The other day I was watching Animal Planet and saw a commerical for the show Austin Stevens Snakemaster and it had a rainbow boa in it. The add just shows the name of his show in print above with a live BRB moving underneath it. The Austin Stevens Snakemaster TV show is pretty sensationalistic with snakes and his shows almost exclusively deal with venomous and deadly reptiles. So I thought if anyone who doesn't know much about snakes will see this add and assume a BRB is very dangerous or venomous snake which isn't good.
Uncloudy
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Saw a TV commercial with a BRB.....................................
Uncloudy
Mar 07, 2005 03:56 PM
Replies (7)
john127
Mar 07, 2005 05:43 PM
I saw it too, and thought the same thing. If you didn't know better you would think it's some exotic, dangerous snake on the screen, especially when the commercial comes between Jeff Corwin and that Snakemaster guy handling venomous snakes.
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- John
1.0 Baird's Rat (Milton)
1.0 Okeetee Corn (Edgar)
0.1 Ball Python (Agatha)
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Rudyard)
msubigdawg
Mar 07, 2005 11:19 PM
O come on are you seriously worried about that. Anyways I have come to realize that most people that dont know anything about snakes will usually assume any snake is venomous until told different so it doesnt matter. And that Rainbow isnt even about his show its just they had a clip of a snake and used it to show his name off. But I think that it will be ok.
Uncloudy
Mar 08, 2005 01:55 AM
msubiddawg,
Your quote, "Anyways I have come to realize that most people that dont know anything about snakes will usually assume any snake is venomous until told different so it doesnt matter."
It does make a difference because showing a BRB in this context people will assocation and connotation its also venomous.
Your quote, "And that Rainbow isnt even about his show its just they had a clip of a snake and used it to show his name off. But I think that it will be ok."
Then thats false advertising for the show because people who see the add are going to expect to see a BRB in the Austin Stevens Snakemaster show which highlights venomous and dangerous reptiles.
I wasn't worried about the add, it was just my observations of seeing a BRB in an advertisement for this type of show.
Uncloudy
DominaEve
Mar 08, 2005 02:09 PM
Uncloudy ~
I understand your point. It can be annoying when the animals we love are placed in a context that may be misconstrued as negative. I think the comments that were made were just not to worry too much about it.
Snakes in general have a bad rep. Nothing we can do about it except do our part to educate on an individual basis.
My BRB, Eve, has got to be one of the most docile creatures I have ever come into contact with. Yet, people will just see her as another snake to be feared. In a performance I did last month I had two women absolutely freak out when I brought her on stage. One lady got so hysterical that her friends had to usher her out of the place. You know, I wasn't even closer than 10 feet from the lady. Eve is an average sized 3 year old BRB. Not that big compared to some other boas and pythons I have seen. I would think their slendar appearance would even make them less threatening. I didn't understand the reaction at all. Anyhow...
My point is that regardless of the Snakemaster showcasing a Rainbow or not, people are going to be afraid, unfortunately. If you watch his show, you also know that he does NOT focus on venomous snakes all of the time. The show is really well rounded and educational. People are less likely to notice a particular snake in an add, and more likely to remember what he says about a snake during the show.
Just wondering if anyone saw the show with Jeff Corwin when he found a BRB in the wild? It was awesome! Big sucker! Might not have been a BRB due to the size, but it was a gorgeous orange, and was as thick as my forearm at least!
msubigdawg
Mar 29, 2005 09:59 PM
I saw that Jeff Corwin show and that was an awsome looking snake.
john127
Mar 09, 2005 10:02 AM
Oh, I agree, it was just an observation.
You're right, some people just think all snakes are venomous. When I bought my first my own mother asked me, "They're not poisonous, are they?", as if I would have a dangerous animal in my home.
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- John
1.0 Baird's Rat (Milton)
1.0 Okeetee Corn (Edgar)
0.1 Ball Python (Agatha)
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Rudyard)
Uncloudy
Mar 10, 2005 06:45 PM
Well said Noel and John.
I agree with what both you have pointed out. I guess I should just be happy that our beloved BRB friends are being shown on TV at all. Being that BRBs are the one of the most beautiful boas and snakes ever! The general public can always come up with their own conclusions.
Happy Herping,
Uncloudy
