What kind of woman goes on TV and chugs a maggot, bile and duck-tongue shake for money? Answer: the bikini-model kind. And therein lies the gag-reflex wonder, the dirty allure, the sheer genius of Fear Factor, one of the most perverted must-watch shows in prime time. There's no secret to why viewers come back every week: "It's the gross things the contestants do," says million-dollar "Couples" Fear Factor winner Monica Jackson, who cites encounters with spiders and snakes and the consumption of cow eyeballs before adding, "Of course, there's the attractive girls who are on, too." Take a look at Monica: Sure, she's eating a pig uterus, yet she's still sexy.
The fear-eros connection is hardly a coincidence. Fear Factor's producers comb the country for the right combo of derring-do and derriere in contestants who must also be able to display real emotion and competitive fire. And while the challenges may be contrived, the contestants' reactions are not. "Participating actually made me think, If I can do this, then the other small things in life don't seem as hard," says Tina Bishop. Fear Factor, then, is about women discovering their strength, fortunately while wearing bikinis. "They're always getting boob shots in there, especially of Monica, because she has big ones," teases rival Meghan Allen.
So relax. You're not the only one who thought Roadkill Café was hot. By the way, all these women hope to return for a special Playboy Fear Factor. Nah, we wouldn't watch that. Don't forget to blink.
See more of the girls of Fear Factor at cyber.playboy.com.
