Did anyone have the intestinal fortitude to make it through the entire show? I didn't - about 20 minutes was all I could stomach. Made me a little ashamed to be a Texan, to be honest.

Bravo, Animal Planet - in the never-ending search for new depths to sink to, you guys never disappoint.

Mark you did better than me.....I only made it about five minutes in before finding something else to watch.

I heard it on the livingroom tv, from the kitchen... went and turned it off. Think I'll send them a letter/e-mail, commenting on the depths they have sunk to... jim

I put it on for about a minute...and changed it after the rattlesnake was "pulling" the guy down a 30 ft hole. Lucky for him his friend was able to hold on to him! lol

I made it all the way through, although it was pretty disgusitng throughout.

Can someone give a synopsis? Never heard of it; I try not to watch AP when I'm home and now I'm out of the country.

Several groups of people from the bottom 2% of the Texas redneck population, scouring the countryside in search of atrox for roundups. They reminded me of the guys from "Swamp People", transplanted to Texas, but worse.

Thanks, I'll make sure to keep as far away from it as possible

I already make sure not to fill up or eat in Sweetwater when I go through...where are they filming this?

Animal Planet has sunk to a new low. I watched, though I'm not sure why. I guess it was one of those train wreck kind of things I couldn't look away from. If someone figures out how to get an email to Animal Planet I would like to know. I went to their website and their Facebook page last night to express my disgust, but could find no way to do so. I really lost interest in Animal Planet years ago, and now I remember why. They are all about sensationalization and do not care at all about informing the public about animals any more. One more reason for me to save some money by dropping cable!

I couldn't tell, specifically, but it looked like one crew was out of the Waco area, and another down in south Texas, and a couple more up in the Panhandle. To be honest, I was too dumbfounded that they would actually run that show on AP to pay a lot of attention to details.

I was mostly horrified at the thought of the rest of the country watching and assuming that they were seeing a typical slice of Texana.......

damn I hope none of them were near me If so I will proceed to feel ashamed of my region.

I can't believe AP did that...I mean yeah AP sucks but really?? This? Jeez.

Just as Sweetwater and other roundups are starting to decline and snake corpse souvenirs are losing their appeal, AP comes to breath new life into the snake slaughter industry.

Turn burned out, loser snake killers into celebrities - check
Supplement the income of wildlife exploiters - check
Inspire others to start killing for profit - check
Generate positive press and interests in roundups -check
Make reptile enthusiasts look bad - check
Portray reptiles as an evil menace that must be contained - check

You only left out one thing, Daryl.....

Make Texas look like the world's largest repository of inbred bumpkins - check

True. I was kinda hoping nobody would notice.

Pretty much identical to Deadliest Catch, except with rattlesnakes.

Lots of pretty reckless catching techniques. Lots of bad narrative trying to be informative.

But hey, you're takin the heat off arkansas on inbred bumpkins!

So "Snakeskin" only got 6 episodes, this series will probably run for years...
Someone find a link to comment on this to animal planet...we need to bombard them with comments.

I actually watched the whole thing with hopes they would speak of conservation. Instead is was the same old crap and Animal Planet is just in for the money and not the animals anymore.

They pound on the drama of how these guys are risking their lives for their "profession". All the while NO ONE is wearing gloves, and they are all free handling hots for no reason whatsoever. They all have tongs, but apparently having your hand behind the snake's head is a prerequisite to being able to stick it in a 5 gallon bucket.
Not only are they stupid, but they're dumb at it.

It's about as bad as that "Swamp Wars" show on AP where the guy says he can't resist handling every hot snake he finds, and the more venomous the more irresistable it is to him. And this guy works for Miami-Dade County. A real great example for the youth who are watching the show.

Apparently, they're not really interested in viewer feedback. I searched all over for a simple comment/feedback option or a public forum. They have a Facebook page but I apparently can't comment there unless I join Facebook (not gonna happen).

