Patti Eats Spider, Prays in Costa Rican Jungle

Celebrities hear Blago family take on Illinois politics

There's been little doubt that Illinois' former first lady, Patti Blagojevich, is standing by her man, but as she sat around the campfire with fellow "celebrities" in Costa Rica, she laid it out in no uncertain terms.

"My husband was governor for six years and, you know, was always about doing the right thing for people," she said in the two-hour premiere of "I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here" Monday night.


Follow Patti’s adventure on this Web site


Miles away from home, she seemed none the worse for wear as she shared the show's challenges with fellow contestants.

She also prayed with Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag during the Monday debut. As the Chicago Tribune reports today, it was weird.

The impromptu prayer session took place about midway though the two-hour premiere of the reality show, which has 11 “celebrities” competing to be the last one left standing in the Costa Rican jungle. NBC -- and the clock -- said the premiere was two hours long. But it felt much, much longer.

She ate a dead tarantula during one of the challenges presented to contestants ... and this was just the first episode.

Back in Chicago, her husband told a radio talk show audience Tuesday that he was "moved"  when he saw his wife eat the large, hairy spider, saying she ate the unconventional snack because she loves her two young daughters.

The former governor says he and his daughters watched the show together Monday night.

No one was eliminated in the premiere episode, but Tuesday's show will see someone headed out of the jungle, and if that's not enough celebrity stuff, don't worry. There are going to be four episodes a week.

Get me out of here.

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