The prospect of eating bugs after bungee jumping in order to win $50,000, or gain five minutes of fame, may have appealed to the more than 200 hopefuls who showed up for a casting call for the NBC show “Fear Factor” at Alpha Lounge in San Francisco on Saturday.

"I'm a vegetarian but I would eat beef for 50 G's," said Christine Fuller, 33. "I'm all about that money. I can use it for nursing school."

Fuller, a Daly City medic and former SF State CPR seminar conductor, said that she would do anything and everything if chosen for the show, and that her highest hope was to bungee jump from the top of a tall building.

The show challenges contestants to confront common fears by crashing cars at high speeds, performing high-altitude stunts, and climbing into boxes filled with various creepy, crawly creatures. Contestants are also asked to eat unusual foods, like insects and animal organs.

Braving cold, dreary weather, prospective contestants arrived at the lounge between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. where they waited to be interviewed in a line that extended up Geary Boulevard.

While waiting, prospective contestants filled out application forms featuring questions concerning marital status, occupation, ambitions, swimming ability, most embarrassing story, and best kept secrets.

Once inside the lounge, people were put into groups of five and two “Fear Factor” coordinators conducted group interviews, according to one prospective contestant, 23-year-old SF State criminal justice major, Patrick Gabriel, who was in and out of the lounge in ten minutes.

"During the interviews, our coordinators sat on a couch and they had us sitting in a circle on the floor where they asked us questions, like 'Who in the group would you want to take home?' or 'What do you think the person next to you does for a living?' said Gabriel. “While they asked questions, they threw balls out to us when we weren't expecting it to test our reflexes.”

He admitted that he would like "to win this thing," but he doubts his chances for being cast are very high.

Nonetheless, Gabriel said he thought he gave off the right attitude and left a good impression with the “Fear Factor” staff. But, there may be one factor he said could hold him back--his one great fear : swimming.

Others expressed different fears that could lessen their chances of being cast.

"I will not eat brains or spinal cord," said waitress and mother Lynn Joneikis, 31. "I'm scared of mad cow disease."

There were others who expressed no fears at all.

Joneikis and Fuller are only two of the many possible contestants over the age of 30 who showed up, despite age requirements advertised online as being 21-30. Forty-year-old Alejandro Hernandez, a father of three, said that he felt his age should have nothing to do with whether or not he gets picked for the show.

"I am here to prove myself," he said.

Clearly he was not alone. Some brave souls put on their competitive faces while others wore clothing that would get them noticed, ranging from shirt slogans stating, "Keep staring, I might do a trick," to wearing sexy low-cut tops and spike heels.

Press was nowhere to be seen, but some possible contestants, such as College of San Mateo student Kimberly Isola, 21, found entertainment in posing for photos in front of “Fear Factor” casting call banners while waiting to be interviewed.

Isola, who would not disclose her fears because it might "clue in the competition," said she thinks she has a chance at being cast.

"I'm a fearless Italian," said Isola. "I love a challenge and I'm doing it to get the money,"
Alpha Lounge owner Benjamin Cheng, 29, appeared enthusiastic about the turnout for the event and said that everything fell into place.

Cheng, an apparent mastermind at either planning, persuasion or both, said that he "called and called and called and called..," asking to host the auditions at his establishment.

He convinced those at “Fear Factor” of his ability to successfully host the event by using his personal philosophy, to "develop the deal before the deal is done." Now that the deal is done, possible contestants have several days where they must wait to hear from the “Fear Factor” crew.

"They said they'll call us whether we make it or not," said Gabriel.

Among many of those who tried out for the casting call, one thing is for sure: their greatest fear was rejection.