He Don't Pingping No More

The world's shortest man, China's He Pingping who was just over 29 inches, has died at the age of 21 from apparent heart complications. That'll stunt any potential growth.

He suffered a form of primordial dwarfism and was recognized as a world-record holder in 2008. You like how I used his name and the pronoun the same? The pint-sized man died over the weekend in Rome, where he was taking part in a TV show. I believe it was called "Don't Die".

Born in China's northern region of Inner Mongolia in 1988. Pingping was admitted to hospital two weeks ago after suffering a chest complaint. He was a chain smoker and his family said he stopped growing after he turned 18...and there's your problem. At that body size, one cigarette has to be like smoking four.

That his family said they are shocked by his "unexpected death" is comical, noting he had shown no previous signs of bad health. If you don't count the record-setting birth defect that kept him miniature.