Survey: Would YOU Eat the Worms for a Million Bucks??

[Deanna]

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the Survivor episode from a couple of weeks ago where the participants had to eat these big, fat, grub-worm (larvae) things as part of their challenge.

My question...being the adventurous group of individuals that we are...would YOU have done it?

Personally, there is NO WAY I could eat one of those (or any other insect for that matter). It just simply would not go down my throat. I know this for sure.

Keep the million bucks, I say! And send me home NOW!!

How about the rest of you?

[Gail]

Gee, I'm glad I refreshed my screen before signing off... Are we a bit bored this evening?? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif

Since I apparently missed whatever show you're speaking about, I can only say that money isn't the driving force-- it would be survival. If it's a choice between living and dying, we do STRANGE things. And if they have enough garlic...

[Kathy]

Is there beer involved? LOL I probably could have done it in my younger days if I was egged on, but I am not sure I could swallow a wiggly worm at this stage of my life! Perhaps if someone had some good recipes for them I could! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by Kathy (edited 07-01-2000).]

[SandyDee]

Absolutely not...Atleast not for money. Gail makes a good point. I wouldn't eat worms, bugs or rats for any amount of money but if it were a matter of life and death, and I don't mean pretending it was a matter of life and death for a TV show, then that would be a different issue. And I am not sure even then that I would be able to get the critters down on the first couple of attempts !! As someone so profoundly stated in the AVERSION thread "texture is everything to me!!" When I was married my ex-husbands family used to serve muskrat on New Years Eve as a tradition. I never was able to get past the sight of it. It was GRAY!!!!! They would always say " Don't forget to get some rat!!" EEEEEWWWW !!!! Sorry, it still gives me the willies!

[alisome]

Sandee, see why you're divorced!Yuck! Muskrat, didn't know that was a tradition, just black-eyed peas for us southern folk!

I think I could eat the grubs for big money or survival. Heck, I eat crow all day long just to make a living...Ha Ha Ha

[Beth]

Think I'll go with the flow here. Can't see me eating insects for money. Perhaps for survival. Now, if the million dollars were in tax-free green backs in front of me, the worm was guaranteed sterile and there were no cameras....it would at least be tempting. I have to say I've been through other things that were not voluntary, were no more pleasant and probably more long term in their effects. I said no way, no how when I read this, but it wouldn't be the worst thing that had ever happened to me either. WHo knows?

Now, if they were dug out of someone's yard around here, definitely NEVER. I see those yard guys out there spraying every known toxin. They may not kill all the fleas and fire ants, but me? Probably would.

See what happens when you ask a lawyer a question, even if they haven't been practicing, they can still talk in circles!

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 07-01-2000).]

[SandyDee]

Allisome, you couldn't be more right. That should have been my first clue, don't you think? I'm with you, I eat crow all day for a living not to mention how often I bite my tongue to keep still, (explains my aversion to tongue...see AVERSIONS thread). But I would eat crow any day of the week before I eat rat, musk or otherwise. I went to your bio and see that you are a banker, too, must be the dish of the profession :P

[Mamasue]

NO WAY! NOT ME! I saw what those mothers' looked like.....fat and juicy. I cringe just thinking about it. EWWWWWWW

[Angela]

NO Way! I could hardly watch them, especially the folks that were chewing the little critters...ugh!

[Vanessa]

GROSS!!!! NO WAY ON EARTH!

[Beth]

Mamasue and Angela...I didn't see them, and if folks say they don't chew oysters, why on earth would you chew a worm? Guess some folks like to be gross....I don't even like Cadbury's creme filled eggs. Now that I've been up all night with a sick kid, I haven't the energy or the stomach to be humored. I'm back to a solid NO WAY.

My husband didn't seem to find this thread as amusing or unusual as I did... he just casually replied, well, he'd actually eaten grasshoppers. Think I'll let him try the worm and claim half. Texas is a community property state!

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 07-02-2000).]

[ElinorC]

This whole topic is disgusting!

[Beth Y]

I am with Jennifer...for a million bucks, I would eat worms. Hey, it couldn't be any worse than some gefilte fish I accidently ate one time! (I think that is what it was...sort of a soft fishy gelled thing in a white sauce. I almost puked right at the table! And it was a nice restaurant!

Hey, speaking of that survivor show, I heard somewhere where they did a bit on the "hidden luxuries" on the show. Did anybody see that? I have only seen the show once, but it all seems pretty sensationalized and overdramatized, so I would not be surprised if they don't then go off to nice meals, etc.

[JeanneW]

There are more important things than money! And not gagging while trying to eat a worm is one of them! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Sign me up for No Thanks. You can have my share of the money.

[Deanna]

Beth, I hadn't heard anything about hidden luxuries...they do have certain items they can have with no limit...sunscreen...feminine hygiene products...condoms...

They do have a website that is kinda fun to look at now and then if you are following the show: http://www.cbs.com/network/tvshows/mini/survivor/

P.S. To Elinor...sorry you were offended by the topic. I tried to make CLEAR the subject of the thread in the title!

