A food writer has been forced to reassure his friends and colleagues he didn't fall into a "butter coma" as a result of devouring 413 biscuits - after a satirical story about his near demise went viral.
Tales of Kevin Shalin collapsing and convulsing during a "butter overdose" were reported by the Daily Mail Online, the Mirror and the Sun after it hit fictional news site site Rock City Times.
The site, which boasts of being "Arkansas' 2nd most unreliable news source", wrote of how Shalin's bogus challenge unfolded at The Red Lobster in North Little Rock.
Food writer Kevin Shalin shovels biscuits into his mouth
It cites one witness as claiming Shalin "sat down at the bar while we were waiting on a table and decided to try one of the biscuits. He thought they were the most wonderful thing he ever placed in his mouth."
Another source reported seeing Shalin eat 30 biscuits (each one laced with 1/8th of a stick of butter) before asking what the record for most biscuits eaten was.
She said: "He just came back and said 'I think I can do 415, and started really digging in. His beard was covered in crumbs'."
Shalin was reported to be in a "fat coma" after collapsing as he ate his 413rd biscuit.
"Doctors believe the butter from the biscuits have blocked signals coming from Shalin's brain," the site gravely reported.
It added: "In an early morning update hospital officials state that they have drained approximately two gallons of butter already and expect him to make a full recovery once the rest is clear."
As the tale was picked up by various media channels - who apparently didn't spot the satirical slant - Shalin was inundated with texts and calls from friends concerned about his health. On Monday he set the record straight on Twitter: