen Kang" segment of the Simpsons episode Treehouse of Horror VIITreehouse of Horror VII"Treehouse of Horror VII" is the first episode of The Simpsons eighth season and originally aired October 27, 1996. In the seventh annual "Treehouse of Horror" episode, Bart discovers his long-lost twin, Lisa grows a colony of small beings and Kang & Kodos impersonate Bill Clinton and Bob Dole in...
(1996), the character Homer Simpson gets abducted by aliens and reacts by saying "I suppose you want to probe me. Well, you might as well get it over with" and starts mooning the aliens. The obviously disgusted aliens however react by saying "Stop! We have reached the limits of what rectal probing can teach us!". - The South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
episode "Cartman Gets an Anal ProbeCartman Gets an Anal Probe"Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" is the first episode of the animated television series South Park. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on August 13, 1997...
" (1997) in which CartmanEric CartmanEric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the American animated television series South Park. One of four main characters, along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick, he is generally referred to within the series by his last name...
gets an anal probe by aliens, which is also the Pilot episode. Also, in the episode "The Death of Eric CartmanThe Death of Eric Cartman"The Death of Eric Cartman" is is the sixth episode of the ninth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 133rd episode overall...
", ButtersButters StotchLeopold "Butters" Stotch is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by series co-creator Matt Stone and loosely based on co-producer Eric Stough. He is a fourth-grade student who commonly has extraordinary experiences not typical of conventional small-town...
is "examined" by a doctor through use of a giant, red, vibrating anal probe. - A memorable sketch, "Career Crisis", from the TV program The Kids in the HallThe Kids in the HallThe Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1988 to 1994 on CBC in Canada, and 1989 to 1995 on CBS and HBO in the United States...
S04E11, features two aliens discussing the purpose and motivation for anally probing Earthlings, and that all they have learned is that "one in ten likes it." - Gaia OnlineGaia OnlineGaia Online is an English-language, anime-themed social networking and forums-based website. Gaiaonline was founded in 2003. but the name was changed to GaiaOnline.com in 2003 from go-gaia by its owner, Gaia Interactive...
, an anime-based role-playing gameRole-playing gameA role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
website, held a 2006 HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
event featuring trading of alien, human, and bovine anal probes. - In the cartoon series FuturamaFuturamaFuturama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
, the character Philip J. FryPhilip J. FryPhilip J. Fry, known simply as Fry, is a fictional character, the main protagonist of the animated science fiction sitcom Futurama. He is voiced by Billy West using a version of his own voice as he sounded when he was 25.-Character overview:...
is abducted by a flying saucer whose vanity plateVanity plateA vanity plate or personalized plate , prestige plate, private number plate, or personalised registration or custom plate or personalised plate is a special type of vehicle registration plate on an automobile or other vehicle...
reads "PROBE #1." - In the Destroy All Humans!Destroy All Humans! (series)Destroy All Humans! is a video game franchise developed by Pandemic Studios, Locomotive Games, Sandblast Games and published by THQ. The series is designed as a spoof of Cold War-era alien invasion films...
video game series, there is a weapon called the anal probe, which is shot at people for brain stems. - In the movie Men in Black IIMen in Black IIMen in Black II is a 2002 science fiction action comedy starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The film also stars Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rosario Dawson and Rip Torn...
, the character Newton (played by David CrossDavid CrossDavid Cross is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian perhaps best known for his work on HBO's sketch comedy series Mr...
) raises the question, "What's up with anal probing?" - In the "Mothership Zeta" downloadable content for the video game Fallout 3Fallout 3Fallout 3 is an action role-playing game released by Bethesda Game Studios, and the third major installment in the Fallout series. The game was released in North America, Europe and Australia in October 2008, and in Japan in December 2008 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360...
, the player is abducted by aliens and gets anal probed. - The SupernaturalSupernatural (TV series)Supernatural is an American supernatural and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they...
episode "Tall Tales" deals with aliens probing humans. - In the movie Planet 51, two aliens have a conversation about probing and using corks to prevent it.
- In the"GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
" episode "Britney/BrittanyBritney/Brittany"Britney/Brittany" is the second episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the 24th episode overall. Written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, it premiered on the Fox network on September 28, 2010, and pays tribute to Britney Spears...
" Brittany says "this reminds me of the spaceship where I was probed" - The 2011-film PaulPaul (film)Paul is a 2011 science fiction comedy film directed by Greg Mottola, written by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It stars Pegg, Frost, and the voice of Seth Rogen as the title character...
plays on the theme of American paranoia about anal probing several times.