Would You Eat This Live Octopus?

March 25, 2008

The other day I came across a very disturbing video. In the video, one of my favorite America's Next Top Model contestants — Elyse Sewell from Cycle 1 — eats live octopus tentacles. She slurps the squirming tentacles down as if they were nothing and she does it while sexily eyeing the camera. Tyra would be so proud, Elyse looks like a model while eating live seafood!

I thought I could eat anything but watching the octopus move as she swallowed it made me feel kind of sick. Still, I pride myself on being adventurous and would try my hardest to stomach this octopus. How about you? Would you eat live octopus?

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61 Comments

tayrose 3 years 24 weeks

To solve this controversy, the world should just stop killing/eating animals. Go veg! -An avid vegetarian.

3 years 24 weeks

Oh, and to AmberHoney (I am the person who just posted the message above, which started with "You're all so ridiculously....") Your make the arrogant statement "American stands for greatness." Just before that you say: "I don't eat sushi - I have a thing about raw meats." Thanks so much for reinforcing American stereotypes, and the reason why people like you make people like me have to tell people I'm from Canada when I leave the country. What does sushi have to do with raw meat? Firstly, even though meat can be an all-inclusive word, it is generally used, especially when talking about food, to refer to mammals only, and that you mention steak directly after that backs this up. So any animal that traditional sushi may contain is not meat. Pick up a book, go read an article about another society (you're ON THE INTERNET) or god forbid visit another country and learn about their culture. Now, pretending you said "raw fish" instead of meat... Two: Equating sushi with raw fish is analogous to equating salad to Italian dressing. Does all salad have Italian dressing? No, it probably doesn't even dominate the dressings. Does all salad even contain dressing of any kind? Absolutely not. There are many different types and varieties of sushi, and there are about 25 or so different common sushi rolls, however, there are literally thousands of unique combinations that can be made, because you can put pretty much anything you want in sushi. While seafood does dominate in the popular and common types of sushi, most of it is NOT raw. There are also a variety of common vegetarian rolls - and as I said before, you can create any combination of ingredients you want, really, and there are no strict rules to how sushi in general must be prepared as there are so many different ways to prepare it. On a smaller note, some of the less common types of seafood included in sushi (meaning things other than fish) that are raw are usually served raw anyway - whether they're included in sushi or another dish. They may also not technically be fully raw - kind of similar to how steak that is served "rare" is still viewed by many as being raw, but technically it's not 100% raw. So many people on this thread that judge others so easily without taking a second to look at their own actions. And the comments about the cruelty coming from non-vegetarians is just disgusting and so hypocritical. Someone mentioned something about "would you eat a puppy"...why is a puppy any different than a cow or a chicken? Society chose to domesticate dogs, breed them to be what we define as cute, and we view them as pets. Other societies don't, and I'm sure you have all sorts of hypocritical, ignorant, judgmental remarks to make about Chinese or Korean people who eat dogs. If you wouldn't eat a dog, then why would you eat a cow, pig or chicken? And if you are someone who eats any of the following things...if you wouldn't eat a puppy, why would you eat veal (baby cow that has been deprived of nutrients and kept caged so tight that it can't turn around), lamb, or many fast-food or commercial brand chicken nuggets (baby chicks being raised for slaughter or egg production that are deemed not up to standards for these purposes are many times ground up whole - usually alive - and used in nuggets)?

3 years 24 weeks

You're all so ridiculously judgmental and close-minded. "Oh it's so cruel, oh god, ew, that's just wrong." It's not any more wrong than eating a dead animal. And the octopus in this situation is no longer aware - those chickens, cows, pigs and other animals that you eat were fully conscious and aware while they lived their lives of misery in cages and cruel conditions (there's a good chance that octopus got to live its life out in the sea first), and just as conscious when they were slaughtered - sometimes by merely having their entire body thrown into a grinder at once, before chopping off their heads. Think twice about what you eat and what the cow in that burger really went through before you judge someone else. I myself would never eat live octopus, and it's because I would never eat octopus - or any other animal for that matter. I'm a vegan. Also, you need to distinguish between "live" and "raw." There is a similar dish that involves eating "live" lobster. However, if prepared correctly, the lobster is not technically living. The first step involves severing its nervous system, and this not only cuts off any connection to its brain (and therefore awareness and sensation of pain) but also causes the biological reaction which induces muscle spasms and other things that give the illusion of it still being alive and moving. It is most definitely raw, but not alive. As the octopus is still a poorly understood creature, there is some debate as to whether the pieces of the octopus' tentacles are still technically alive when served in this way.

