# Man dies after winning Roach Eating Contest **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 9, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167 "2012-10-09T02:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/1 "2012-10-09T02:57:52Z")
> [@](#): > > (The) man, was “the life of the party,” stuffing handfuls of insects into his mouth with about 30 other contestants vying for the grand prize of a python at the Ben Siegel Reptile Store, Broward Sheriff’s investigators said.Shortly after the contest was over, Archbold wasn’t feeling well and began to regurgitate. He collapsed outside the store and later died at a hospital, investigators said. [Full story here.](http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/fl-deerfield-roach-eating-death-20121008,0,5241687.story) If given the choice between gorging on live roaches and death, a lot of people might want to choose death. This poor guy apparently had trouble choosing which option to settle on. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/2 "2012-10-09T03:06:17Z")
Scooped! See what I get for channel surfing before posting? ETA: > [@Kevin Meaney](#): > > That’s not right! People will think you’re a crazy person! . ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/3 "2012-10-09T03:11:51Z")
> [@](#): > > About 1,700 species of bugs are eaten as a meat substitute in at least 113 countries around the world, according to researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Technically, wouldn’t insects _be_ meat themselves? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/4 "2012-10-09T03:12:50Z")
I know lots of people who ate their roaches after smoking. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/5 "2012-10-09T03:15:31Z")
I don’t see how that counts as winning. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/6 "2012-10-09T03:16:55Z")
Why am I not surprised that the link is from my local paper? Ahh…South Florida, how I love you. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/7 "2012-10-09T03:24:25Z")
Ok, for once I’m actually amused by the google ad: “55/YO Mum Looks 35 Mum Reveals Shocking Trick for Erasing Wrinkles!” ZOMG. It’s ROACHES! No wonder they call it shocking… ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/8 "2012-10-09T03:35:15Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I don’t see how that counts as winning. \The only winning move is not to play.\ ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/9 "2012-10-09T04:29:57Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > [Full story here.](http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/fl-deerfield-roach-eating-death-20121008,0,5241687.story) > > If given the choice between gorging on live roaches and death, a lot of people might want to choose death. This poor guy apparently had trouble choosing which option to settle on. Oh, I am so not watching that video. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/10 "2012-10-09T05:41:28Z")
So what did he die of? Roaches aren’t poisonous. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/11 "2012-10-09T06:00:15Z")
I think he died of shame. So did the runner up get the snake? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/12 "2012-10-09T10:20:57Z")
> [@](#): > > Shortly after the contest was over, Archbold wasn’t feeling well and began to regurgitate. Mmm, roach vomit. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/13 "2012-10-09T11:04:19Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > So what did he die of? Roaches aren’t poisonous. Roach poison? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/14 "2012-10-09T11:48:37Z")
Unlike roaches, he checked out. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/15 "2012-10-09T12:07:36Z")
> [@](#): > > None of the other contestants showed any signs of illness after the contest, Siegel said. That’s what gets me. There were other contestants. People willing to chow down on live cockroaches without a guaranteed prize. Coming in second at a roach eating contest? ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/16 "2012-10-09T12:17:58Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > That’s what gets me. There were other contestants. People willing to chow down on live cockroaches without a guaranteed prize. Coming in second at a roach eating contest? I think we’re all the losers in this story. I thought I had an iron stomach - I pretty much never feed ill after just reading something - but apparently live roach eating contests will do it. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/17 "2012-10-09T12:34:33Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Ok, for once I’m actually amused by the google ad: > > “55/YO Mum Looks 35 Mum Reveals Shocking Trick for Erasing Wrinkles!” > > ZOMG. It’s ROACHES! No wonder they call it shocking… Entomologists _hate_ her. I pity the poor forensic pathologist assigned to do the autopsy on the roach-eating victim. Blurggh.\* \*one consolation - you’re almost guaranteed to get a publication out of it. “Fatal Roach Consumption - A Case Report and Review Of The Literature”. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/18 "2012-10-09T12:39:52Z")
> [@](#): > > None of the other contestants showed any signs of illness after the contest, Siegel said. Geez, if ever there was an appropriate time to be a sympathy puker. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/19 "2012-10-09T12:40:06Z")
After posting I wondered if there actually _was_ such a publication in the forensic pathology literature. A PubMed search didn’t turn up any, but here’s one suggesting that the runners-up in the roach-eating contest may have something to worry about: > **[Niche overlap among three species of pinworm parasitic in the hindgut of the...](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9576494/)** > > Individual American cockroaches, Periplaneta americana, often harbor 3 species of pinworm (Oxyurida: Nematoda) Thelastoma bulhoesi, Leidynema appendiculatum, and Hammerschmidtiella diesingi, simultaneously. We looked for evidence of trophic niche... ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167/20 "2012-10-09T12:47:59Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > So what did he die of? Roaches aren’t poisonous. They’re still checking. Some people are allergic to roaches, so that’s a possibility. These were apparently “clean living” roaches, raised in captivity as animal feed. They’d better not have diseases or poisonous substances in them. Eating bugs isn’t intrinsically bad. Ouir ancestors did in the not terribly distant past (I don’t meam the Neolithic – I’m talking classical Greece and Rome, or even more recent). There are bug-eating advocates among us now. Although they don’t generally push roaches – they have a bad rep, which this incident won’t help. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-dies-after-winning-roach-eating-contest/637167.md?page=2)