Fox News 9:45 Friday Morning

Good Luck Dude!

Well I'm excited for you Trey. Make us Georgian's proud! I know you will.

Justin

I am going to watch for sure... I hope they show it here in Florida. Maybe they will, considering that the snake "incident" happened here.

PS this will also be the first time I have ever watched FOX! hehe

You are doing a great thing... you should be proud!

I haven't read the whole thread, so I hope I'm not repeating what someone else said, but take your biggest, most docile snake and show them what a sweetheart it is!

I think it is a great opportunity to educate the public a little.

One big point (for me at least) is letting people know that the term python covers many many species. Most people hear about these huge burmese pythons in the everglades and think ALL pythons are huge and potentialy dangerous.

The difference between a Ball and a Burmese is like a house cat to a mountain lion. Yes they are both felines but one gets much larger and their diets, behaviors and security requirements are much different.

If THEY mention the feral burmese situation in the US it would wise to point out that these animals come from very warm tropical climates which means southern florida/everglades is the ONLY place the could survive and they pose NO threat to the rest of the continetal USA. Anything in the 60's or lower would be a death sentence. Thus why the need to outlaw them in the entire USA. We should make laws based on scientific fact, not myths and paranoia. The other arguement is they pose a threat to native species but the fact is dogs kill more native animals than EVERY reptile pet combined! If that was the concern then we should outlaw dogs which everyone would think is completely ridiculous.

I also feel that by allowing people to own these animals it makes us more aware of our natural enviroment and appreciate all creatures so in the long run it helps animals and the enviroment.

Once again only bring it up if they do, I think they will since this is a current event hot topic.

Bring up all the morphs, that makes people go oooh and ahhh!

best of luck bro!

Oh my GOD!!!! I wanted to jump threw the tv and strangle both of the news anchors. I hate people like that. Good job man.

What happened??! Dying to find out... or see some footage!

I watched it and made a ghetto video for it. Encoding it right now, will be up within the hour I hope.

Link: YouTube - Trey Barnard of Fireballpythons.com Fox National News Interview

Now Working.

Great job Trey!!!!!

Good job Trey.

Thanks.
It was very fun to do. You could see my hand tremor. There are a few things I forgot to throw in but for the most part I was happy with it.
Thanks for all the support!
Trey

That guy is a moron- and you handled it great Trey!!! GOOD JOB!!!!!!! You should be proud! :)

Ummm, you mean that today is really Friday and I don't have to go to work tomorrow???

Wooo Hoooo!

Trey - you did a great job!

Trey you did very well. I don't like how the news station set up the interview (video of burm biting a camera, etc. on the right of the screen - what's the point of that except to scare viewers...) but what can you do. I wish people like that female news reporter would try to understand other people's way of thinking; she acted so freaked out by the idea of snakes - I don't care if that's what she really feels but she is on television and it is supposedly a neutral news station, she should keep her fears to herself. But hey, it's Fox, and it could have been much worse - good job answering all the questions under pressure!! :gj:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Ummm, you mean that today is really Friday and I don't have to go to work tomorrow???

Wooo Hoooo!

Trey - you did a great job!

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I thought it was supposed to be Friday too?:confused:

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

I thought it was supposed to be Friday too?:confused:

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Apparently, you and I didn't get the secret squirrel memo, because everyone else seems like they knew it was today. ;)

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Apparently, you and I didn't get the secret squirrel memo, because everyone else seems like they knew it was today. ;)

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Good thing I knew to record it for everyone huh ;)

Nice work - those reporters were nimwits, however, I would say that their attitude towards snakes is on par with 98% of the public.

Interestiong how they had the split screen with the burm being taunted and defensive on one side and then the ball pythons harmlessly exploring on the other. It drew attention away from the docile nature of your pets. Fox news blows.

Update:

http://www.foxnews.com/search-result...q=Trey+Barnard

Fox finally posted their video. (It's a lot nicer than mine)

Biggest compliant of the whole thing is no mention of the fact that not all pythons get huge.
The host is going on about how dangerous they are and if Trey is worried about them hurting him or someone and no mention that ball pythons don't get large enough to hurt anyone. :(
Trey looked and sounded very nervous and I understand that but that was a critical mistake...

Nicely done, Trey. They seemed that they were trying to throw you off and you didn't get razzed. Fox news blows.

...the video is still loading, and all I see is the title "Pet or Predator"...and I'm already mad :rage:

..."don't pass that guy on the sidewalk"...... :::sigh:::

"I, having no experience with snakes whatsoever, beg to differ on their ability to harm" :rolleye2:

well handled man, you did a great job!

