As expected, PETA came out swinging against Eaten Alive, a new special that will feature author and naturalist Paul Rosolie getting eaten by an anaconda. For his part, Rosolie has said that he wouldn't hurt an animal.
While the idea for the show sounds like a hoax, Discovery confirmed this week that this is a real special they plan to air next month. The network also released several videos showing Rosolie preparing for the stunt.
Just after the news went viral, PETA issued one of its usual strongly-worded statements, begging Discovery not to air the show.
“This blatant publicity stunt sounds far-fetched, but if the description is accurate, the snake was tormented and suffered for the sake of ratings—as animals usually do when they’re used for entertainment,” the animal rights group said. “Anacondas go days without eating and expend the energy needed to do so selectively. Making this snake use up energy by swallowing this fool and then possibly regurgitating him would have left the poor animal exhausted and deprived of the energy that he or she needs.”
The statement concluded, “Shame on this pseudo “wildlife expert” for tormenting this animal, and shame on the Discovery Channel for giving him the incentive to do so.”
Rosolie, the author of Mother of God: An Extraordinary Journey into the Uncharted Territories of the Western Amazon, sent a tweet assuring viewers that he would never hurt an animal. Of course, he wouldn’t say how he will avoid hurting the snake, since he has to keep something a surprise for viewers.
Discovery hasn’t responded to PETA, but considering how well Nik Wallenda’s death-defying tightrope walks have done for the network, it probably won’t pull this dangerous special.