Don't believe anything you read in the Daily Mail

Here's the original story on March 4:

An Israeli model has been hospitalised after being bitten on the breast by a snake during an ill-fated radio stunt. ...

She received a tetanus shot and stayed for observation, but has suffered no long-term damage from the incident.

Here's the Daily Mail version on Mar 15 after being sexed up:

But surgically enhanced Israeli model Orit Fox got more than she bargained for when the massive boa constrictor took objection to her over familiarity and reacted by biting into her breast.

However, it was the snake who came off worse because, while Ms Fox need a tetanus shot in hospital, the reptile later died from silicone poisoning.

Readers are invited to list, in comments, all the different ways that this is impossible.

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Silicone is non-toxic. They use it in Terrariums FFS.

By Ben Haslem (not verified) on 15 Mar 2011 #permalink

Teeth pointing inwards doesn't prevent them from biting someones breast (they often bite their handlers), but inflicting a wound deep enough to penetrate an implant may be a challenge.

Umm, Dom, have you even seen Orit Fox? Do a Google and tell me that any snake, teeth inwards or out, can bite her bosom ...

Holy silicon cyborgs, Batman.

By akiwiinoz (not verified) on 15 Mar 2011 #permalink

... uh, and especially a Boa Constrictor, of course, which was my point. :) Biting finger or things that have a bitable, pointy bit; easy. Biting Orit Fox bosom, huge and unmanageable as they are; probably impossible when your teeth are pointing inwards.

Depending on where the implants are located, it's possible the snake never got anywhere close to piercing them.

By rienzi0711 (not verified) on 15 Mar 2011 #permalink

Who'd like to ask Tim how he came by this remarkable story?

It's easy, the snake died of fright.

So presumably this snake not only bit the silly cow but in one bite took off both her breasts and swallowed them.

Seems to me it would've died of terminal constipation.

OK, enough of that. Now back to the Daily Mail's continuing 24/7 coverage of Kelly Brook, and the occasional (!) story about a British footballer cheating on his wife or girlfriend, or both.

(I do have to say, though, they had the most comprehensive collection of Japanese earthquake/tsunami pictures I've seen anywhere.)

Isn't everyone missing the obvious. Put aside the fact that silicone is non-toxic as it is used in cookware, wound care, sex toys, and various other objects and applications that can be injested, inserted into and smeared on the human body; put aside that we do not know whether her implants are saline or silicone filled. Given that she only needed a tetanus shot while in hospital means that her implant was not punctured and that said snake could not have injested anything.
*
"massive boa constrictor" my arse. The clip on youtube shows it is only 6-8 feet long.

By savemejeebus (not verified) on 15 Mar 2011 #permalink

"Put aside the fact that silicone is non-toxic as it is used in cookware, wound care, sex toys, and various other objects and applications that can be injested, inserted into and smeared on the human body;"

Icluding breast implants...

By Lars Karlsson (not verified) on 16 Mar 2011 #permalink

The snake should sue for libel.

The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated, just like Orit Fox's fake breasts.

By Boa Constrictor (not verified) on 16 Mar 2011 #permalink

The Armenian Radio was asked: "Is it true that an Israeli model was bitten in the breast by a snake which then died from silicone poisoning?"
The Armenian Radio answers: "In principle yes, but it was not an Israeli model, rather a Welsh mailman, and he was not bitten by a snake, but by a dog and it wasn't in the breast, but in the leg. Also, the dog did not die of silicone poisoning, rather it was put to sleep. Everything else is accurate."

By Phillip IV (not verified) on 16 Mar 2011 #permalink

Gack! I saw this video on Tosh.0 (an American comedian who has a show on Comedy Central featuring You Tube videos along with ironic comment) Snake bit her right on the left tata.

You ask whether there was anything wrong with the DM story, but I have to ask in retort "did you see the stunt? Anything wrong with that?".

By Rattus Norvegicus (not verified) on 16 Mar 2011 #permalink

Silicone breasts are kitniyot. So, the snake died of shame.

By Jeffrey Davis (not verified) on 16 Mar 2011 #permalink

I don't know much about either breast implants or boa constrictors, but I'll take a shot at this:

1. A boa's teeth are nowhere near long enough to penetrate down to the breast implants, which are located under the mammary glands or even under the pectoral muscles.

2. Even if they were long enough, they probably couldn't pierce the extremely tough lining of the implant, and would most likely just push the implant inward.

3. Even if they pierced the implant, the silicone gel is a semi-solid that wouldn't leak into the snake's mouth. The snake wouldn't ingest any measurable amount.

4. Even if the snake ingested some, it's non-toxic.

Do I win?

Only if you add

5. The Snake was Snake Plisken. Who liked it. Dirty dog.

Okay, I've read the story... Ms Fox got to first base, the snake made it to second.

I think this is a case of journalistic Chinese whispers. The Mail picked up the story from a publication less rigorous with the facts, who couldn't resist adding what is clearly the punch line from a tired stand up routine. "Did you hear (insert name of well endowed celebrity here) got bitten by a snake? She's okay but the snake died of etc etc etc"

PS I was kidding about the 'rigorous with the facts' bit.

Correction. It's the Daily Mail that is surgically enhanced: a significant percentage of its content is breast-based.

At least they keep abreast of the news...sorry all.

By Donald Oats (not verified) on 16 Mar 2011 #permalink

Still can't get to this site from work. I have passed my IP on to ScienceBlogs with no response or effect. A university friend has let me post this from their browser. Sorry but you have lost me and who knows how many other readers.

The incident described is impossible because each brassiere cup increment requires six feet of snake length to gape wide enough to devour the contents.
Thus it takes a twenty-four foot boa to attack a D-cup model.

As the terpsichordian Miss Fox is an E cup at the very least, and there are no thirty foot boas, the incident is fictitious.

By Dacron Mather (not verified) on 17 Mar 2011 #permalink

One glance at the edifying pages of the Daily Mail is enough to convince me that James Delingpole has gone off moonlighting from the Spectator*.

* note to Editor : do not fail to invite Miss Fox to the garden party .

the Daily Mail report of my death is greatly
exaggerated ! slurp !

By In Hell's Kitc… (not verified) on 18 Mar 2011 #permalink

Obligatory note of apologies the Daily Fail was forced to publish:

* "In fact Mr Bellamy had not been on an all day drinking session nor did he assault anybody. Mr Bellamy has been working in Sierra Leone setting up a charitable foundation for local children. We apologise for any embarrassment caused. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/article-1040112/Craig-Bellamy.html

* "This was wrong. David Gest has never had a sexually transmitted infection and did not have Ms Minnelli's dog killed." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1027836/David-Gest.html

Hold up there, David Cog.

We Mail fans are having none of your nit-picking!

By Marion Delgado (not verified) on 19 Mar 2011 #permalink

I googled the name Orit Fox and saw pics of her with her giant breasts. I actually find women who have had such plastic surgeries repulsive. Woman should be happy with whatever breasts their DNA give them, in most cases. Taylor Swift is an example of someone who will never need breast implants, or any other cosmetic surgery, to look beautiful.

Silicone implants are placed at the back to push the breast forward, the snake bit near her nipple, so it's unlikely to have come in contact with any silicone. Besides. it was a Boa constrictor which have rows of smaller teeth and not elongated fangs so it wouldn't have penetrated very deep into the flesh anyway.