# They ate WHAT on Fear Factor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 26, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230 "2002-03-26T20:26:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/1 "2002-03-26T20:26:48Z")
Anyone catch Fear Factor last night? I only caught a second of it while I was flipping by - but was that undeveloped baby ducks? Blargh! “Imagine a jam so good, we’re not afraid to call it ‘Mangled Baby Ducks’!” I could lay in rats all day, but I don’t see how the people on that show can eat that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2002, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/2 "2002-03-26T21:02:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Slacker \* > \*\*Anyone catch Fear Factor last night? I only caught a second of it while I was flipping by - but was that undeveloped baby ducks? Blargh! > > “Imagine a jam so good, we’re not afraid to call it ‘Mangled Baby Ducks’!” > > I could lay in rats all day, but I don’t see how the people on that show can eat that stuff. \*\* It’s as much a macho thing as anything else in the Phillipines. It’s called _Balut_. When this came on, our phone started ringing. Ms. D\_Odds filipino family and friends were all spreading the word. I watched for about five seconds (which is five seconds more of watching Fear Factor than I’ve ever wanted to). I repeated what I said when this was first described to me, “It’s disgusting,” and left. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/3 "2002-03-26T21:16:35Z")
I am torn so by this show. Segments one and three are always very fun-looking. I wish I could participate. When segment two involves live animals crawling, slithering, generally being creepy, it doesn’t look so bad. Tolerable, anyway. When segment two involves eating something, it absolutely disgusts me. On the other hand, most of the time, the contestants are so efficient in presenting themselves as lunatics, idiots, neanderthals, and poseurs, that I almost enjoy watching them choke down bile, insects, entrails, etc. Conflicted. ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2002, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/4 "2002-03-26T21:22:30Z")
“Undeveloped baby ducks”. You mean duck eggs? Duck fetuses? Fuzzy little pink ducklings? Were thay raw? Were they squirming? Doesn’t sound so bad. Now, gouging the still-beating heart out of a freshly-killed mountain gorilla and eating it, that would be a challenge. Mmmmm… gorilla heart… ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/5 "2002-03-26T23:43:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by stolichnaya \* > \*\*I am torn so by this show. Segments one and three are always very fun-looking. I wish I could participate. When segment two involves live animals crawling, slithering, generally being creepy, it doesn’t look so bad. Tolerable, anyway. When segment two involves eating something, it absolutely disgusts me. > > On the other hand, most of the time, the contestants are so efficient in presenting themselves as lunatics, idiots, neanderthals, and poseurs, that I almost enjoy watching them choke down bile, insects, entrails, etc. > > Conflicted. \*\* This is hilarious and soooo true. I could not have described my fascination with this show better. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/6 "2002-03-27T05:21:18Z")
I think the pig uterus from a week or so ago was too much for me. The dumb girl had to eat six of them, almost puked on her first bite, and still tried putting them away anyway. Shit. I don’t think I could eat six hot dogs in three minutes, nevermind something as nasty as a pig uterus. She deserved what she put in her mouth IMO. Great show. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/7 "2002-03-27T06:33:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kamandi \* > “Undeveloped baby ducks”. > > You mean duck eggs? > > Duck fetuses? > > Fuzzy little pink ducklings? > > Were thay raw? Were they squirming? They’re cooked. Forgive me if I don’t ask the in-laws for a recipe. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/8 "2002-03-27T07:29:43Z")
> [@](#): > > “Undeveloped baby ducks”. > > You mean duck eggs? > > Duck fetuses? > > Fuzzy little pink ducklings? > > Were thay raw? Were they squirming? > > Doesn’t sound so bad. My understanding is that you start with a fertilized duck egg. Then you let it develop until the duck is within a few days of hatching. Then you cook the egg in boiling water. Then you crack open the shell and eat the boiled bloody duck foetus whole. Then you vomit. P.J. O’Rourke once described balut as being the “bar food in Hell.” ---
**Author:** ![heboisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@heboisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heboisha)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/9 "2002-03-27T07:39:38Z")
That’s strange…my family regularly consumes balut and I never considered it a strange thing. They sell a lot of that stuff in Asian markets around here. A little bit of salt and pepper and it’s delish…though i restrict myself to eating what remains of the yolk and the duck juices. The actual fetus itself…well, I never liked the way it looked but then I’m probably the most squeamish eater in my family. ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/10 "2002-03-27T07:57:44Z")
…actually have a fear of these gross things? They have a fear of eating duck fetus or pig uterus? How weird are these people anyway? Fear of spiders, I understand. Fear of confined spaces, I sympathise, but **fear** of **pig uterus’** and **duck fetuses**??? Maybe the show ought to be called “Freak Factor”. Fortunately, they’ve already axed the show in Australia. Saves them running out of ideas like the US version. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/11 "2002-03-27T08:21:48Z")
I thought the funniest was when they had to eat the boiled bull testicles. They had to peel off the membrane and eat the spongey and tough-looking center, which often squirted fluid when bitten into. One of the women said that they tasted ‘Exactly like you’d expect them to’ which made me wonder what she based her opinion on what testicles taste like on. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/12 "2002-03-27T14:09:03Z")
I think I’d tell the producers that I had an intense fear of beautiful naked women. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/13 "2002-03-27T15:06:04Z")
Another example of the poster’s name being absolutely perfect for the reply. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/14 "2002-03-27T15:43:59Z")
Once again, **lieu** succinctly manages to send me into hysterics. I’ve never watched the show, but the guys at work are always talking about the crap they have to eat or grovel in. This is just not appealing to me. I can’t fathom watching this! Just hearing about it is bad enough. :: shudder :: ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/15 "2002-03-27T16:11:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ninevah \* > \*\*…actually have a fear of these gross things? They have a fear of eating duck fetus or pig uterus? > > How weird are these people anyway? Fear of spiders, I understand. Fear of confined spaces, I sympathise, but **fear** of **pig uterus’** and **duck fetuses**??? Maybe the show ought to be called “Freak Factor”. > > \*\* More like **GEEK Factor**. I would love to see smarmy Joe Rogan down some pig uterus. ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/16 "2002-03-27T17:52:48Z")
Actually Joe Rogan just ate a live Matagascar hissing cockroach on a recent episode. Those things are HUGE and NASTY-lots of little legs and crunchiness has got to be worse than pig uterus, which is just pink tissue, although I’m sure it doesnt taste too hot! I wonder how they make sure all that stuff is safe. Do they just boil all the cow brains and pig uteri and bull balls etc they make people eat? What about the raw meat factor? ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-ate-what-on-fear-factor/100230/17 "2002-03-28T01:19:52Z")
The Fear Factor web page actually has an interesting section that describes how they do the second stunt in each episode. For instance, [this page](http://www.nbc.com/Fear_Factor/stunts/stunt_203_balut.shtml) is all about the Balut (ducks). From reading that, I’ve learned that they generally just boil whatever it is they make the people eat. Which probably makes it worse, since even steak would probably be tough to get down if you boiled it.