Man bites bugFollow

Beginning Oct. 7, Six Flags Great America's annual Halloween event will pull a page from the popular NBC gross-out reality show and dare visitors to swallow a live Madagascar hissing cockroach in return for amusement park perks.

Completion of the stunt, which has the Lake County Health Department furrowing its brow, will earn a free T-shirt and a "flash pass" allowing them and three friends to jump to the head of the line at all rides through Oct. 29, Six Flags spokesman Jim Taylor said.

Cockroach swallowers, who will have to sign waivers before eating, will still be required to pay to enter the park, Taylor said.

One of the many reasons I don't go to amusement parks to begin with.

Hell no.

To introduce Six Flags Great America’s newest dining option, the park is actively recruiting park guests willing to attempt to break the current world record for most cockroaches eaten. In 2001, Ken Edwards of Derbyshire, England devoured 36 hissing Madagascar roaches in just a minute. Brave souls with a tough stomach are invited to attempt to defeat Edwards in front of a LIVE park audience on Friday the 13th at 7 p.m.

If successful, the daredevil earns bragging rights and plenty of park goodies. Four 2007 Six Flags Great America season passes will give them and three friends unlimited access to the park throughout 2007, and four Fast Passes to the front of select ride lines will give them VIP status during their visits. Record-breaking hopefuls are encouraged to rally at the Mission stage in the Southwest section of the park on Friday the 13th at 7 p.m.

Speaking of Twinkies, when eating a giant cockroach does one bite into it and enjoy a mouthful of roach-goo or swallow it live and risk having it burrow through your esophagus?
Pound it with your fist and make a roach frittata.

More info



So you could eat 36 roaches and get nothing but eggs laid in you intestines for your trouble.