(Sept. 28, 2017) Raising funds for hurricane victims was the reason three brave souls agreed to consume the world’s hottest hot pepper on the courthouse steps in Snow Hill on Sept 15.
The event stemmed from a dare between Attorney Mike Farlow, Assistant State’s Attorney Billy McDermott and Lt. Timothy Mulligan, who works at the Worcester County Jail. The trio began the foray into taste bud torture after Farlow recently harvested a lone Carolina Reaper pepper from his home garden.
“This is easily the stupidest thing that I’m going to do this week,” Farlow said.
The Carolina Reaper pepper has been certified top of the heat scale by the Guinness Book of World Records since 2013. Cultivated by “Smokin” Ed Currie, founder of PuckerButt Pepper Company in Fort Mill, South Carolina, it unseated the previous titleholder the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper.
Prior to ingesting the truly red hot pepper, McDermott admitted the challenge was intimidating but gained special significance when Farlow proposed turning the good-natured dare into a fundraising event for hurricane victims being assisted by the American Red Cross.
“I’m terrified out of my mind,” he said. “The truth is we probably would have done this on our own accord but Mike had the brilliant idea to do this for charity.”
Rated on the Scoville scale, which measures the pungency, or spicy heat, of chili peppers or other foods, a Carolina Reaper can measure more than two million Scoville units. By comparison a Jalapeno pepper averages 6,000 Scoville units.
Because of less-than-ideal growing conditions, Farlow was surprised when his garden yielded a single Carolina Reaper.
“It’s not exactly the ideal climate for it,” he said. “They needed it a little bit cooler.”
Discussing the surprising harvest, the three friends began daring each other to consume the sole scorcher. Shortly thereafter the idea turned into an attempt to render aid after Mother Nature slammed Houston with Hurricane Harvey and then walloped Florida with Hurricane Irma, causing widespread destruction and devastation.
“All those people down in Texas and Florida they’re suffering and we wanted to do something … to help them out,” Farlow said.
To facilitate support for hurricane victims, Farlow set up a webpage, www.hotpepperchallenges.com, where donations can be made to the American Red Cross.
“Our goal is to try to get about $1,000 and we’ve already raised in the neighborhood of $500,” he said.
Initially, the fundraising pledge involved consuming ghost peppers, which measure a few clicks lower on the Scoville scale.
But during Friday’s event, Farlow unveiled a trio of Carolina Reaper’s he procured for the occasion. Chiding the assembled crowd, he raised the possibility of upping the ante.
“I don’t know about them,” he said of his compatriots, but if we can get one hundred bucks in cash here today I’ll eat one of these peppers,” he said. “Guaranteed to make us at some point bleed out of orifices we don’t want to bleed out of.”
Farlow also noted funds raised during that day’s event would be earmarked for the National Volunteer Fire Council’s relief fund for its cohorts whose homes were destroyed by either hurricane.
After more than three hundred dollars floated up from assorted wallets, the culinary daredevils jumped into the fire, frying pan and all, and entered what can only be described as a state of near-delirium.
“There’s nowhere to go,” McDermott exclaimed. “You can’t run from this.”
Noting that the capsaicin overdose (capsaicin is the active ingredient in peppers) mad breathing difficult, Farlow said the experience was, “as bad as I expected.”
“It’ll burn for an hour or two,” he said.
After milk, bread, cheese and ice cream failed to douse the flames, Farlow found partial relief after sucking down a packet of sugar.
“I don’t think I’m going to grow those next year,” he said.
For his part, Mulligan said the eye-watering experience started slowly before becoming nearly overwhelming.
“It started out with hiccups for the first minute then it hits,” he said.
McDermott said he was happy to take part
“People have lost their homes and people are actually hurting,” he said. “If this draws even a little bit of attention, and Mike’s already raised a couple hundred bucks, its fantastic.”
McDermott said he also offers the experience as a lesson for others to avoid social media challenges.
“This is a great cautionary tale for the youth of our community — do not run your mouth on Facebook lest someone call you out and start a charity event.”
