By The Numbers: KUFO"s Incredibly Gross "Survive It and Drive It" To End Friday (but first)

[Byron Beck]

OH, THE HUMANITY: Think about what you've been up to since Monday Sept. 21.

Then think about what it would be like if you had spent that ENTIRE time in a truck.

That's the point of Survive It and Drive It, a "mental endurance" contest concocted by the crazy kids at KUFO, now in its second week.

The idea was to put four contestants in a truck and see who could outlast the others.

The big winner/survivor gets to keep the truck, a Dodge Ram from Dick Hannah Dodge.

Well, the two guys didn't last long (just a couple of days).

But the two ladies are definitely in it for the long haul.

Jessica Kirsch, a single mom from Salem (above right) and Katie Harrett of Gresham (aka the "racist," a nickname she picked up after a comment she made on "The Rick Emerson Show," above left) not only have outlasted the other two players, but have been literally living in the truck since Monday September 21st.

And neither of them plan on leaving the truck, not willingly.

I had the "rare" opportunity of actually interviewing these "ladies" from inside the truck on last Wednesday, just three days into the contest. At that time I could barely breath and almost barfed from the stench inside the truck (and Katie who had doused herself in deer urine).

I can't imagine what it smells like in there now.

According to KUFO's Promotions Director, Susan Reynolds, the gals, "home away from home has become a giant trash pile in the process as all of the food wrappers, Dominos pizza boxes, empty pop cans and water bottles must remain in the truck with them."

In fact, it could get downright dangerously toxic in there.

With no end in sight the masterminds behind this contest have decided it MUST end this Friday at 5 pm. The station has commenced with the online voting at www.kufo.com. Listeners who have been riveted to the action via streaming video from three webcams strategically placed in and around the vehicle, are now logging on to select their favorite to win the truck. Voting is open now through Friday, October 2nd at 4pm (PST). The girls will be performing various challenges in the remaining days to campaign for votes, including writing and performing a rap and engaging in a debate, all of which will air live during the Cort & Fatboy Show, 3-7pm on KUFO. Once the votes are tallied, the winner will be announced live on the air at 5pm on Friday and the truck will be awarded (after a major detailing, of course).

“I am continually amazed by the stamina of these two ladies,” commented KUFO Program Director Chris Patyk. “We have tried everything to get them out of that truck, including playing the same Insane Clown Posse song more than 100 times straight, we’ve kept them awake with strobe lights, sirens, we had Lars Larson in there smoking a stinky cigar and lecturing them on his conservative views…we even dumped 45 crickets in the truck and still they will not budge. It’s incredible!”

Speaking of incredible, here is the "SI&DI" contest by the numbers:
1. Number of Domino's pizza slices consumed by contestants and crew: Approx 576
2. Hours in truck: 252 hours (if they go till Friday at 5pm).
3, Hours out of truck: 21 hours total breaks (15 minutes at a time).
4. KUFO employees on site: Anywhere from 1-10 at any given time.
5. Hours employees have racked up. At least 252, not to mention the set up and planning.
6. Number of sodas consumed by contestants and crew: Approx. 250
7. Number of bad songs they've have listened to: Too many to count!
8. Number of pizza boxes in truck. Ditto. And no one is going in the truck to count.
9. Number of personal supplies they still have in stock; Not sure at this point. We can ask Katie about her cigs and bags of shrimp!
10. Number of visitors each have had: Don't know but more at night than during the day.
11. How many times have each of them have cried. Not at all.
12. Number of times they have farted: Countless (especially Katie...she has also burped quite a lot!)
13. Grossest thing in truck: Dare we say, Katie!!!
14. Least gross thing in truck:The rear view mirror.
15. Number of times a body part has fallen asleep or got numb: Katie's fingers have fallen asleep at least 10 times.
16. Number of rings on Katie's hand: Too many to count.
17. Number of times Jessica has rolled her eyes at Katie: Ditto!
18. Number of times the police has made an appearance: At least 3.
19. Number of times Jessica has been asked out since being in the truck: at least seven.
20. The number of days each think they can make it in the truck: All the way to the end!

The contest wraps up on Friday at the Dick Hannah Giant Vancouver Auto Mall, at the intersection of 4th Plain and Auto Mall Drive at 5pm. The public is welcome, but should not stand too close to the truck (or the contestants).