TV viewers will be entertained with one of the most riveting sights where a man allows himself to be swallowed by an anaconda. The Discovery channel will debut 'Eaten Alive' – a first of its kind documentary about one man's trip through the digestive tract of a 17-foot snake.
Controversies have cast a dark shadow ahead of the December 7 show after Paul Rosolie announced that the dangerous stunt was – quite ironically – staged in order to raise awareness about the giant beast and learn the significance of preserving the endangered Amazon River environment.
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"We need the Amazon ecosystem," the 27-year-old TV personality told the USA Today. "I've watched scientists work their whole lives to raise awareness, but deforestation continues. I was thinking of doing something that would grab people and force a spotlight on the area at this point, because it's kind of now or never."
Also Read: Eaten Alive Man Paul Rosolie Describes Moment he was swallowed by Anaconda
But astonished viewers have questioned how exactly will the stunt – which seems to be just a TRP-driven show -- help the poor snake in any way. Rosetto has refused to reveal how deep he went in to the guts of the anaconda or any other related details but has claimed that the angry reactions he has been getting are uncalled for because people haven't seen the show yet.
As of now, both Rosolie and the Discovery channel have confirmed that he was indeed inside the snake's mouth and it is not a hoax.
He has colourfully described the moment he was devoured by the massive animal. Rosolie wore a specially fitted carbon-fibre suit covered in pig's blood.
"The snake did not want to eat me, at first. She wasn't interested. But once I showed myself as a predator and she got spooked, then she defended herself," he told the Entertainment Weekly last week.
"She nailed me right in the face and the last thing I saw was her mouth wide open before everything went black. And then she wrapped me and I felt the suit cracking and my arms ripping out of the sockets. It was absolutely terrifying."
There have been petitions not to air the show including by the People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA, which requested Discovery not to air the controversial show. But the channel has said it will be aired as scheduled.
"I think we understood some people were going to be a bit outraged just by the nature of the program," Discovery executive producer Michael Sorensen said while responding to the massive outrage for hurting an animal.
"They're having a reaction to this without having a lot of information. Once they see the show and understand what Paul is about and what he stands for, I think critics of Paul and the show will start to understand that it has a lot deeper meaning and that it's not a stunt for stunt's sake."
'Eaten Alive' is scheduled for 9 pm ET on the Discovery Channel. Online live streaming is restricted due to license. However, viewers can have a sneak peek into the show before the episode and it will likely be streamed online in the Official Discovery Channels' Video Gallery Archives, after the actual show ends.
