# Could you do the "Eating Tests" on Fear Factor? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 27, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838 "2003-10-27T14:37:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/21 "2003-10-28T03:16:03Z")
No problem whatsoever. Making the transition from sheltered Boston suburbs to rural Japanese town filled with folks who like to play “watch the gaijin turn green” in about a month has left me able to be completely indiscriminate in what I can eat. Once you’ve gotten used to raw sea-urchin innards, clumps of fish eggs, grilled grasshoppers and ‘dancing sashimi’ (you don’t want to know), it’s not a huge jump to cockroaches and grubs. My only actual fear would be of eating something that’s actually poisonous, but I know the show’s lawyers want to cover their asses by not serving anything actively toxic. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/22 "2003-10-28T05:30:30Z")
it’s not so much the grossness, as the amazing amounts they make them eat. I couldn’t eat the amount they sometimes make them eat even if it was YUMMY stuff. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/23 "2003-10-28T05:33:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by malkavia \* > **Oh goodness… The african cave dwelling spiders.** Actually they are [Tanzanian](http://www.bobjensenphotography.com/-/bobjensenphotography/detail.asp?photoID=194885&cat=341) [Giant](http://www.intenseherp.com/images/fmddiadema.jpg) [Tailless](http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/D-variegatus.html) [Whipscorpions](http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/D-variegatus.html). :eek: We had a GQ thread about it somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/24 "2003-10-28T07:26:15Z")
No This is because they are not kosher. I find it surprising that Fear Factor has not plumbed the depths of Jewish cuisine. Schav- imagine emptying your lawnmower bag into a bowl of salt water. Borscht-How can you make beets even more revolting? Serve sliced in a big bowl of purple juice. Kishke-stuffed intestines. Gefilte fish- Is actually quite benign. Chop whitefish, potato and onion, form into balls and pickle the stuff. However, it looks strange enough to be passed off as any number of disgusting things (Over the years, I’ve convinced folks it was everything from pickled bull testicles to pickled chicken’s lungs). **Malkavia** All spiders have similar appendages. But they tend to be smaller and less developed. Any good picture of a trapdoor, wolf, tarantula or other large spider will show them. What I found intersting is the similarities between the Tanzanian Tailless Whip Scorpions\* on the roulette table and the Alaskan Snow Crabs in the casino’s kitchen . Arthropod? Check. Long arms with claws? Check. Blood that isn’t iron based? Check. - We did indeed discuss this. Everybody agreed on the identification and nobody can figure out where the heck they got ’ African Cave Dwelling Spider’. ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/25 "2003-10-28T12:14:29Z")
I’d gladly and happily do any of the ‘stunts’ on the show, knowing full well there’s no chance in HELL they’d let someone actually die on the show. Not with how much money they’re making per episode! Although, come to think of it, if the ratings slipped… But the moment it came to eating something gross, I’m sorry, folks, you just lost a tribemate. I’m outa here! What, just a pint of pureed fish and stuff? Forget it! I distinctly remember one episode a while back… The contestants had to eat cow brains. Whoever didn’t, of course, was disqualified. The ‘hook’ was that they based the amount of brains on a semi-randomized card-guessing game. One guy ended up eating like 3 1/2 entire brains!! The part that got me was that I guess the producers didn’t expect everybody to go through with it, or to have such large amounts per player. The first brains were pretty nice… pinkish, large, healthy-looking chunks of disgusting stuff I’d never put NEAR my mouth, much less in it. The second person, well, you could tell these weren’t the top picks… The third person, I don’t know HOW they did it! There was one cow brain that, I swear, was shriveled and mostly BLACK. Eeewww!!! Can you say “Mad Cow Disease” anybody? ::::shudder:::: ---
**Author:** ![Kyann22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a4c791/32.png) [@Kyann22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyann22)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/26 "2003-10-28T13:37:59Z")
Ugh. My fiance LOVES this show and I try to watch it. When they get to this part of the show, I can’t do it. I have to go away. If I am even near the TV and can hear any of it, I start gagging. YUCK. I can’t believe people do that. How??? How can anyone eat that??? Ugh. How gross. Hmm… I was hungry after posting in the last meal request thread, but I’m fine now. Amazing how bugs and eyeballs can destroy an appetite. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/27 "2003-10-28T14:06:13Z")
