An unusual job – a job for you?

When Josh Silberman, 23, goes to work, he doesn’t sit at a computer or stand in front of a classroom. He spends his day buying maggots, cooking cows’ eyes and eating insects. Josh is a production assistant on the popular but controversial American TV game show Fear Factor. He told Teen People magazine, “I love every disgusting moment of my job”. When a Fear Factor producer who knew Josh offered him the job, Josh was totally excited. Many people think Fear Factor is stupid, dangerous and disgusting. But ten million Americans watch it every week. In each episode of Fear Factor, contestants have to do three stunts.

The first stunt is usually something that hurts, like swimming in ice-cold water. The second stunt is something disgusting, like eating maggots. And the third stunt is something difficult, like getting out of a tank of water while wearing handcuffs. The person who does all three stunts the fastest wins $50 000. Josh’s job is to buy all the disgusting things that are used on the show. He says, “It’s not always easy to find cockroaches and pig parts. But the people who work on the show know some great places.” And if the contestants are going to eat any animal parts, Josh has to cook them – and then taste them! Josh dreams of becoming a TV producer. But now he’s happy working as an assistant. “I’m becoming much less squeamish,” says Josh. “At the beginning I always wore rubber gloves. Not anymore!” Adapted from Spot on Magazine