Du Quoin kids and parents walk on the wild side...
Out of over 4,000 contestants on last year's "America's Got Talent," producers of the show bumped Serengeti Steve's final round appearances because international insurer Lloyd's of London wouldn't insure the live audience against the six rattlesnakes he put in his mouth at one time.
Steve filled city hall in Du Quoin Thursday (but certainly not with venomous snakes) during his traveling "Reptile Experience" show, letting children cradle his 5-year-old pet alligator in their arms and teasing parents with his pet tarantula. "It's all about the trust test," he said as he promised one mother not to put the tarantula on her head if "you just close your eyes and look the other way. Trust me!" With that, he softly walked his fingers through her hair and down her forehead. The mother opened her eyes halfway through the experience in surprise that it was just fingers and not the tarantula.
Steve told the kids about "everything reptile," including the fact that Australia is home to the three deadliest snakes in the world. " If anybody asks you about where the deadliest anything is, it's probably Australia," he said.
Serengeti Steve began his career in herpetology over 20 years ago and has been entertaining crowds ever since. He has raised and maintained over 200 species of reptiles and arachnids from around the globe, including some of the worlds deadliest cobras & mambas to alligators & Komodo dragons in the basement of his home.
Although Steve's love of all animals is high on the list, he said first love and driving force will always be entertaining the children and adults attending his performances, which now number about 600 a year.
He has appeared on NBC's "America's Got Talent", making it to the Las Vegas finals. Along with numerous other television appearances, Steve has performed for the St. Louis Cardinals, Ameristar Casino and various celebrities.
His appearance in Du Quoin was made possible because of Du Quoin Library Services director Kristina Benson, Pam Collins at John A. Logan and a Secretary of State's grant.