I did finally find and use a comment form at the below link.

http://corporate.discovery.com/contact/viewer-relations/

I was disgusted by this show. I found it interesting a couple of times they were going to their honey hole, and there were no snakes. Could it be they wiped them out at those sites last year. Animal Planet is crap now. They pump fear into people about snakes and can't even get their facts straight. If I had a dollar for everytime they showed a Ball Python and talked about Burmese. They will let anybody on their channel.

This is Animal Planet's comment form. Once you select Animal Planet on the second page, it has to select the program. I marked "other" since Rattlesnake Republic doesn't appear to be listed.
Comment away!
http://corporate.discovery.com/contact/ ... relations/

I could only stand to watch ~5 mins of the show. It is a FAR cry from quality programing. I know I sent my comments to AP! Hopefully last nights premier will be the first and last episode aired.

-Chris

I got it on the DVR but I guess I'll delete it without having to watch it. Thanks for the heads up.

For the record, there is also a "Boycott Animal Planet for Using Scare Tactics" Facebook page that can be joined for anyone with a FB account:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk= ... 8993595070

I emailed them. Here is their response:

Dear Viewer:

Thank you for contacting Animal Planet. We appreciate your correspondence
and for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with us about
Rattlesnake Republic.

In an effort to ensure the highest quality programming, comments such as
these are taken very seriously. Each and every comment is forwarded on to
our programming executives for review and consideration. Maintaining the
integrity of all of our networks is our primary goal. It is these types of
comments that contribute to creating change and improving our programming.

Again, thank you for contacting Animal Planet.

Sincerely,

Viewer Relations
Animal Planet


A reply to this message will not be answered. If you have additional
questions or comments, please go to our webform at
http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations .

I got to say, the combination of putting the sea shepard eco-terrorist group combined with this new show have caused me to remove this channel from my usual rotation....kinda of sad it used to be a good channel to watch with the kids.

Electronic form letter - about what I'd expect.

Yep. But why haven't I received mine? My junk mail folder feels so rejected.

Maybe your spam filter is doing a better job than you'd thought!

here's what I sent them...
Not actually about Wild Recon...Don's a friend and I provided animals for both Wild Recon and Venom in Vegas. As the Ca. Education Coordinator for the North American Field Herping Association, and an International Board Member, I must tell you our whole organization is up-in-arms over that disgusting piece of crap you aired called "Rattlesnake Republic'. To the point we are considering National Boycotts of the TV providers who carry AP. If you're even remotely interesteed in the opinions of 'Real Reptile people' check the forum and see what we have to say. Nafha will soon have the most comprehensive reptile database on the continent, and will soon yield considerable influence in the writing of reptile laws and policy. The FIRST thing we'll do is stop rattlesnake roundups and the sensationalists who profit from the actions of these redneck (_!_)holes (that's YOU) I'm taking AP off my viewing list, as are most of our members. Jim Bass Ca. Ed Coord. NAFHA.

Hey Jim,

Sorry but I'm not taking your opinion into much account considering that you've helped to make bad tv, and make herpers look bad along the way. Maybe get new friends who don't make you lose your own integrity, or just get new friends. I can't say how happy I am that Wild Recon failed. I have to hear about these type of shows from my family and friends who think I'm as stupid as these jerks on TV. I'm not btw.

That was a while ago, and I was friends with Don before he went 'all Hollywood'... he 'used to' do some respectable herp stuff. I've since learned my lesson and won't be contributing anything, for anymore 'shows'. I just picked Wild recon, to get in the door, at Discovery.... jim

Don continues to work in the industry, and has done some somewhat better shows... like 'Speed of Life' and a couple of others I can't think of right now. We don't talk much anymore.

Considering the state of TV today (reality CRAP) AP airing a crap show is just par for the course.... it's the 'swamp people' and 'rattler rustlers' that are inconceivable lame, and we SHOULD TRY to do something about.
I'm hitting the sack now, and will be gone for the weekend, so I can't (and won't) be a part of this thread derailment. jim

Exactly the same response I got back, word for word.
Who knows, enough people comment and they might actually hear us.
Josh

Is AP in any way "connected" to HSUS?
:Mark

I doubt the HSUS would support rattlesnake roundups.

HSUS has had a definite "presence" in some AP programming, though.