[noni liedtke]

Did anyone else notice tht the girls were much more gung-ho about eating those "things"than the men. Not in my 72 years, thank you, Noni

[Annette]

For a million dollars?? In a heartbeat! *L* It's a worm, for crying out loud! One other aversion I forgot to mention.. raw oysters. I swore on a stack of bibles that I would nevereverevereverevereverever! have one of those get near me. After a couple martinis, I felt brave and had one, then two, then three!! I was racing my friend to the last on the platter and we ended up ordering another platter prior to our entree's arriving.
A million bucks isn't much these days, comparitively speaking, but I'd be thrilled to bank it and live off of the interest, or have it at least give some breathing room to what I make currently.

[Deanna]

How funny...I don't think anyone eats raw oysters unless they are half-tanked, do they?

Years ago a group of friends rented a Dude Ranch in the Colorado Rockies for a New Years Eve party. We all stayed in these neat little cabins (no heat, however!) and the actual party was held in the lodge.

The theme was "Mardi Gras in the Mountains." A couple of cases of raw oysters were shipped in and each of us had to take turns shucking...I hadn't ever had a raw oyster before and before the night was through they FORCED me to swallow one. Ohmigod. Even with the effect of the alcohol, I couldn't get it down and ended up politely spitting it out.

It's all about TEXTURE...

Well, that and RAW animals....

P.S. My theory is, if you can't chew it and enjoy it, why eat it?

[Gail]

Originally posted by Deanna:
How funny...I don't think anyone eats raw oysters unless they are half-tanked, do they?

What? You mean you don't LIKE the sensation of something slithering down your throat? Funny girl.

Oh-- and by the way-- I asked my husband--normally my straight man-- this question the night you posted it. Without missing a beat, he asked: do they come with garlic...?

See what happens after living with me too long?



[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-02-2000).]

[Beth]

Gail, maybe our husbands should get together. I suppose with butter and garlic, they'd be a lot like snails, I mean escargot! Which you can add to my list of aversions....


[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 07-02-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 07-02-2000).]

[Deanna]

Gail...obviously NO!!! It gets about 1/3 of the way down and my throat closes up. Yuck!

And remember, girls...we DON'T get to saute these babies and add seasonings...they were alive and well when we last saw them....

(Do you think you could feel them moving inside you? For how long?)

Okay, enough is enough. We've already grossed out at least one person, probably more. I do sincerely apologize. This probably wasn't "the proper place" to post such a topic. But I REALLY wanted to know...

[Beth]

I wasn't talking about sauteing, just dipping! Okay, okay....I am glad this thread started AFTER I made the wiggly worm cake for a 4-yr old. It was decidedly chocolate with NO cream filling.

Perhaps it's time to adjourn this discussion until we gather over some margaritas, at which time we can check out the bottom of the tequila bottles!

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 07-02-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 07-02-2000).]

[Annette]

:P Hey now!! *LOL* I don't have to be 'half-tanked' to enjoy them any longer *LOL* I like them without the alcohol, but they have to be smaller.. not the HUGE things that are the size of the palm of your hand *LOL* And they taste yummy if you get the right ones! The ones I get have a 'cucumber finish, and had I not tried them, I would have never believed it, but they were right! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

[Gail]

Originally posted by Annette:
:P Hey now!! *LOL* I don't have to be 'half-tanked' to enjoy them any longer *LOL* I like them without the alcohol, but they have to be smaller.. not the HUGE things that are the size of the palm of your hand *LOL* And they taste yummy if you get the right ones! The ones I get have a 'cucumber finish, and had I not tried them, I would have never believed it, but they were right! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

Annette, reassure me that you are talking about oysters and not worms...
Sorry ladies-- we eat both snails and raw oysters-- and with the greatest of pleasure, I might add! (Even my kid!)

Yipes! I just reread my original post in which it said we enjoyed eating oysters and worms!!


[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-03-2000).]

[Deanna]

I don't know WHAT it would take in order for me to get one down. I was absolutely AMAZED that these middle-class and upper-middle class individuals would willingly eat this fat juicy worm just for the possibility of earning a bit of cash. A million dollars really isn't THAT much, comparatively. Now don't get me wrong, I'd love a windfall...but I could not POSSIBLY perform this stunt...for ANY amount of money. Probably not even STARVATION...

I'll take my chances with the lottery....

I'm going to edit this message because I want to make it clear I don't mean to offend anyone by the statement about "middle class and upper-middle class". My point is, these people obviously do not NEED the money. It is purely desire (greed??) that is the driving force behind their participation in the Survivor series.

Someone who was absolutely "without"...without a home, job, car, etc....might have a compelling reason to do so.

Hope this clears up my train of thought. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Deanna (edited 07-02-2000).]

[jenniferharris1]

OK, people, we ARE talking a million dollars! It's just a bug, for crying out loud. I'm sure people from other places think a lot of what we eat is gross...caviar, escargot, calamari. While I wouldn't do anything for a million bucks, I certainly would eat a worm. Heck! There are worse things.... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif