NBC.com

Fear Factor Episode 311
December 9, 2002

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the special Fear Factor holiday edition was delightful! Players arrived at a sunny Southern California location to find Joe standing next to a fully decorated Christmas tree. First off, everyone got a present! Each player received a motorized scooter to ride across a 60-foot long, 12-inch wide beam suspended 100 feet in the air! The four players who completed the stunt in the best time would advance. Players who fell, would not get to keep their scooter - mainly because it would break into tiny bits upon hitting the ground. Mandy, a former Miss Illinois, was up first. She made it to the eighth mark in six seconds before sending her scooter crashing to the ground below. Could the others pass her mark in a faster time or complete the stunt in its entirety? Heather was next and wanted the prize money to buy a special purebred dog. She stalled getting started which ate up precious seconds. Then once she got going, Heather immediately tipped over and fell off the beam at the second mark. She later said she sort of "blanked out" once she got up there on the platform. Lane, who works construction in addition to modeling, grabbed a scooter and headed up next. Since he was used to heights, balance seemed to be his only concern. He fell at the fifth mark after six seconds. Mandy was now guaranteed a spot on day two. Myles tackled the beam next. He had a one-footed technique that got him past Mandy's mark, but didn't keep him from crashing into the beam has he plummeted toward the ground. Wayne was determined to do his firefighter buddies proud. All he had to do was beat Lane's mark to advance. Unfortunately for Wayne, that didn't happen. He fell at the fourth mark, which meant Lane would advance and Heather would go home. Only Darlene remained. Would her surfing skills help her ride on to day two? Darlene soared past Wayne's mark, then wiped out. Wayne took his walk of shame while the others bundled up for day two.

Snow? In California? Yes! Day two was a veritable winter wonderland as players waited in a snow-covered, cozy cabin. Hung by the chimney with care were stockings marked with each player's name in glitter and glue. It would've been truly heartwarming were it not for Joe's arrival. Joe, being the good host, brought along a holiday snack. You know those yummy cheeseballs that your aunt always puts out with crackers? It wasn't one of those. They were balls of another kindôreindeer testicles to be exact. Poor Rudolph! Each player would have to eat between five and 10 testicles. And what holiday treat would be complete without a little eggnog? Not the creamy stuff you might spike with brandy and sprinkle cinnamon on, oh no. Fear Factor 100-year-old eggnog had the consistency and color of pureed guacamole. In each player's Christmas stocking were gift boxes. Each gift box contained a number that corresponded to the number of testicles the player would have to eat with their moldy, chunky, smelly glass of eggnog. Mandy was first and randomly chose one box from the few that spilled out of her stocking. She drew a five and had thirty seconds per testicle, plus one minute for the eggnog. Mandy didn't say a word as she chomped down reindeer parts and gross nog. She finished well within her time limit with no gagging! Myles was next and picked the number five as well. He got the testicles down pretty quickly, but the eggnog remained. He decided to down it like a shot of cheap tequila and got most of it down in one gulp. Good to the last drop! Myles was done. Before Lane got started, Mandy asked for the chuck bucketôjust in case she needed it. Lane drew a ten! He'd have to eat "five of Santa's little helpers" as Joe called them. Lane even dipped a few in the egg eggnog as he went. He seemed confident as he sipped the egg eggnog, despite the fishy smell that Joe kept describing. All Darlene had to do was finish the stunt and all four would advance to the finals. She had four minutes to consume six testicles and one glass of the happy stuff. While Lane tried to force himself to throw up next to her, Darlene plugged her ears and choked down the holiday "treats." Despite some gag reflexes, Darlene did it! Seconds later, she chucked it all up.

Day three was an icy cold nighttime water stunt. Replicating a frozen lake, a large water tank stood before the players. Each player would have to slip through a hole in the surface. Once in the water, they'd have to swim through two other submerged openings to the bottom layer of the tank and retrieve a large, plastic candy cane. The player who retrieved the candy cane and resurfaced in the fastest time would win. Joe admitted that this stunt was really similar to the stunt attempted during the Playmate episode last season (#214), but only one of the Playmates even tried it. Once again, Mandy was chosen to go first. (Setting a Fear Factor record for the first time the same players was chosen three times in a row to go first.) She was freezing, but determined! Mandy got down to the candy cane really quickly, but had trouble finding her way back up. Required to go back up the way she came down, Mandy couldn't find the second hole in the "ice." With her breath running out, she finally made her way back to the top gasping for air! Her final time was 27 seconds. Myles jumped in next and jammed! In 14 seconds he was in and out. Then Lane stripped down and went for the candy cane. He snagged it and resurfaced in 15 seconds. Missed it by one second! It was up to Darlene to play Scrooge and spoil Myles' Christmas bonus. Darlene, a lifeguard and avid surfer, was no stranger to cold water. She got the cane quickly, but couldn't find her way back up in time. With a time of 16 seconds, she made Myles' Fear Factor Christmas wish come true!