Ed Sheeran Shared This Hilarious Taylor Swift Ice Cream Challenge Story

Ed Sheeran recently appeared on "Off Menu," a food podcast hosted by British comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster (yes, the one from that "Great British Baking Show" meme, per Reddit). The premise of the podcast, available on Acast, is to have the guest describe their dream meal and then share any memories evoked by the dishes they choose. Deeper into his conversation with the hosts, the English singer-songwriter explained how the large portion sizes he encountered in America conflicted with his habit of not wasting food. He found one such extreme portion in something called the Big Kahuna ice cream challenge.

Only In Your State explains that the Big Kahuna is a giant ice cream sundae challenge devised by Mel's Downtown Creamery, an ice cream shop in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. The dish consists of eight scoops of ice cream, a banana, a brownie, whipped cream, four cherries, and seven other toppings — which guests have to finish alone in order to win a prize. Sheeran did succeed in completing the challenge. However, he took 33 minutes, meaning he did not break any records. Still, he walked away from the experience with quite the story.

As Sheeran's tale goes, he came to the States in 2013, when friend Taylor Swift invited him to her home in Rhode Island, very close to Pawcatuck (via Acast). Of course, she had to take him to Mel's Downtown Creamery, a local institution, for a Big Kahuna, which Sheeran was down to give a go. When he got about halfway through the sundae, 20 to 30 young girls appeared — because it's Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift — and joined Swift and Sheeran's younger brother in encouraging the artist through far more than the maximum daily amount of dairy.

"I get to three quarters and I start shivering," Sheeran recalled. "I'm like, 'Man, this is actually really, really f***ed up.'" With heaps of gummy bears and "1 ½ liters of ice cream" down, the pressure of the kids watching him, and Swift playing "Eye of the Tiger" to cheer him on, it was all a bit too much for Sheeran. He finished the challenge but, needless to say, had to excuse himself to go to the bathroom. 

Tragically, Sheeran proceeded to "projectile vomit" chocolate ice cream all over the bathroom floor. Fearing that the kids would think the ice cream was something else, he cleaned up the mess himself and claimed his reward. Mel's Downtown Creamery proudly remembers Sheeran to this day, keeping a picture of the star "enjoying" the Big Kahuna on its website. These days, though, Sheeran makes sure to ask for half portions during his travels through the U.S.