Fear Factor (2001)

Episode Overview

In this festive second annual Christmas episode, the first challenge, Cable Surfing, had contestants balancing on a slick sled suspended between two cables high above the ground. As the sled zoomed along a zip line strung over a neighborhood aglow with holiday lights, participants aimed to snag candy canes dangling from the cables. The top four contestants who collected the most candy canes would move on to the next round, while the others would be sent home. The second stunt featured a gruesome gift exchange. The first contestant selected a box from beneath the Christmas tree and unveiled its contents, while the next competitor had the choice to either steal that gift or choose a new one. This process continued until everyone ended up with a revolting food item, including cod egg sacks infested with ants, sausage casings filled with night crawlers and other worms, rotten squid swarming with flies, and live dragonflies. All contestants had to eat their grotesque gifts to proceed.