I would have to say I'm extremely disappointed with the way Fox handled the interview, and the spin they've put on it afterward with headlines like "Pet or Predator". :irkd: However, I do believe ANY of the big morning news programs would do exactly the same thing. It's hardly a Fox issue....it's an issue of all the media assuming anyone "normal" will hate snakes and therefore be more drawn to a negative spin pushed as an effort to "get the other side of the story" because they're so "fair."

Trey...kudos to you man! Took guts to get up on national TV that way! I'm sure I would have stumbled and stuttered through the whole thing if it were me!

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Originally Posted by JLC

I would have to say I'm extremely disappointed with the way Fox handled the interview, and the spin they've put on it afterward with headlines like "Pet or Predator". :irkd: However, I do believe ANY of the big morning news programs would do exactly the same thing. It's hardly a Fox issue....it's an issue of all the media assuming anyone "normal" will hate snakes and therefore be more drawn to a negative spin pushed as an effort to "get the other side of the story" because they're so "fair."

Trey...kudos to you man! Took guts to get up on national TV that way! I'm sure I would have stumbled and stuttered through the whole thing if it were me!

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I agree with you 100% Judy. At least we know that Fox is at least willing to put someone from the other end of the spectrum on the news, we'll just have to see if they continue with this...

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Originally Posted by AaronP

I agree with you 100% Judy. At least we know that Fox is at least willing to put someone from the other end of the spectrum on the news, we'll just have to see if they continue with this...

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+1 Any station will put their slant. It was nice that they picked someone in the field, and that is actually established and knows what he is talking about, to give some insight.

I still think they don't realize their 3 year old banter afterwords sways opinions. Well, maybe the do, and in that case it's worse. :mad:

Now if you will excuse me..I'm in the middle of being strangled by my 20 foot hognose.. :snake:

That took a lot of guts man, but they sure made it hard to put a positive spin on it.

I couldn't resist putting in my .02 ....even if they'll never read it. :cool:

Sent this e-mail:

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Dear Fox & Friends,

I saw your interview with Trey Barnard, and I must say, as a long-time fan of Fox News, that I am very disappointed with the way it all was handled. If you really want to show the side of having snakes as pets, then show it. Comparing ball pythons to giants like reticulated pythons or Burmese pythons (as shown in the split video beside Trey) is like doing an interview with a cat lover and showing a split video of lions and tigers, all the while talking about how one tiger escaped and killed someone.

The vast majority of snakes kept as pets in this country and around the world are completely harmless. The vast majority of pythons kept as pets are small species that never exceed 6 foot in length and rarely even that much. There has never been a single recorded or anecdotal incident of a ball python killing someone, despite the millions of them kept as pets. Contrast that with dogs who injure and kill people every year. And even cats sometimes inflict serious injury or kill an infant. Should we ban all dog or cat ownership because of a relative few irresponsible people and some unavoidable accidents?

Also, the vast majority of pet snakes kept across the country could never survive if released into their local environment, much less breed and successfully multiply. What has happened in Florida should be dealt with in Florida. Creating national legislation that treats all snakes and exotic pets as equally dangerous and equally capable of "invading" our environments is preposterous.

I'm an administrator/owner of a website called Ball-Pythons.net. This is a forum setting that specializes in teaching people how to care for their reptile pets. We have over 12,000 registered members with hundreds and hundreds that participate every single day. As people who enjoy and appreciate snakes (and other reptiles) as pets, we come in all shapes and sizes. Personally, I am a mother of three lovely children and the wife of a Lt.Col. in the Air Force. I currently own three snakes, and would own more if our military lifestyle did not make it impractical to do so at this time.

I completely understand that not everyone will "get it" or ever come to like snakes. But should those who appreciate and keep snakes be shown such disrespect when they are invited onto your show and asked to tell their story? I happen to know Trey personally as well. And I'd be happy to have him at my back in a dark alley or on your sidewalk...anytime.

Sincerely,
Judy Clothier
Ball-Pythons.net Administrator/Owner

(also included my personal contact info...ya never know!)

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Great piece Judy!!!!

Nicely put Judy.

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Originally Posted by JLC

I couldn't resist putting in my .02 ....even if they'll never read it. :cool:

Sent this e-mail:

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Very well written! :)

My little wordsmith friend!!! Great letter Judy - I think it would be cool if they ended up contacting YOU to speak as a representative of this forum!

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Originally Posted by rabernet

My little wordsmith friend!!! Great letter Judy - I think it would be cool if they ended up contacting YOU to speak as a representative of this forum!

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I'd be astonished if they gave the issue that much attention. But if they did...I'd need a stiff drink or two! :rolleye2:

Snakes make entertaining news, I wouldn't be astonished.

