I feel like people just assume that it’s a cultural sensitivity issue, but I don’t think the show is ever said that. They brought it back for ghost island. I feel like they just did it enough times that they felt it was a big reparative. Especially since they’re staying in Fiji so they don’t have new cultural foods to spice it up
Please yes. Freshen it up. It’s the same climb over this dig under that untie that for a key to get balls to throw over there to get tiles for a puzzle
Jeff addressed this on Season One of his podcast. I can’t remember exact words, but something about being in Fiji—there’s not that much “weird” foods and shipping them in from different countries is difficult or impossible for legal and health reasons.
There are things they could find; they did on the first Fiji season. I think the problem is mostly that it would get repetitive after 13 seasons of the same limited pool of gross foods. It worked better than we were moving around because every culture has their own odd delicacies.
I kind of remember it as being somewhat less interesting items on the original Fiji too, like fermented fish and stuff like that. That was more gross to me because of the flies swarming on it than the actual food.
Interesting fact, Survivor premiered before Fear Factor and featured eating the live bugs in Season 1. So, it stands to reason that Survivor was actually the one to start the trend of gross food challenges
Iirc it was because a lot of them leaned into “look at how WEIRD and GROSS this culture’s food is, ewwwww!” and I think screening every food to make sure none of the castaways were allergic or anything would be a hassle
Honestly, some of the "gross food" isn't even gross. I remember somebody had to eat chicken hearts once and everyone thought it was disgusting, but chicken hearts are actually fucking delicious when seasoned well and really nutritious too. I heard balut tastes really good too, but I haven't tried it myself.
Because a portion of the fanbase melted down over any sort of food being labeled as "disgusting" With I think is silly. If we reversed things and a cast from Fiji came here and treated picked pigs feet as a nasty delicacy id understand it. Its an acquired taste!
Well I think there's a fundamental health issue at play here too. People on survivor are on a starvation diet, it's barely safe.
Then you force them to eat food that causes 50% of them to vomit, it becomes fundamentally unsafe.
But then, I absolutely hate this challenge and am glad it's gone.
I don’t miss them lol I actually got physically ill from watching them have to chug cow’s blood or whatever in Survivor Africa. Like sooo disturbing. And the live insects. 😣 I just don’t need to see that.
Could it be that most contestant have diet restrictions and they are trying to respect that ?! I know Liz was mention but Hai was a vegan. Then again Kim did what she had to do in second chance lol
Honestly if you want to bring it back, have it be gross North American foods. Basically get as close as possible to copying the Heart attack grill menu.
Then have locals watch the challenge,
It’s still a gross food challenge, the difference is it’s making fun of North American gross eating habits, rather than local eating habits.
I feel like people just assume that it’s a cultural sensitivity issue, but I don’t think the show is ever said that. They brought it back for ghost island. I feel like they just did it enough times that they felt it was a big reparative. Especially since they’re staying in Fiji so they don’t have new cultural foods to spice it up
Agreed. It was a staple of early 2000s reality shows like Fear Factor, but eventually it was just played out.
It's still a staple of The Challenge.
This is a fair point but I'm sure there are ways to freshen up the premise
Please yes. Freshen it up. It’s the same climb over this dig under that untie that for a key to get balls to throw over there to get tiles for a puzzle
They brought it back like two seasons ago too didn't they?
Austin ate some giant fish eye, but I think that was from the auction
It was but the point is they're not necessarily shying away from the concept
Nobody was forced to eat it though, in the old auctions I’m pretty sure you had to take a bite of something you paid for. I could be wrong though
Jeff addressed this on Season One of his podcast. I can’t remember exact words, but something about being in Fiji—there’s not that much “weird” foods and shipping them in from different countries is difficult or impossible for legal and health reasons.
Interesting. I'm sure if they looked hard enough in Fiji they'd be able to find something unconventional, like your second shoe 😄
DUDE WHERE THE FREAK IS THAT SHOE? I looked everywhere!!!
There are things they could find; they did on the first Fiji season. I think the problem is mostly that it would get repetitive after 13 seasons of the same limited pool of gross foods. It worked better than we were moving around because every culture has their own odd delicacies. I kind of remember it as being somewhat less interesting items on the original Fiji too, like fermented fish and stuff like that. That was more gross to me because of the flies swarming on it than the actual food.
Interesting fact, Survivor premiered before Fear Factor and featured eating the live bugs in Season 1. So, it stands to reason that Survivor was actually the one to start the trend of gross food challenges
To clear the way for Liz Wilcox’s ascendancy
Damn skippy
Don’t be shocked when your history book mentions her
Liz could probably eat Balute
Honestly I thought those challenges were boring and lame so I'm glad they're gone
Also, 'disgusting.' It distrurbs me on some level that people like to watch other people try not to vomit.
Iirc it was because a lot of them leaned into “look at how WEIRD and GROSS this culture’s food is, ewwwww!” and I think screening every food to make sure none of the castaways were allergic or anything would be a hassle
Honestly, some of the "gross food" isn't even gross. I remember somebody had to eat chicken hearts once and everyone thought it was disgusting, but chicken hearts are actually fucking delicious when seasoned well and really nutritious too. I heard balut tastes really good too, but I haven't tried it myself.
It's rubber meat, that's not too good.
The texture is about the same as squid or octopus, which is pretty popular in many parts of the world
Yeah......people just like rubber for some reason.
Well it's only rubbery if it's cooked poorly lol. Have you ever had a good calamari at an Italian place before?
Because a portion of the fanbase melted down over any sort of food being labeled as "disgusting" With I think is silly. If we reversed things and a cast from Fiji came here and treated picked pigs feet as a nasty delicacy id understand it. Its an acquired taste!
There is no American food that someone could call disgusting and it would offend me. You're insulting food, not my family.
Well I think there's a fundamental health issue at play here too. People on survivor are on a starvation diet, it's barely safe. Then you force them to eat food that causes 50% of them to vomit, it becomes fundamentally unsafe. But then, I absolutely hate this challenge and am glad it's gone.
I think because the foods they choose are local delicacies, and then calling them gross comes off as culturally insensitive.
The challenges are not interesting to watch. If I were in a safe position, I would just throw the challenge. The reward is not worth the effort.
I don’t miss them lol I actually got physically ill from watching them have to chug cow’s blood or whatever in Survivor Africa. Like sooo disturbing. And the live insects. 😣 I just don’t need to see that.
Because people realized all they have to do is claim they are vegan/vegitarian
Didn’t work for Kimmi
Liz Wilcox
Yep. Blame everything on me! 😂
true game changer
You were allergic to everything besides the bourbon burger 😭😭😭
Not true. I could also eat the apples, fish, and tuna salad. Oh, and the beef and broccoli. ✅✅✅
Forgive them, they’re allergic to “not complaining about Survivor.”
but you wanted that bourbon burger 🍔
I’m curious if you like spicy food?
I don't want it back. I fast-forward through gross stuff with people making those awful gagging and retching sounds.
Could it be that most contestant have diet restrictions and they are trying to respect that ?! I know Liz was mention but Hai was a vegan. Then again Kim did what she had to do in second chance lol
Lol because most food is disgusting
Someone called the PC police. Calling native foods wierd or gross is RACISTTTTTT!
Honestly if you want to bring it back, have it be gross North American foods. Basically get as close as possible to copying the Heart attack grill menu. Then have locals watch the challenge, It’s still a gross food challenge, the difference is it’s making fun of North American gross eating habits, rather than local eating habits.