Americans Are Getting More Adventurous According To New Travel Channel "bizarre Foods America" Poll

Beef chili, guacamole and pigs in a blanket might be common fare at most Super Bowl parties, but according to a recent poll, commissioned by Travel Channel "Bizarre Foods America" and conducted online by Harris Interactive, Americans might be upping their eating game at their next Super Bowl soiree. Out of the bizarre food choices provided, 32% (one-third) would eat muskrat chili and 18% (one in five) a pig ear sandwich! The online survey, which polled over 2,200 U.S. adults (age 18 and over), illustrates that when given the opportunity, U.S. adults have a surprisingly diverse appetite and adventurous palate for an array of "bizarre food" choices.

The Travel Channel poll is pegged to the January 23rd premiere of the Network's popular series, "Bizarre Foods America" hosted by Andrew Zimmern at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. In this new season, the James Beard award-winning host and food writer travels through the U.S. and unveils the unusual culinary offerings in America's own backyard. Clearly American adults are ready to join Zimmern in his love of the extremely odd, with four in ten adults (39%) most likely to dine on smoked raccoon, and of those, respondents in the Midwest (46%) are found to be significantly more likely than those in the Northeast (36%) and West (35%). Out of the 18% of respondents who said that would eat guinea pig, the younger group of adults (ages 18-34) were more likely (22%) to dine on this household pet than those 45 years of age and older (15%). One in twenty surveyed admitted they would choose duck testicles (5%) or cow placenta (5%).

While Zimmern has spent the past four seasons touting his passion for unusual cuisine as he travels around the world, this will be the first season fully dedicated to America's hidden palate for the bizarre. And which state takes top honors in the bizarre food state category? It's sweet home Alabama, who might want to tout their new moniker as they get ready to launch their 2012 "Year of Alabama Food" campaign. Over one-third of those polled (35%) crowned them the most bizarre food state in the nation, with West Virginia -- which is highlighted on the new season of "Bizarre Foods America" with its fresh deer organs, groundhog burgoo and road kill cook-off -- coming in at a very close second (33%).

Speaking of road kill, which celebrity do Americans think would most likely eat an animal that has been the unfortunate victim of a head-on collision? Over one-third (37%) think that the "winner" is Charlie Sheen who gets slightly higher marks than his "Two and a Half Men" successor Ashton Kutcher who takes second place with 27%.

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ABOUT THE SURVEY:
This survey was conducted online within the United States between December 19 - 21, 2011 among 2,292 adults (aged 18 and over), by Harris Interactive on behalf of the Travel Channel via its QuickQuery omnibus product. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

ABOUT "BIZARRE FOODS AMERICA":
Season Premiere: Monday, January 23 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT
"Bizarre Foods America" is back, but this season chef, writer, and culinary explorer Andrew Zimmern is ditching his passport because he's discovered that some of the strangest foods and most colorful characters in the world are right here in the good old USA. As always, Andrew explores what the locals eat and this season he'll get a taste of the unique foods and local traditions that can be found in our own backyard. So, whether it's pig uterus hot dish in the Twin Cities or muskrat