# Salma Hayek and the snake. I have never seen anyone this terrified **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 9, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572 "2010-06-09T20:27:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/21 "2010-06-10T17:53:06Z")
> [@Doctor\_Who](#): > > Mine came from growing up in a rural area less than a quarter mile from a swamp. As a kid, I think my parents said “watch out for snakes” every single time I went outside to play. I think my fear is learned. > > Now, let’s derail the thread: is fear of snakes instinctual? I seem to remember baby monkeys having an extreme reaction when introduced to a snake. I’ll google, but anyone know what I’m talking about? Somebody posted an article about fear of spiders; the young kids were just interested in spiders brought in, but in a couple of years, they were all terrified of them. Poor Salma - that looked genuine to me, too - the way I’ll jump out of my skin to get a spider off of me. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/22 "2010-06-10T17:56:59Z")
You’ve genuinely never seen anyone that terrified before? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/23 "2010-06-10T18:33:15Z")
They were in Malibou Lake, Ca. I saw a pic last night on the ‘news’, looked a lot like a garter and, Googling, I see that California does have a giant garter snake that gets up to 5 feet. The one last night was big, but no 5 footer. Course, Selma’s only 5’ 2", so with everything being relative… ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/24 "2010-06-10T18:44:47Z")
Snakes, spiders, bugs…don’t bother me in the slightest. But I’ll act like the maid from Tom and Jerry if a wasp gets in the house. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/25 "2010-06-10T18:54:05Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > There’s this myth that being exposed to something you fear will necessarily decrease your fear. But it doesn’t always work. Well, not if the exposure is of the “omg snake right there whoa!” type. A well-controlled gradual acclimatization type of behavioral therapy, with a therapist present to talk with you and monitor you, has a whole lot better chance of success. **Ogre** : Snakes are A-OK with me. Spiders? Freak me the hell out. I managed to get myself from screaming/running/hyperventilating, up to skin crawling like hell and may or may not kill it on sight, so I consider that progress. I’m fine with bees as long as they’re not acting aggressive, but yellowjackets make me very, very nervous. I was stung a few times by them in my college years, including one incident where one got up the back of my shirt and got me about a dozen times on my back. That attack left me with very mildly restricted breathing. I don’t think I’m allergic, I think that was a very natural reaction considering the amount of venom and the location of the stings. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/26 "2010-06-10T19:04:56Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > While I feel bad for her, I wonder just where all this completely irrational fear of snakes comes from, and why it’s so common. My understanding is that it’s instinct. We have a natural tendency to fear snakes; along with spiders and so on. It’s not universal because apparently this particular instinct needs to be triggered by some early experience to become active; but because it is an instinct the triggering event can be very small compared to the sort of thing that causes less hardwired phobias. Say, your parent when you are six is startled by a snake and yells; that trips the “snakes are to be feared” switch somewhere in your head. Even though you probably won’t even recall the triggering event. But if you never happen to experience such a trigger event in your formative years, the switch never gets flipped and you don’t develop fear of snakes. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/27 "2010-06-10T20:12:35Z")
I like how Bello immediately moves to comfort Hayek _and_ escape the snake. Adrenalin plus compassion is an attractive combination. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/28 "2010-06-10T20:18:03Z")
That, and would you pass up an opportunity to march on Salma? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/29 "2010-06-10T20:31:14Z")
Interesting bit about the learned-vs.-instinctual question: I have an aunt who used to be deathly afraid of snakes, until she had a son that decided he loved them. So this cousin of mine actually taught his own mother to be comfortable around them. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/30 "2010-06-10T20:39:56Z")
I’m that afraid of snakes. I set a new land-speed record while visiting my Dad’s place in Tuscon. My sister commented quietly “hey, a snake” on her way into the house to get another drink, (snake was minding it’s own business on the patio) and I hit the ground running, fleeing into the house. My husband turned the pool skimmer into a “snake flinger” and tossed it back into the desert/scrub behind the yard. I don’t like snakes. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/31 "2010-06-10T21:07:22Z")
Tho I have forgotten the specifics, I also recall reading that fear of snakes - and the ability to readily see them - are links to our evolutionary ancestors. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/32 "2010-06-10T23:32:46Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Tho I have forgotten the specifics, I also recall reading that fear of snakes - and the ability to readily see them - are links to our evolutionary ancestors. What about people who aren’t afraid of snakes? Did we miss out on the snake phobia gene? ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/33 "2010-06-10T23:42:50Z")
> [@Pyper](#): > > What about people who aren’t afraid of snakes? Did we miss out on the snake phobia gene? Apparently my ancestors were busy hiding from [these](http://inel.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/giantbeeedengarden800.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/34 "2010-06-11T00:27:38Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > They were in Malibou Lake, Ca. I saw a pic last night on the ‘news’, looked a lot like a garter and, Googling, I see that California does have a giant garter snake that gets up to 5 feet. The one last night was big, but no 5 footer. Yeah, we have those around here! My daughter and her friend found one once while they were running around outside. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/35 "2010-06-11T01:03:48Z")
I don’t think she really started screaming until the idiot blonde (who was grinning the whole time btw) climbed on top of her and nearly pushed her over the railing. The chair was about to collapse, I would have screamed too. Actually, no, I would have decked the blonde and fed her to the snake. But that’s me. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/36 "2010-06-11T01:04:12Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Funny reaction from the chick who’s better known for [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVVGKiYZ0SM) snake scene (moderately NSFW). It really explains a lot about that dance. Except for Heather Locklear’s TJ Hooker exotic dance, this was the most unsensuous sensuous dance I’d ever seen. But Selma can get away with that. All she’s got to do is have that body, wear a minimal amount of clothing and move some. A lot of guys dig that. Still, imagine how sexy that dance would have been if Tarantino had decided a wolf or a mountain lion or some other animal Selma wasn’t terrified of. Poor thing. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/37 "2010-06-11T01:06:56Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I don’t think she really started screaming until the idiot blonde (who was grinning the whole time btw) climbed on top of her and nearly pushed her over the railing. The chair was about to collapse, I would have screamed too. > > Actually, no, I would have decked the blonde and fed her to the snake. But that’s me. I saw it as Bello was startled too and jumped up on her chair, but then saw how freaked out Hayek was and tried to calm her down. Poor Wilma. At least Bello was shoeless. Selma still had her stompers on. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/38 "2010-06-11T01:11:41Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Women [aren’t the only ones](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6VCThNZXN8) terrified of snakes. Me, yeah, I would have passed out too. You do realize that’s a gag from a comedy show, right? ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/39 "2010-06-11T04:26:02Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > It really explains a lot about that dance. Except for Heather Locklear’s TJ Hooker exotic dance, this was the most unsensuous sensuous dance I’d ever seen. But Selma can get away with that. All she’s got to do is have that body, wear a minimal amount of clothing and move some. A lot of guys dig that. > > Still, imagine how sexy that dance would have been if Tarantino had decided a wolf or a mountain lion or some other animal Selma wasn’t terrified of. Poor thing. IIRC it was Rodriquez’s call ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572/40 "2010-06-11T05:30:39Z")
Snakes don’t bother me at all, spiders terrify me and most insects only bother me if they are in my house or running or flying at me, unless it’s a butterfly. So basically, no legs no problem; more than four legs, it’s a problem. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salma-hayek-and-the-snake-i-have-never-seen-anyone-this-terrified/542572.md?page=3)