In December 2014, the Discovery Channel launched a particular that sounded prefer it got here straight out of a nature-run-amok horror film: “Eaten Alive” was an overhyped, one-off documentary that promised to point out viewers snake knowledgeable Paul Rosolie willingly being swallowed entire by an enormous anaconda.
Discovery’s advertising for the slithery particular brought on a media circus, piquing the curiosity of viewers curious to see if a person would truly survive being swallowed by a serpent — whereas additionally drawing criticism from animal rights teams like PETA, who noticed it as nothing greater than a merciless stunt that tormented animals for the sake of scores. In response, each Rosolie and the Discovery Channel insisted it was all for the sake of science and Amazonian conservation.
In “Eaten Alive,” the primary 90 minutes of the particular follows Rosolie as he explores a distant part of the Amazon, hoping to discover a appropriate snake for his promised stunt. Sadly, although, the particular fails to reside as much as the hype. After hours of build-up, Rosolie — who’s carrying a protecting carbon-fiber go well with doused in pig’s blood — does certainly change into constricted by an enormous anaconda, however the meant feast by no means goes any additional. After the snake extends its jaws round his helmet, Rosolie worries that his arm would possibly snap, and the stunt is promptly referred to as off.
Eaten Alive was a scores success for Discovery
Rosolie later spoke about his failed stunt in an interview with Leisure Weekly. “The snake didn’t need to eat me, at first. She wasn’t ,” he mentioned. “However as soon as I confirmed myself as a predator and he or she acquired spooked, then she defended herself. She nailed me proper within the face and the very last thing I noticed was her mouth huge open at the start went black. After which she wrapped me and I felt the go well with cracking and my arms ripping out of their sockets. It was completely terrifying.”
A swift backlash adopted the particular. After social media erupted with viewers accusing “Eaten Alive” of false promoting, Rosolie pushed again in opposition to the criticism. “I did dozens of interviews earlier than the present and I by no means mentioned I acquired eaten,” he advised PIX11 Information. “I mentioned we have been going to attempt however you recognize, we gave it the most effective shot we may. We actually acquired shut.”
Even with that overwhelming controversy, all of it paid off for Discovery in the long run. In response to Deadline, the particular pulled in 4.1 million viewers, making it their highest-rated nature telecast since 2010’s “Life,” and its best-rated telecast of 2014 amongst males ages 18 to 34.
