Fear Factor - Family Edition
A few of you inquired about our “Family Fear Factor,” and well, I’m happy to oblige!
Every year, Jason’s parents hold a family campout on their property. They have an outdoor fire pit; a pool, bounce house and mini waterslide for the kids; and even a homemade mini golf course. They wear bright yellow t-shirts that say “STAFF,” and pound stakes into the backyard with campsite numbers on them. They send out a brochure ahead of time saving the date, and list the rules and regulations. (”No fireworks!” “Quiet time is from 12am-5am!”) Everyone pitches a tent in the backyard, and plays badminton, bocce ball, cribbage, dice and cards. It’s always a great time. (Weather permitting.)
A few years ago, after finally hearing enough about how rowdy Jason and his cousins used to be (making their own Batman movies, crashing cars and setting fire to random objects) and how Jason, He Who Does Not Eat Vegetables or Fruits, cockily boasted that he could eat any of the slimy insects featured on “Fear Factor” (Me: “Whatever. You can’t even eat a grape“), we decided to host our own edition of “Fear Factor” at the family campout.
First, Jason & I scoured the ethnic foods section of the local grocery store, selecting super-hot jalapeno peppers, hominy, pig’s feet and cow brain. When we got to the campout, Jason’s mother was more than thrilled to give us access to her kitchen and good cookware to boil the animal parts. We then supplemented our culinary bounty with night crawlers and set the “Family Fear Factor” rules as such: Roll the die. If you roll a 1, you don’t have to eat anything. If you roll a 2-6, you have to eat one of the digestive track-destroying food items. Everyone gets 3 turns.
Jason first rolled a 1, naturally, so he didn’t have to eat anything; in his next round, he ate some of the cow brain. During his last roll, he rolled the number for the jalapeno peppers, but since he doesn’t eat veggies, was let off the hook by having to just take a shot of the juice instead.
I first rolled the number for the pig’s feet, which weren’t bad. But on my next roll, I got the night crawler. After unfurling Senor Chernobyl and rinsing him off, I finally ate him. And you know what? That worm was ten times better than my third roll, the hominy, because god, that stuff was NASTY.
That campout sounds like the most fun thing ever. I want to start a similar tradition once we have this alleged “property” of which you speak.
Comment by Jess — March 25, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
Heeee. My family would totally not go for that. Can I visit your family sometime?
Comment by My Buddy Mimi — March 25, 2008 @ 3:43 pm
that is SO AWESOME. i wish my family were that cool.
Comment by Alice — March 25, 2008 @ 3:44 pm
My eyes are watering and my gag reflex is on high alert now. I think I need some chocolate.
Comment by jean — March 25, 2008 @ 8:34 pm
I’m sorry, doesn’t eat any veggies AT ALL? I cannot compute.
Also, you are a braver lady than I because ewwwwwww hominy.
Comment by pseudostoops — March 25, 2008 @ 8:45 pm
That sounds like so much fun! Family Fear Factor? Awesome.
Comment by banana — March 25, 2008 @ 8:58 pm
He really doesn’t eat any vegetables? That’s crazy.
And there’s no way I would eat any of that stuff except the jalapeno.
Comment by seven — March 25, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
Invite us! I swear, we would get along. Our husband’s sound A LOT alike.
Comment by Shannon — March 25, 2008 @ 10:48 pm
Oh god, eww. Just eww.
Comment by Penny — March 25, 2008 @ 10:55 pm
What a fun family fest! I sort of want to be adopted by you all.
Comment by Shelly — March 26, 2008 @ 6:05 am
Pseudostoops & seven,
Jason eats potatoes, and he can have pork and beans, but only if they’re in chili. It’s not a taste issue, but more of a texture issue with fruits and veggies. He loves fruit juices and onion powder, for example. Occasionally, he will try something like grapes or crab apples.
Comment by Shauna — March 26, 2008 @ 7:56 am
So is Jason relatively healthy? Because that just blows my mom’s whole “eat your fruit and veggies or you will DIE of malnutrition” theory right out of the water…
Also, that Fear Factor contest? Ahhh! You ate a BUG? It made me physically shudder to read about it. I am a big wimp. And what even IS hominy?
Comment by Sarah — March 26, 2008 @ 8:27 am
WOW—I would be a total wimp about the fear factor crap, but the whole family camp-out sounds pretty amazing. What a great idea!!
Comment by Saly — March 26, 2008 @ 8:45 am
Sarah,
Jason IS pretty healthy; he typically doesn’t get sick except for maybe once a year. He’s really good about drinking milk and taking all of his vitamins.
Comment by Shauna — March 26, 2008 @ 9:38 am
This sounds so fun - and GROSS. At least the mealworm I ate was cooked! With garlic!
I always wanted to have “camp in” night if I ever had kids. Something like every Friday or Thursday or something we’d all sleep in sleeping bags in the living room, play cards, games, etc. Bonding time.
I wish I lived close to all of the nephews and one niece. We could still have this night, then.
I am just imagining the yellow staff shirts and am so, so happy.
Thanks for sharing!
Comment by Artemisia — March 26, 2008 @ 11:09 am
Hominy! GROSS! I remember eating it for the first time as a kid, fooled by my crafty mother into thinking it was a variation of corn. I still shudder just thinking about it.
Comment by amber — March 26, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
That is so funny. To watch, I mean, not to participate in. And Jason doesn’t eat ANY vegetables?!
Comment by Stephanie — March 26, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
HA! You people are NUTS! I would LOVE this!
Comment by JMC — March 29, 2008 @ 11:50 am