Top 10 Disgusting Reality TV Challenges

Eating bugs isn’t the most original idea to grace reality shows. Dare anyone to eat a bug and they’ll most likely flake, but when you’re in a competition for prizes, that’s a different ballpark. “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here” houses the infamous Bushtucker trials, which features some hilarious moments in the series, as well as some of the worst. English model and TV personality Ferne McCann was faced with the challenge of eating a live water spider in the fifteenth series. While many were disgusted at the challenge itself, others took issue with the animal cruelty behind it, and the episode received nearly 1,500 complaints. In other words, this was sick AND twisted!

#9: ‘Chicken, or What?’ “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (2009-)

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Tastes like chicken! ...Or does it? Well, there’s only one way to find out! “RuPaul’s Drag Race” takes the “taste like chicken” joke literally and created the challenge known as “Chicken or What?” The contestants eat three different foods and must guess whether it’s chicken or…something else. When the mini-challenge ends in a three-way tie, things take a turn for the worse; the contestants had to be the first to finish a meat bucket consisting of not just chicken, but also rabbit, alligator, and *gag* …cow brains. After seeing this, we wouldn’t blame you of being suspicious the next time you order fried chicken.

#8: Big Stank “Killer Karaoke” (2012-14)

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The human body is often described as a beautiful thing, but it doesn’t take much to make it nasty. If you’re somebody who’s easily grossed-out by sweat, you might want to stay away from “Killer Karaoke”. One challenge, dubbed the “Big Stank”, sees the contestant trying to sing while the sweaty bodies of two five-hundred-pound strippers dance around them. Seeing all that bodily fluid might not be enough to make us gag, but it does make us cringe and quickly reach for the remote. This is why we stick to streaming.

If you prefer reality shows that take more of a horror movie style, chances are you have seen “Scream Queens”. As one might expect from a show where contestants are trying to win horror movie roles, many of the reality series’ challenges featured frightening scenarios and ear-piercing screams. In between the acting and stunt challenges, the queens once had to take part in a skin-crawling scene where they find a large cocoon in their home. When it bursts open, they are given a shower of maggots. Yes, live, squirming, maggots. Many of the challenges in the series are frightening, but seeing this was like watching a nightmare coming to life.

#6: Bug Body Bag “Fear Factor” (2001-06; 2011-12; 2017-)

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Let’s face it; this show was going to pop up sooner or later (and it won’t be the last). After seeing this challenge, we have a feeling “Fear Factor’s” writers may have a sadistic side…maybe… In this challenge, contestants are chained up, placed inside a body bag of assorted insects, and isolated inside a morgue drawer. Just the thought of being trapped inside a tight space with creepy-crawlies makes nauseous with anxiety. On top of that, who knows how many bugs you’re crushing from moving around in there? You know what, maybe we should move on before we pass out…

#5: Drinking Pig’s Blood “The Amazing Race” (2001-)

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For a show called “The Amazing Race”, you’d expect something a little more prestigious or exciting. This challenge makes the show come across as anything but that. Taking place at Buda Castle in Budapest, Hungary, this Fast Forward task had contestants gulping down a goblet filled with pig’s blood. Now, when it comes to eating pork, we’d prefer a grilled porkchop or some bacon. This is taking things WAY too far! We’re going to be staying away from any pork-related foods for a while…or maybe just meat altogether.

At some point in your life, you’ve known someone for how big of a sloppy eater they are. Hey, no one likes hearing lip-smacking or looking at filthy, sauce-covered mouths all the time. Leave it to “Survivor” to play off that pet peeve with a messy challenge of their own. By only using their mouths, the survivors must chew pieces of some massive meat and dump their chunks into a bucket. It’s basically a meat-spitting contest! We’d be fine with this challenge had the camera crew kept their distance and not assaulted us with close-ups of the meat. Don’t even get us started on the sounds. Seriously, is there no sacred ground for food challenges??

So much for that hope for sacred ground… “Fear Factor” has done some seriously nasty stuff. (Hell, we did a whole Top 10 on the subject.) However, one of the most disgusting challenges to come out of the show was the Fear Factor Pizza. The contestants took turns throwing pans in buckets that would determine what toppings would go on an already putrid pie. The base pie consisted of cow bile, coagulated blood, and moldy cheese, but could be topped with red worms, fish eyes, or both. And did we mention the red worms were still alive, too?

Ugh… The Bushtucker trials strike again! Its next victim is none other than the great George Takei, who eats a buffet of bugs before the fourth meal is revealed to be raw kangaroo penis. No, George! Don’t do it!! While this challenge has a more casual and humorous vibe to it, the sound does all the grossing out. As Mr. Takei chews, the audio manages to pick up the crunching sounds in his mouth, which makes the challenge hard to watch AND listen to. While George says, “It’s the thought that’s more repulsive”, we respectfully disagree and happily changed channels.

What other show would top a list like this? “Fear Factor” simply knows how to make everyone sick to their stomachs. However, pushing the envelope isn’t always a good thing. For example, one episode saw pairs of teammates guzzling down donkey semen and urine with the maximum amount being thirty ounces. This challenge was so vile that NBC refused to air the episode and told the contestants not to speak of the events. And yet, the footage has managed to make its rounds on the Internet. What’s next, an episode where they eat a horse’s rectum? Oh wait… they’ve done that too!!