NPR producer Marshall Terry went to Rock Hill, SC for a story on a pepper up for consideration as the world's hottest by the Guinness Book of World Records. Carrying out due diligence, he also tried the pepper. The aftermath was not pretty.


At first, Marshall just looked like he's going through the standard torment of eating something really spicy. Then he began throwing up. Then he started talking nonsense. And then, he claimed he was hallucinating. And really, his words speak for themselves. Just look at how his statements get progressively weirder and weirder.

"It's bad." "I'm so sorry folks." "I think the hallucinations are kicking in." "Did you get me throwing up? (Gives the thumbs up upon confirmation)" "Oh God, that's intense." "My hands, my hands, you just have that feeling in your hands (laughs maniacally)." "It honestly feels like I have this anchor or this metallic feeling in my stomach." "My tongue, it just feels like I have this black horrible feeling in my stomach. I can't talk my tongue is stuck now." "What kind of dog is that? Are they just regular dachshunds? I used to work in a kennel for two years. It was my first job."


I am never trying that pepper. Ever. [WFAE via Maria Popova]