# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/41 "2003-10-30T07:11:38Z")
By the way, I haven’t actually watched Fear Factor (I don’t think it’s shown over here). Are the insects, for example, killed and sterilized/cooked? Are animal organs cooked or raw? I’d think that eating raw insects and animal organs can be quite dangerous in terms of diseases and parasites. But I think I would try a [deep-fried tarantula](http://www.ijmt.net/ijmt/4_5/4_5_40.htm) if the urticating hairs are properly removed with a blowtorch as described. ---
**Author:** ![madbuttface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@madbuttface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madbuttface)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/42 "2003-10-30T10:50:30Z")
Aww geez people…have some faith. I think they would have to make sure that you wouldn’t get really really sick. And you never know what it’s going to taste like until you try AND you get the chance to win 50K as well. I’m always up for trying something new, at least once. ---
**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 30, 2003, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/43 "2003-10-30T11:07:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scr4 \* > \*\*By the way, I haven’t actually watched Fear Factor (I don’t think it’s shown over here). Are the insects, for example, killed and sterilized/cooked? \*\* The bugs are eaten live. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Are animal organs cooked or raw? \*\* Raw. The official site doesn’t seem to have any useful information. But my WAG is that raw livers, brains, eyeballs, etc are irradiated immediately before the stunt is filmed. IIRC the FDA approved irradiation as a means of killing bacteria etc. This would leave the organs uncooked and disgusting, while greatly reducing the chances of a contestant contracting e coli, salmonella etc. ---
**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 30, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/44 "2003-10-30T18:33:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by madbuttface \* > **you never know what it’s going to taste like until you try** I know exactly what it’s going to taste like before I try. It’s going to taste like _CRUNCHY POINTY THING SQUIRMING IN MY MOUTH!_ ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/45 "2003-10-30T19:37:39Z")
Am I the only one who feels that Fear Factor has little to do with actual fear? To me the show should be called “Gross Out Factor.” In the few times I’ve watched it I’ve seen nothing scary, just disgusting stuff. You want Fear? Remember MTV’s “Fear?” Yeow. To answer the OP, no, I probably couldn’t, and I wouldn’t. I’m all for cutesy little contests on TV but eating nasty stuff is demeaning, and I won’t demean myself for a buck. Maybe it’s a pride thing on my part, but I never want to appear as a person who will do almost anything for money. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/46 "2003-10-30T20:03:36Z")
## Cervaise said, " quote: ## Originally posted by madbuttface you never know what it’s going to taste like until you try ## I know exactly what it’s going to taste like before I try. It’s going to taste like CRUNCHY POINTY THING SQUIRMING IN MY MOUTH! Or slimy, stinky, disgusting eyeball on your tongue, depending on which entree you order. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/47 "2003-10-30T21:47:27Z")
They ate slugs once. Live slugs. Live slimy _big_ slugs. (and ivylass runs screaming hysterically into the night) ---
**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 30, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/48 "2003-10-30T21:55:49Z")
Slugs aren’t so bad, really. The surprising thing is that they sting. Touching your tongue to a slug is like touching your tongue to a 9-volt battery. What? ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/49 "2003-10-31T05:13:35Z")
I don’t eat anything that is currently living or cooked alive. I will eat shrimp but not lobster or crabs. Live bugs are definitely out of the question. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/50 "2003-10-31T15:11:47Z")
madbuttface, you get to see them the next day when they come back for the next stunt. So far, everyone I watched has come back so I guess the food is safe. ---
**Author:** ![spogga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@spogga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spogga)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/51 "2003-10-31T16:37:47Z")
The maggots on cheese has gotta be the most disgusting _food_ anyone has eaten. (Dammit I got to wipe this off my keyboard now) ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838/52 "2003-10-31T23:43:12Z")
I just can’t see the entertainment value in watching people eat that stuff. I enjoyed _Jackass: The Movie_ immensely, but the stuff on these TV shows goes way beyond, in my opinion. The worst example I can think of was the “milkshake” made of raw brains and miscellaneous other muck and moistened with a generous glass of dark green bile. It’s only a matter of time before they just make the contestants eat each other’s vomit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-do-the-eating-tests-on-fear-factor/209838.md?page=2)