Man sues NBC over televised rodentphagy

Post by **Roofus** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:05 pm

I found this on the OCRemix forum of all places

Watching contestants eat dead rats on NBC's gross-out stunt show "Fear Factor" so disgusted a Cleveland man that he has sued NBC for $2.5 million, saying he could not stomach what he saw.

In a handwritten four-page lawsuit filed in federal court in Cleveland on Tuesday, paralegal Austin Aitken said, "To have the individuals on the show eat (yes) and drink dead rats was crazy and from a viewer's point of view made me throw-up as well an another in the house at the same time."

His suit added, "NBC is sending the wrong message to its TV watchers that cash can make or have people do just about anything beyond reasoning (sic) and in most cases against their will."

He said the show caused his blood pressure to rise so high that he became dizzy and light-headed, and when he ran away to his room, he bumped his head into the doorway.

In a brief telephone interview with Reuters, Aitken said, "I am not at liberty to discuss the complaint unless it is a paid-interview situation."

A spokesman for "Fear Factor" said the show would have no comment until it sees a copy of the complaint. The spokesman said the program did feature an rat-eating scene in New York's Times Square on Nov. 8.

Over the years, contestants on the program have eaten some weird things, including ground-up spiders and live worms.

Link

Zealous zerotype · Post by **Zealous zerotype** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:10 pm

Wonder if he ever heard of this

Wagh · Post by **Wagh** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:13 pm

he'll win too, after all those people were forced to see janet's tit

Veggita2099 · Post by **Veggita2099** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 8:09 pm

HAHA ran into his room and hit his head. Sounds like somebody just wanting some money.

On a side note I think Fear Factor does prove dumbasses will do anything for money.

Orange_Ribbon · Post by **Orange_Ribbon** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 8:09 pm

Random_Troll wrote:he'll win too, after all those people were forced to see janet's tit

This one is kinda different because he knew the rat was coming though.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 8:19 pm

uS OhioENNs R Teh Smart!!

Seriously, I bet he will win the case. Dosen't it have some sort of warning at the beginning of the show explaining what the show is about and such? You know when you turn on Fear Factor, what the show will be about. Common sense seems to be lacking in the world today anymore.

Post by **pixel** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 10:31 pm

At least the people on Fear Factor want to work for their money.
Everyone thinks that Fear Factor is going too far and that people are being endangered. Apparently when I watch it, I don't see the part where Rogan is holding a gun to people's heads.

Midgey34 · Post by **Midgey34** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:08 am

I hate fear factor. It's gone beyond fear and just tries to gross people out or have impossible physical acts to perform (not impossible but hard). Some stuff on there is out right disgusting and frightening (guy w/ cow blood). It's sad what these people will do for money. And its all voluntary, they can walk out at any time.

megaman8x · Post by **megaman8x** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 1:11 am

Random_Troll wrote:he'll win too, after all those people were forced to see janet's tit

Oh yes because kids get confused when they see a tit but nothing comes to mind when they see the constant "erectile disfuction" commercials

I would understand if justin started to suck the tit

Post by **melancholy** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 2:02 am

Orange_Ribbon wrote:
Random_Troll wrote:he'll win too, after all those people were forced to see janet's tit
This one is kinda different because he knew the rat was coming though.

We knew the tit was coming eventually too. It was the timing of it that was the culprit.

Skynet · Post by **Skynet** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:06 am

Morons!

(the people sueing, not you guys

)

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 10:11 am

Sounds like somebody just wanting some money.

Just a bit:

Aitken said, "I am not at liberty to discuss the complaint unless it is a paid-interview situation."

OneThirty8 · Post by **OneThirty8** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 3:38 am

zerotype wrote:Wonder if he ever heard of this

I've got to agree with zerotype on this one. There's plenty of stuff on television that would make me sick to my stomach. That's why I change the channel when 'American Idol,' 'The Apprentice,' or whatever 'live-on-an-island-and-bang-somebody-else's-chick' show is hot this week is about to come on. Or, more often, I just stay tuned to TV Land.

Luriden · Post by **Luriden** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:14 pm

I hope they win and something happens to the show. I don't watch it, but I do think it should be taken off the air (along with 95% of all reality shows). I did channel surf one time to see a girl getting needles and pins stuck all over her body, her body a bloody mess and she was balling like a little child, while the host and everyone else were laughing. I personally think that's completely and utterly insane. I'm not a nagging mother, but sometimes don't you think reality shows go a bit too far?

Sicario · Post by **Sicario** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:29 pm

Fear Factor is just in bad taste, not saying it should be censored, I don't believe in that, it is just sickening tho that people actually keep that bs on the air with their ratings, who in the hell wants to see that. That's really what's wrong with a lot of people in this country tho, they are offended by somethings and not others, violence, grossness is not offensive but nudity is

Thank God for Telemundo

Veggita2099 · Post by **Veggita2099** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 1:43 pm

pixel wrote:At least the people on Fear Factor want to work for their money.
Everyone thinks that Fear Factor is going too far and that people are being endangered. Apparently when I watch it, I don't see the part where Rogan is holding a gun to people's heads.

Thats not planned till next season when players have a gun put to there head and are forced to eat maggots dipped in deer urine.

InvisixIsLeet · Post by **InvisixIsLeet** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 2:17 pm

In a brief telephone interview with Reuters, Aitken said, "I am not at liberty to discuss the complaint unless it is a paid-interview situation."

The idiot just wants something for nothing. I hope his ass loses this lawsuit. God damned moron.

greay · Post by **greay** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 7:48 pm

So he sues for damages, and wins.

What's that, the cost of his dinner?

OneThirty8 · Post by **OneThirty8** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 7:52 pm

greay wrote:So he sues for damages, and wins.

What's that, the cost of his dinner?

Don't forget the cost of renting a steam-cleaning machine for the rug. I imagine he could be out tens of dollars.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 2:58 pm

This is ridiculous. It's not like they forced him to watch it. It'd be like if I googled "hardcore sex," clicked on the first link, and got...hardcore sex in return.

Point being that he knew what was coming, and he could've easily turned it off.