Search Here

How bad do you want to win a contest? How long can you dance for a cash prize? How long can you keep at least one hand on a pickup truck to win it? How much donkey semen and/or Urine are you willing to drink to win a game show?

All across our nation, seemingly normal, well-adjusted people are willing to go to extreme measures to win contests or get 15 seconds of fame on YouTube. Many of these contests are potentially dangerous and are designed to test the participant's tolerance and/or endurance.

Edward Archbold, a 32-year old Florida resident died after consuming dozens of roaches and worms in a bid to win a python, worth around $850.00. Interestingly, the roaches and worms he ingested for the contest were the very same roaches and worms which were raised specifically for consumption by snakes and other reptiles.

Mr. Archbold was among 20 to 30 contestants participating in Friday night's "Midnight Madness" event at Ben Siegel Reptiles in Deerfield Beach, authorities said. The owner, Ben Siegel stated that Mr. Archbold was "the life of the party." And, "He really made our night more fun."

Shortly after winning the contest, Mr. Archbold began to feel ill and started vomiting. He made it outside the store where he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital where he died sometime later.

No other contestant fell ill, the sheriff's office said.

Luke Lirot, who says he is legally representing the store, said in a post on the store's Facebook page that all participants "signed thorough waivers accepting responsibility for their participation in this unique and unorthodox contest."

"The consumption of insects is widely accepted throughout the world, and the insects presented as part of the contest were taken from an inventory of insects that are safely and domestically raised in a controlled environment as food for reptiles," Lirot said.

Although roaches themselves are not dangerous to eat, they transmit disease and harmful bacteria may live in their systems.

Based upon prior news reports, if Mr. Archbold had simply driven to southern Florida or the Keys, he could have caught a python for free since they have now become a new species of the area, although not native to the U.S. at all.

What ever happened to pie eating contests?!