Sublight said, "and ‘dancing sashimi’ (you don’t want to know), " Yes I do. Even if it makes me puke. I want to know what evil you’ve eaten. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/28 "2003-10-28T20:19:39Z")
I’m trying to figure out if the stuff they serve is raw or cooked. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/29 "2003-10-28T21:16:33Z")
I’m with **Kalhoun.** Googling “dancing sashimi” came up with a couple of hits but no explanations. Dish, please. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/30 "2003-10-29T02:38:45Z")
Maybe I got the name wrong, but ‘dancing sashimi’ is the way I remember hearing it translated. Anyway, it’s not the food itself that’s gross (it’s just ordinary sashimi), so much as the presentation. You take a live fish, slice the highest-quality bits of meat out of it as quickly as possible, then place them back into the fish where they were cut out. The whole thing is then served on a plate so you can use your chopsticks to take slices of sashimi out of the fish while it’s still gasping and twitching. ---
**Author:** ![suezeekay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@suezeekay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suezeekay)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/31 "2003-10-29T06:17:19Z")
I wouldn’t do this because I think it’s immoral to take living creatures and grind them up in a blender. What about kitty cat tails or doggie balls? No? No domestic animals but everything else is fair game? I think it’s peverse to teach children it’s okay to do this to living things. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/32 "2003-10-29T06:27:59Z")
**Sublight** , what you had is an _ike-zukuri_ (“presented as alive”). This is quite common in Japan. It’s done with spiny lobster as well, which is a bit more creepy because the lobster head can still move the 5" long antennae. (But they taste soooo good!) I thought you meant _odori-gui_ (“dancing eating”), where you actually eat whole live fish or octopus. (Tiny little octopus, that is). In [this example](http://homepage2.nifty.com/isibasi/kyohan/01fukuoka/1001_sirouo.htm), you’d use the metal mesh to scoop up the tiny little fish, throw it into a bowl of sauce and slurp it up. Or attempt to. _Odori-gui_ is more of a novelty than a delicacy, IMHO, and I’ve never had it myself. ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/33 "2003-10-29T06:55:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by suezeekay \* > \*\*I wouldn’t do this because I think it’s immoral to take living creatures and grind them up in a blender. What about kitty cat tails or doggie balls? No? No domestic animals but everything else is fair game? I think it’s peverse to teach children it’s okay to do this to living things. \*\* Well, I would eat cats or dogs(mmmm… kitten stew…) before some of the stuff they have on that show, but I can handle just about anything, especially if they are paying me. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/34 "2003-10-29T07:44:36Z")
Ah, yes, I forgot about odori-gui. Eating a still-living octopus is quite an interesting challenge, as it feels like it’s trying to mate with your tongue. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/35 "2003-10-29T14:09:59Z")
Ahhhh, yes. Live tentacles attaching themselves to my tongue and soft palate. 'scuse me while I go kill myself. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/36 "2003-10-29T14:11:17Z")
Are you people fucking KIDDING ME??? ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/37 "2003-10-29T14:17:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sublight \* > \*\*Ah, yes, I forgot about odori-gui. Eating a still-living octopus is quite an interesting challenge, as it feels like it’s trying to mate with your tongue. \*\* I was able to read everything in this thread without feeling the need to gag (as long as I didn’t think too hard on it) until I read this. BLECH! ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/38 "2003-10-29T14:47:47Z")
Here’s a photo of the [octopus _odori-gui_](http://osaka.yomiuri.co.jp/town/aji/2002/020627/020627c.htm). It appears my description was incorrect - it looks like freshly chopped off (and still wiggling) octopus tentacles, not whole ocotpuses. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/39 "2003-10-29T15:20:51Z")
Well, that changes everything. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/40 "2003-10-29T22:24:05Z")
When they had to eat animal penises on FF, that is one thing I wouldn’t do. That & bulls balls, seemed they had creamy centers or something. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838.md?page=3)