3 years 43 weeks

I wouldn't do it - mainly because it is immoral to eat octopuses as they are extremely intelligent - more intelligent than pigs and dogs, for example. Would you eat a live puppy? I don't think so.

swati05 4 years 36 weeks

I am vegiterian :)

Mamarosa 5 years 7 weeks

I've heard of this before- I've seen the whole baby octopus wound around chopsticks, dipped in sauce and then eaten. I guess my one thought is that you're giving it the chance to kill you while you eat it. The tentacles do often get stuck and we have a friend's uncle who had the baby octopus get stuck in his throat. It didn't kill him but it gave him a run for his money.

GrapeBubbleGum 5 years 7 weeks

If I were travelling and this were some sort of regional cuisine, I'd definitely eat it. I don't think I'd like it though....but I'm always up for trying differetn foods! I've had cooked octopus before and I like it.

blackdiamonds 5 years 7 weeks

I prefer eating it cooked. Can't imagen myself eating it while its still moving lol. Isn't this a Korean Dish? I would love to try their cusine minus the raw meet ;p

wickedcupofjoe 5 years 7 weeks

I wouldn't eat it dead, so, nope, never!

nrmunch55 5 years 7 weeks

no thank you......ewewewewewwwwwwwwww.

Roxymoxi 5 years 7 weeks

1. It's like chopping a worm or snake up. It still wiggles. 2. That's Elise from America's Next Top Model! Didn't expect to see her again!

AmberHoney 5 years 7 weeks

I don't eat sushi - I have a thing about raw meats. I eat my steak well done that pink stuff grosses me out - So no I wouldn't eat the octopus. I have eaten it cooked and it's delicious and will surely eat it again. American stands for greatness. If you don't like it here go somewhere else, this is a big planet.

leelah 5 years 7 weeks

elyse is the coolest chick ever. her look at the end makes me smile.

californiagirlx7 5 years 7 weeks

Hell to the nawwww. I wouldn't eat a dead octopus, much less a live one.

lemassabielle 5 years 7 weeks

live*

lemassabielle 5 years 7 weeks

Eggs, stop being so bitter and judgmental. I'm getting very upset about all the criticism we all give each other. It's sad that all cultures just can't bury the hatchet and learn to get along. I despise seafood and eating life tentacles would turn my stomach. Actually, it probably would literally turn my stomach. The video grossed me out. I'm American (Terribly sorry I can't help where I come from! don't group me along with what you see as our culture) and cook fresh foods. I don't eat out or indulge too much in food. We should all just kill ourselves at this rate, huh? since no one is happy with anyone or anything.

misogi 5 years 7 weeks

I don't think that an octopus can be cut up into little chunks and still be considered alive. Yes, the tentacles are moving, but I don't see this as a form of cannibalism. It's just a cultural food to me, nothing more.

Euni 5 years 7 weeks

Um, some of you guys are being way too judgmental. This is a popular drinking delicacy in Korea and happens to be quite good. There is a danger of the suction cups being stuck inside the throat but otherwise, the flavor is just like eating cooked octopus. Please be somewhat considerate. If you find it gross, just say it's gross, not that it's inhumane or barbaric. Try to experience other cultures besides whatever the hell American culture stands for... I guess hamburgers, over-eating and paparazzi.

verily 5 years 7 weeks

I have never liked octopus, so I wouldn't want to eat the tentacles off a living one either.

Ikandy 5 years 7 weeks

hellz no...alive, raw, slimy...wrong...not even rolled in rice and seaweed...

raieven 5 years 7 weeks

christ no that is VILE

iseulbee 5 years 7 weeks

It's not really alive. It's just the tentacles and they wriggle for a little bit after being severed from the rest of it's body. To me, it's not any more cruel to eat than cooked octopus. Or any other cooked animal. I wouldn't eat live lobster where it's walking around on my table with the head still attached. Now that is cruel.

iseulbee 5 years 7 weeks

I eat it all the time! You dip it in sesame oil mixed with a little sea salt.

msilvia 5 years 7 weeks

I have enjoyed many a scallop, clam, and even a few fish that were still moving. I've swallowed a few bugs too. I have no problem eating living plants or animals, and but I do have an issue with eating exceptionally intelligent ones. Octopus have been shown to have great aptitude for problem solving, creativity, and memory, and while I have eaten them and found them tasty, I gave up the practice after finding out that they are as thoughtful as they are.

Leilanic1 5 years 7 weeks

okay so this is gross. I lived on Kauai from the age of 3-6 and my parents were hippie/naturalists. My step dad would go out and throw a net into the ocean and that is what we ate for the day/week. We were camping on the beach and he happened to catch an octopus and what does he do? chops it up, puts some lemon on it and gives it to us to eat...well..when he wasn't looking I buried the poor thing. I wouldn't eat it then and won't eat it now!

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