Pastor reclaims phone book-ripping title

ROSEBURG, Oregon (AP) -- A retired pastor reclaimed his title as world champion phone book ripper by tearing through 39 Portland white page directories in three minutes.

About 100 people watched Saturday as Ed Charon, 69, ripped the 1,004-page books in half during the exhibition at the Roseburg Valley Mall.

After the first 60 seconds, Charon had already ripped through 16 phone books, three shy of the number he tore through two years ago when he originally set the world's record.

After two minutes, he had gone through another dozen.

Only twice did any of the books give Charon a problem. He paused slightly on the 32nd phone book and again on the 34th before splitting each in half.

He'd almost finished ripping the 40th volume when time expired and the audience erupted in applause.

"Oh, I wanted 40," Charon said. "I wonder how long 39 will stand up."

Charon lost his title in late 2002, when Mike West, a fitness and judo instructor from Indiana, ripped through 30 phone books.

He specifically chose the Portland directory because he said the paper used in those phone books seems a little thinner than in other directories.

"Of all the phone books I've torn, I've found that the Portland ones tear better," Charon said.