Absolutely excellent letter Judy! I haven't had a chance yet to see the video of the interview.

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Originally Posted by JLC

I couldn't resist putting in my .02 ....even if they'll never read it. :cool:

Sent this e-mail:

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Out of everything I have read to help our herp comunity this has to be the best ever. I hope they do contact you and/or the forum so they can get some of what we do and, understand how treated propperly and respected how enjoyable these animals really are.

oh you should mention that you are a member of a strong online community (bp.net) that provides support and information, naw i am just kidding

everything the reporters said was to be expected especially their little comments at the end... But you just kept smiling, you did a great job!

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Originally Posted by mxrider42

You could see my hand tremor.

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You did a great job. I didn't even notice the hand tremor until I saw your post then watched the interview a second time. I have enough trouble giving presentations in front of 20 people let alone the nation. Awesome job.:gj:

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Originally Posted by panthercz

Trey looked and sounded very nervous and I understand that but that was a critical mistake...

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I disagree, I think he looked pretty comfortable, what you might be mistaking as nervousness is Treys hands shaking, and what you probably dont know is Trey has a tremor condition in his hands which causes his hands to shake like that normally and sometimes it can be bad enough to even tell it in his voice. This is what you are probably mistaking as nervousness, his fellow breeders here in Georgia give him a hard time about it all the time. :cool: But I think Trey looked very collected and did a great job, its hard to say how anyone would do put in the same situation, with less than a day to prepare. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by PrototypePythons

I disagree, I think he looked pretty comfortable, what you might be mistaking as nervousness is Treys hands shaking, and what you probably dont know is Trey has a tremor condition in his hands which causes his hands to shake like that normally and sometimes it can be bad enough to even tell it in his voice. This is what you are probably mistaking as nervousness, his fellow breeders here in Georgia give him a hard time about it all the time. :cool: But I think Trey looked very collected and did a great job, its hard to say how anyone would do put in the same situation, with less than a day to prepare. :rolleyes:

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I didn't even notice it until he mentioned it himself. He looked good and calm. His answers were great and on point, too. Very well handled! :gj:

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Originally Posted by HypoPita

I didn't even notice it until he mentioned it himself. He looked good and calm. His answers were great and on point, too. Very well handled! :gj:

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tis indeed :gj:

Brilliant letter Judy, I hope you dont mind me stealing parts of it for my letters to all my favorite congress people.:salute:

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

Brilliant letter Judy, I hope you dont mind me stealing parts of it for my letters to all my favorite congress people.:salute:

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Honestly, I can't imagine it being stated any better than she put it.

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Originally Posted by JLC

However, I do believe ANY of the big morning news programs would do exactly the same thing.

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First I want to say, awesome letter Judy - very very well written.

However I really think they could have done better. Look at this local story I posted awhile back with Jeff Corwin. http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ht=corwin+news Granted this was a local, not national, station, and Corwin's a pretty famous dude, but at least the reporters were a little more curious and excited about the reptiles than outright blindly afraid and dismissive. I find a lot of the Fox national news stories to be purely sensationalist, unfortunately.

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

Brilliant letter Judy, I hope you dont mind me stealing parts of it for my letters to all my favorite congress people.:salute:

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Be my guest!

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Originally Posted by dsirkle

Honestly, I can't imagine it being stated any better than she put it.

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Awww, thanks, Dale! :oops:

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Originally Posted by icygirl

First I want to say, awesome letter Judy - very very well written.

However I really think they could have done better. Look at this local story I posted awhile back with Jeff Corwin. http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ht=corwin+news Granted this was a local, not national, station, and Corwin's a pretty famous dude, but at least the reporters were a little more curious and excited about the reptiles than outright blindly afraid and dismissive. I find a lot of the Fox national news stories to be purely sensationalist, unfortunately.

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Thanks! And I totally agree that it could have been done a LOT better. Hence the purpose for my letter to them. And I do believe there are plenty of journalists out there who are still true journalists and can do a fine job of presenting a story without spinning it with their own personal prejudices. Unfortunately, very few of them work national news, and even fewer work the BIG time on the national news like the morning shows or prime time shows. I find almost all the news presented nationally to be purely sensationalist...regardless of which station is putting it out. It's just harder to see it that way when you agree in general with the spin it's being given.

I hated the part where the host said "How do you know for sure they won't escape"

I wanted to scream... the same way you know your dog won't get away... It was a stupid question....

Good job Trey.

Justin

Great job man. He could have had better questions but you handled it well :gj:

I think trey did very well.


The questions though sucked and got us nowhere. It seems like they were more interested in the fact that he has over 100 snakes than the issue at hand.