Donations on the web page www.hotpepperchallenges.com will go directly to the American Red Cross and can be specified for either hurricane relief effort.
The event stemmed from a dare between Attorney Mike Farlow, Assistant State’s Attorney Billy McDermott and Lt. Timothy Mulligan, who works at the Worcester County Jail. The trio began the foray into taste bud torture after Farlow recently harvested a lone Carolina Reaper pepper from his home garden.
“This is easily the stupidest thing that I’m going to do this week,” Farlow said.
The Carolina Reaper pepper has been certified top of the heat scale by the Guinness Book of World Records since 2013. Cultivated by “Smokin” Ed Currie, founder of PuckerButt Pepper Company in Fort Mill, South Carolina, it unseated the previous titleholder the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper.
Prior to ingesting the truly red hot pepper, McDermott admitted the challenge was intimidating but gained special significance when Farlow proposed turning the good-natured dare into a fundraising event for hurricane victims being assisted by the American Red Cross.
“I’m terrified out of my mind,” he said. “The truth is we probably would have done this on our own accord but Mike had the brilliant idea to do this for charity.”
Rated on the Scoville scale, which measures the pungency, or spicy heat, of chili peppers or other foods, a Carolina Reaper can measure more than two million Scoville units. By comparison a Jalapeno pepper averages 6,000 Scoville units.
Because of less-than-ideal growing conditions, Farlow was surprised when his garden yielded a single Carolina Reaper.
“It’s not exactly the ideal climate for it,” he said. “They needed it a little bit cooler.”
Discussing the surprising harvest, the three friends began daring each other to consume the sole scorcher. Shortly thereafter the idea turned into an attempt to render aid after Mother Nature slammed Houston with Hurricane Harvey and then walloped Florida with Hurricane Irma, causing widespread destruction and devastation.
“All those people down in Texas and Florida they’re suffering and we wanted to do something … to help them out,” Farlow said.
To facilitate support for hurricane victims, Farlow set up a webpage, www.hotpepperchallenges.com, where donations can be made to the American Red Cross.
“Our goal is to try to get about $1,000 and we’ve already raised in the neighborhood of $500,” he said.
Initially, the fundraising pledge involved consuming ghost peppers, which measure a few clicks lower on the Scoville scale.
But during Friday’s event, Farlow unveiled a trio of Carolina Reaper’s he procured for the occasion. Chiding the assembled crowd, he raised the possibility of upping the ante.
“I don’t know about them,” he said of his compatriots, but if we can get one hundred bucks in cash here today I’ll eat one of these peppers,” he said. “Guaranteed to make us at some point bleed out of orifices we don’t want to bleed out of.”
Farlow also noted funds raised during that day’s event would be earmarked for the National Volunteer Fire Council’s relief fund for its cohorts whose homes were destroyed by either hurricane.
After more than three hundred dollars floated up from assorted wallets, the culinary daredevils jumped into the fire, frying pan and all, and entered what can only be described as a state of near-delirium.
“There’s nowhere to go,” McDermott exclaimed. “You can’t run from this.”
Noting that the capsaicin overdose (capsaicin is the active ingredient in peppers) mad breathing difficult, Farlow said the experience was, “as bad as I expected.”
“It’ll burn for an hour or two,” he said.
After milk, bread, cheese and ice cream failed to douse the flames, Farlow found partial relief after sucking down a packet of sugar.
“I don’t think I’m going to grow those next year,” he said.
For his part, Mulligan said the eye-watering experience started slowly before becoming nearly overwhelming.
“It started out with hiccups for the first minute then it hits,” he said.
McDermott said he was happy to take part
“People have lost their homes and people are actually hurting,” he said. “If this draws even a little bit of attention, and Mike’s already raised a couple hundred bucks, its fantastic.”
McDermott said he also offers the experience as a lesson for others to avoid social media challenges.
“This is a great cautionary tale for the youth of our community — do not run your mouth on Facebook lest someone call you out and start a charity event.”
Donations on the web page www.hotpepperchallenges.com will go directly to the American Red Cross and can be specified for either hurricane relief effort.