It's a common misconception that we previously only monitored 'serious' records. In fact, we've always chronicled all kinds of human endeavour, no matter how surprising or unusual.
Some examples from our first edition in 1955: (several of which we no longer monitor) a record for the longest time keeping a smoking pipes alight, the longest ‘rockathon’ on a rocking chair (92 hrs), jumping barrels on ice, eating the most raw eggs, pole-squatting (sitting on top of a pole), the longest moustache and a man in Spain who consumed 40 pints of wine in 59 minutes.