The BOB & TOM Show Free Podcast

B&T Extra: Guinness Record Holder David Rush

Date: January 6, 2026
Guest: David Rush
Host(s): Bob Kevoian, Chick Magee, Christopher

Episode Overview

This episode features David Rush, famed for holding more Guinness World Records than anyone else. The hosts dive into David's world of record-breaking, discussing challenging feats, the importance of a "growth mindset," balancing a career in tech with a passion for records, and how he encourages others—especially young people—to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The conversation is peppered with humor and admiration as David shares behind-the-scenes insights about the realities (and occasional absurdities) of chasing world records.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

David Rush’s Journey in Record-Breaking

• David is renowned for holding the most Guinness World Records globally, with his tally constantly shifting as new records are recognized or lost to others.
• He breaks records to motivate youth towards STEM fields, illustrating grit and growth mindset.

Family Involvement and Memorable Records

• Breaking Records with Son, Peter (04:13–05:10)
  David recounts how his 7-year-old son Peter wanted to break a record, so together they tackled "the fastest time to clear Hungry Hungry Hippos (team of two)," achieving 5.8 seconds.

  "You're seven, you know, you can do anything that you set your mind to." — David Rush (04:32)

• Travel and Family Adventures (10:19–10:47)
  David’s family travels extensively, visiting all 63 US National Parks, yet, per David, his wife never includes juggling photos in their annual newsletter, much to his chagrin.

The Mechanics and Motivation Behind Record Chasing

• Keynote Message & Purpose (14:28–15:28)
  David uses record-breaking as a tangible example in public speaking to inspire perseverance, hard work, and STEM engagement.

  "If you have a growth mindset and understand that grit—that's not giving up when things get hard—is the number one predictor of success..." — David Rush (14:57)

• Practice and Juggling Passion (05:33–06:11)
  He shares his practice routine, always traveling with his juggling balls and often practicing internationally (e.g., juggling on the Great Wall).

  "Everywhere I travel I take my juggling balls with me. I was in Tokyo and China a couple of weeks ago with the whole family and I'm out there juggling on the Great Wall." — David Rush (05:58)

• Juggling Tools (13:48–14:01)
  David prefers professional, purpose-built juggling balls rather than everyday objects:

  "They're purpose-built juggling balls. My preferred brand is G Balls. For the normal stage production, I do E8 pros. And for speed juggling, they're N8 pros." — David Rush (13:48)

Notable and Challenging Records

• Manual Dexterity & “Moonshot” Feats (05:18–05:54)

  • Most juggling catches in a minute: 586 catches.

  "That's almost 10 per second." — David Rush (05:54)

• Endurance Challenges

  • Longest duration juggling: 13 hours and 10 minutes (15:44).
  • Furthest distance run while juggling: 29 miles, five and a half hours, no outside help (13:28).
  • Fastest mile run, juggling blindfolded: 7:54 (16:15–16:41).

    "When you drop a ball, you have to take the blindfold off, go back to where you dropped it, put the blindfold back on, and then restart." — David Rush (16:26)

• Unique & Practical Records

  • Preparing to break “most consecutive stairs climbed while juggling"—over 2,000 stairs, with logistical challenges due to building heights in Idaho (08:01–08:47).

Media Appearances and Public Setbacks

• Media Mishaps (09:24–09:54)
  David reveals his nerves and eventual failure at breaking a record on his first Today Show appearance, waiting three years for another chance.

  "It was literally three years before I had another shot at another TV appearance." — David Rush (09:54)

Connections, Work, and Motivation

• Professional Life

  • Works as Senior Product Manager at a tech company—balancing tech career with record pursuits.
  • When asked by his boss and boss’s boss about being hired as a technical asset or a publicity stunt, the response was humorously: “Yes.” (11:59–12:28)

• Team Collaborations and Friendships

  • Reunion with friend Hollywood Hannon in London to compete on a game show and break the fist bump record (10:53–11:17).

Humor and Perspective

• David is self-aware, embracing the comedy around his record pursuits.

  "You can't laugh at yourself, you can't be in this business." — David Rush (14:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Parent-Child Record-Breaking:

  "You're seven, you know, you can do anything that you set your mind to." — David Rush (04:32)

• About Tech and Juggling Balance:

  "My main job is I work in tech... Juggling doesn’t pay as well." — David Rush (06:13)

• Handling Record Loss:

  "I have zero notifications on my world records... Guinness publishes a video and it’s got a record. And I’m like, wait a second, I used to hold that record." — David Rush (06:58)

• Philosophy of Growth Mindset:

  "Grit—that's not giving up when things get hard—is the number one predictor of success." — David Rush (14:57)

• Humor from Bob:

  “I was thinking you could do one [holiday card] that would be a very traditional shot of the family... except you would have a GoPro on your head.” — Bob Kevoian (10:01)

• David’s Lightheartedness:

  “You can't laugh at yourself, you can't be in this business.” — David Rush (14:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Breaking Hungry Hungry Hippos record with son Peter: 04:13–05:10
• Most manual dexterity-intensive record (fastest juggling): 05:18–05:54
• Juggling while traveling internationally: 05:58–06:13
• Number of current records held (198): 07:36–08:01
• “Moonshot” stair-climbing record preparation: 08:01–08:47
• First TV appearance failure story: 09:24–09:54
• Family travel and juggling holiday cards: 10:01–10:47
• Hollywood Hannon and team record attempts: 10:53–11:17
• Juggling ball preferences and gear: 13:48–14:01
• Growth mindset and keynote speaking: 14:28–15:28
• Hardest and "impossible" records: 15:44–16:41

Flow & Tone

The episode flows conversationally and humorously, with the hosts both ribbing and admiring David’s feats. David is passionate yet lighthearted, emphasizing not just the records themselves but his educational message about perseverance. The tone is lively and supportive, maintaining a blend of comedy and genuine curiosity about David’s unique pursuits, making the summary full of both practical insights and entertaining commentary.

For New Listeners

This episode stands out for those interested in the quirky world of Guinness records, the drive behind extraordinary achievement, and insights on balancing ambition with real-life responsibilities—all delivered in an entertaining, comedic style.