Ben Siegel Incident

See. I knew there was waaaaaay more to this than the media was reporting.

I'm calling this now. The winner only entered the contest to sell the snake to support his drug habit. The guy in the parking lot was going to trade him drugs or money to buy drugs and the deceased was addicted enough that he won the contest. After he left, some kind of drugs (pills or H) were consumed at the truck in the parking lot and the winner died. *** This is purely a guess as to the outcome ***

Ben Siegel is not responsible for the death of this guy. For all we know at this point (not much) the most likely scenario is the guy had some sort of allergic reaction.Everything needs to be checked, from the source of the Hornworms to the guys medical history. People can acquire life threatening allergies to anything at anytime. This is incredibly tragic luck. The only thing Siegel may be guilty of from anything anyone is pointing the finger at him for, is not properly organizing/conducting a pretty unique event. The man willingly ate bugs, and signed a waiver. Had some sort of reaction and died as a result of it (my guess). Lighting struck in the middle of Ben Siegels shop.

He might have some fines coming from the city, but any criminal or civil stuff is he is covered for in the waiver. The guy was stuffing handful of bugs into his mouth for gods sake. Gross, absolutely. Possibly dangerous, yes. illegal? Nope.

And people you don't have to keep bringing up the fact people eat bugs all over the world as a delicacy. Because I seriously dont think they eat them like THAT. Man that video was nasty, you see his shirt!?!

Originally Posted by Allhallows

I'm calling this now. The winner only entered the contest to sell the snake to support his drug habit. The guy in the parking lot was going to trade him drugs or money to buy drugs and the deceased was addicted enough that he won the contest. After he left, some kind of drugs (pills or H) were consumed at the truck in the parking lot and the winner died. *** This is purely a guess as to the outcome ***

I'm sad to see such ugly, defamatory speculation here.

Originally Posted by Lucille

I'm sad to see such ugly, defamatory speculation here.

How is this a defamatory speculation? It's an opinion. I'm not defaming anyone or anything. It's my opinion solely. I'm not a detective. Somethings fishy here, you have to admit. Why was there a guy waiting to buy the snake in the parking lot for $150. Why did he just sit there and not call 911? Why would the guy who ate the bugs sell the snake in the parking lot minutes after he received it? (we don't know for sure if he was selling it, but thats what his friend said when he asked for the snake). Maybe HIS motive for being there in the parking lot wasn't exactly positive. My statement is just an opinion of a possible situation that isn't really too far fetched.

Originally Posted by Allhallows

How is this a defamatory speculation? It's an opinion. I'm not defaming anyone or anything. It's my opinion solely. I'm not a detective. Somethings fishy here, you have to admit. Why was there a guy waiting to buy the snake in the parking lot for $150. Why did he just sit there and not call 911? Why would the guy who ate the bugs sell the snake in the parking lot minutes after he received it? (we don't know for sure if he was selling it, but thats what his friend said when he asked for the snake). Maybe HIS motive for being there in the parking lot wasn't exactly positive. My statement is just an opinion of a possible situation that isn't really too far fetched.

Nothing about your post was Opinion based. You were saying this or that is the cause in a slanderous way... They guy that got the snake was his friend not some drug dealer/addict. Where you get drugs from is insane and probably media induced.

Originally Posted by CMB Reptiles

Ben Siegel is not responsible for the death of this guy. For all we know at this point (not much) the most likely scenario is the guy had some sort of allergic reaction

Perhaps not but he is responsible for yet another public relation debacle for our entire hobby by sponsoring this swine fest in the first place. I mean jeez Ben has been a positive force as far as i can tell in this business for ages this kind on of shock value event is well beneath him (so i thought).This whole event was tasteless, disgusting and unprofessional and should never have happened period. So in my mind although not NECESSARILY at this point legally responsible for the death of a human being he is certainly responsible for putting a few more nails in our collective coffin as legal law abiding reptile keepers. Surely we can do better than this as a collective group than roach eating contests if we want to change our image as freaks and anti-social pariahs.

Originally Posted by squinn

this whole contest was sick, disgusting and irrelevant. Irregardless of whether the death is linked to the bug consumption or not all contests like this do is paint us all as freaks and misfits. We need as an industry to be cleaning up our image not reinforcing rediculous stereotypes of who reptile keepers are. This contest is shameful regardless of the cause of death.

And the difference between this and someone consuming fifty hot dogs for a prize (or simply for the "glory" of it) would be what exactly? Nothing.

Just because parts of the Western World are digusted by the act of consuming roaches does not make it disgusting, sick or irrelevant (no, I have no interest in doing it, but I have eaten ants and other things before). Many people throughout the world consume insects for the sake of consuming them and for nourishment. Anyone who finds it to be a digusting, filthy act is ignorant and just as foolish as those who wish to condemn any of us for keeping herps.

Personally, I think craming McDonald's down your throat is far more disgusting than eating a roach and much more of a spectacle.

If these people had been doing this for charity, would you be damning it so quickly? If someone had died having done this for a "good cause" and not an ultimate goal for their own, would it be so atrocious? My bet is no.

It is tragic that Eddie died. It is tragic that Eddie died in such a terrible way and that it appears his friend was not aiding him when he needed it. However, Eddie entered that contest of his own free will. Eddie chose to each those roaches of his own free will. While, yes, EMT should have been on hand, it is looking like it would not have mattered. This is a tragedy as plain as they come.

Originally Posted by ShadowAceD

And the difference between this and someone consuming fifty hot dogs for a prize (or simply for the "glory" of it) would be what exactly? Nothing.

.

yeah well i find cramming 50 hot dogs to be just as gluttonous and disgusting as well so what's your point? Should we lower the bar just because other segments of society wallow in their own filth. Competitive eating of any sort I find repulsive. So how exactly are these insects raised? At least hotdogs are USDA inspected to ensure they are fit (well as fit as nose lips and you know what can ever be) for human consumption. I expect these insects don't go through any such regulatory process how can they be guaranteed to be free of zoonotic parasites and other such things?

Originally Posted by squinn

yeah well i find cramming 50 hot dogs to be just as gluttonous and disgusting as well so what's your point? Should we lower the bar just because other segments of society wallow in their own filth. Competitive eating of any sort I find repulsive. So how exactly are these insects raised? At least hotdogs are USDA inspected to ensure they are fit (well as fit as nose lips and you know what can ever be) for human consumption. I expect these insects don't go through any such regulatory process how can they be guaranteed to be free of zoonotic parasites and other such things?

I can guarantee you that eating a roach bred in a controlled enviornment is far less detrimental to your health than the mystery meat that exists in hot dogs. Perhaps you should research just what USDA inspected actually means and what little bearing it has towards whether something should be consumed or not.