H.S.U.S is an Animal Planet ROAR partner:
http://animal.discovery.com/roar/partners/partners.html

Unfortunately, we are not the target audience. It is the low information viewer who watches NASCAR in the hope of seeing a wreck or two. They inject a lot of extra drama into these programs to appeal to a broader audience and throw out factoids in an attempt to qualify the programming as educational. If people were really interested in finding out about animals, they might spend some time outdoors observing them rather than in front of the television. It has moved beyond the disneyficiation of wildlife to the springerization.

So were these rounded-up snakes killed? If so, there isn't much hope for wildlife elsewhere, with the number of conservationists in the U.S. This sort of thing should be illegal and these people shot.

Sounds reasonable.

This show is such bull!
I cannot believe that AP would encourage killing of animals like this. I'm watching it now barely able to stand it.
These stupid inbred rednecks are just trying to make money, they know nothing of the power and wonder of these beautiful creatures.

I hope they all get bit!

This was the worst show ever. First, I don't know how any reputable media outlet could believe that this was informative and worthy of broadcasting. The good old boys they showed were pathetic, greedy, and show no consideration for natural resources. Second, rattlesnake round ups are just down right awful and if Animal Planet really gave a s@!t about animals they would have mentioned all the ways that these jerks go around hunting everything in sight. Agree, an all new low for sure. Next it will be billy bob huntin' gators and snapping turtles for canning meat.

Now why can't they do the same thing with snakes that they have done with sharks?

Shark week has some of the highest ratings and loyal viewers.... everybody has learned to love sharks... there are some "scare tactic" kinda shows on there but for the most part shark week is about celebrating sharks as amazing animals and UN-Demonizing them in a way.

why not snake week? Kids would LOVE that.
not that I'd watch it since I don't own a television.

TV just coerces people into caring way to much about things they normally wouldn't....
case in point.... All commercial advertising, American Idol.... umm... and this whole thread.

Animal Planet is Shite... Nat Geo is just as bad... sensationalist, un-educated, garbage...
OK I do like Jeff Corwin... he does it right.... he's a cheeseball but at least he isn't a deutchey, sensationalist faker like some of those other TV show Herpetologists
I've got a better solution to this whole problem though.... Kill your Television.

LOL just read the form letter.... "Integrity of our network" HA! what a joke.

i have learned much from animal planet. i never knew that dwarves had such an uncanny knack with pitbulls,or that people are lucky to even exist in south florida with all the incredibly dangerous wildlife there. mostly what i have learned is that the average viewer appears to be dumber than me otherwise this shit wouldn't be aired.

i have recieved 5 form letters in response to my concerns

I stopped 15 min into the show, If these are the main guys representing herpers on TV we are all doomed- It was a travesty.

I wouldn't use the term "herper" to describe these people-I doubt they have any actual interest in herpetology.

I've been to a few herp conferences where aspiring herpetologists have video of their fieldwork, Professors the same and amatures as well. Some of the videos I've seen have been riveting with interesting people, doing interesting things, at interesting places. I would love to see someone pick up on this. Then we could have some tv that is higher caliber and not sickening.

I would hope that people would find the reality to be as, if not more entertaining than this staged drama on AP. Shows like Herpers are a step in the right direction, and if Dan K. ever gets his movie finished. I like Dan's videos.

I received the same form letter..
Dear Viewer:

Thank you for contacting Animal Planet. We appreciate your correspondence
and for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with us about
Rattlesnake Republic.

In an effort to ensure the highest quality programming, comments such as
these are taken very seriously. Each and every comment is forwarded on to
our programming executives for review and consideration. Maintaining the
integrity of all of our networks is our primary goal. It is these types of
comments that contribute to creating change and improving our programming.

Again, thank you for contacting Animal Planet.

Sincerely,

Viewer Relations
Animal Planet


A reply to this message will not be answered. If you have additional
questions or comments, please go to our webform at
http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations .


For anyone interested there is a facebook group:
Boycott Animal Planet & Other Programs Using Scare Tactics
http://www.facebook.com/groups/378993595070/?ap=1