man dies after winning roach-eating contest

[BiscuitintheBasket]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/09/us/florida-roach-eating-death/index.html?iref=obinsite

-- A 32-year-old man downed dozens of roaches and worms to win a python at a Florida reptile store, then collapsed and died outside minutes later.



Edward 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 participants' goal: consume as many insects and worms as they could to take home a $850 python.

Archbold swallowed roach after roach, worm after worm. While the store didn't say exactly how many Archbold consumed, the owner told CNN affiliate WPLG that he was "the life of the party."



"He really made our night more fun," Ben Siegel told the station.



Soon after the contest was over, Archbold fell ill and began to vomit, the Broward County Sheriff's Office said Monday.



A friend called for medical help. Then, Archbold himself dialed 911, the store said in a Facebook post.

Eventually, he fell to the ground outside the store, the sheriff's office said. An ambulance took him to North Broward Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.



The Broward Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy and are awaiting test results to determine the cause of his death.



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



"Very saddened by this. I mean, it was a shock," Siegel told WPLG. "Eddie was a very nice guy. We just met him that night, but everybody that works here was very fond of him."



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.



In the wild, cockroaches are scavengers that pick up various bacterial organisms such as salmonella while walking through spoiled food, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene explains on its website.



Cockroaches themselves don't transmit disease, though "many disease-causing organisms can grow and multiply in their guts and can then be deposited ... during defecation."



Pharaoh Gayles was one of those who took part in the contest. He explained his reasoning to CNN affiliate WPTV.



"Some of the snakes were pretty expensive," he said. "I thought if I could eat the bugs to get one, it'd be a good idea."

 

[Ymono37]

I totally already posted this in the bizarre death thread...

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

You sure did!

 

[roshinaya]

Competitive eating is so stupid.

 

[KMChechASS69r]

All that for a fucking snake? Stupid people doing stupid things for stupid reasons. Paging Darwin awards...

 

[Ton]

That is disgusting. I don't even want to step on a cockroach, let alone put it in my mouth.

 

[TSD]

I am really curious what he died of, considering none of the other contestants became ill. Because it happened quickly. even if those things were rife with bacteria, you wouldnt die that quickly. I am curious if the experience simply put some sort of stress on him that caused heart failure or something. I can imagine gorging yourself on live cockroaches could be a pretty stressful experience.

 

[TSD]

That is disgusting. I don't even want to step on a cockroach, let alone put it in my mouth.

If the money was right, not a fucking snake though. that and it would have to be guaranteed, I would not do it in a competition, where I eat a bunch of roaches and get nothing.



That and I wouldnt eat for like 3 days prior try to kick in that survival instinct, where my body doesnt give a **** what its eating as long as its edible.

 

[Tater]

I am really curious what he died of, considering none of the other contestants became ill. Because it happened quickly. even if those things were rife with bacteria, you wouldnt die that quickly. I am curious if the experience simply put some sort of stress on him that caused heart failure or something. I can imagine gorging yourself on live cockroaches could be a pretty stressful experience.

I heard an interview with a witness and they said the guy was allergic to cockroaches.

 

[TSD]

I heard an interview with a witness and they said the guy was allergic to cockroaches.

If true, I hope to hell the guy didnt know it ahead of time.



I actually think I recently started developing a food allergy. My mom is allergic to Cashews and she said it didnt appear until her 30's. I recently had some cashew chicken, after I was done, under my upper lip I experienced swelling slight burning and itching. I am curious if I inherited the same damn allergy and trigger time.



On the same token I was severely allergic to cats as a kid and young adult (eyes burning, my airways would start closing up). Now they don't bother me nearly as much, seems I only have reactions to certain cats and its mild.

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

I heard an interview with a witness and they said the guy was allergic to cockroaches.

Which is along the lines of being allergic to shellfish and bee stings. Just something for all of you insect eaters out there to be aware of

 

[mikita's helmet]

Back when Nicolas Cage was an actor he ate a roach in Vampire Kiss.









Cage's Cockroach Fear





NICOLAS CAGE still shudders thinking about his 1989 movie VAMPIRE'S KISS - because his role required him to eat a cockroach.



Cage admits he has an irrational phobia of insects - but in the film's most infamous scene, his character Peter catches the critter and pops it in his mouth.



And the star insists he still feels nauseous recalling the daring feat.



He says, "To this day, people ask me about the cockroach - it was disgusting. "I have a fear of bugs and I had to disinfect my mouth with 100-proof vodka and just spit the bug out.



"It makes me sick thinking about it and, in the theatre, it was the same reaction: 'Oh no!' I know the reason it is still in video stores is partly because of that."



http://www.contactmu...ch-fear_1078597



[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpZZo2xYBpA[/media]