Lanham's flexibility has already made him a minor star – with David Hasselhoff describing him as the ‘freakiest thing I’ve ever seen’ when he went on America’s Got Talent in 2009. The 49-year-old’s bizarre talent has been passed down to his son Trey – although the youngster is not quite as nimble as his old man. While 17-year-old Trey becomes uncomfortable after several minutes in the backwards position, his father finds it more relaxing. ‘It’s a shame because I was hoping I could retire and be his manager,’ said Mr Lanham. ‘A lot of times when I’m sitting down I’ll put my feet in a twisted position because it’s more comfortable for me.’
The tax accountant and theatre usher from Monroe, Michigan, was born with extra tissue and cartilage in his joints, which made his hips, knees and ankles very flexible. He discovered the ability at school when he fell 5m (18ft) from a rope during PE. ‘They thought something was dislocated. But I stood up and was fine,’ he said. While at university, Mr Lanham used to put his clothes on backwards to match the direction of his turned feet, giving the impression his head was on the wrong way round. He now hopes his ‘talent’ can land him a Guinness World Record. He walked 20m (66ft) in 19.59sec with his feet pointing in the wrong direction for a TV show in Milan. Unsurprisingly, Mr Lanham was the first person to have attempted the feat.
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