RFK Jr. Barehands 2 Black Racer Snakes on Dr. Oz's Patio as Video Draws Notice

13 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 26

A roughly 50-second video posted Tuesday shows HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. grabbing two black racer snakes by their tails on Dr. Mehmet Oz's patio while they repeatedly bite his hands.
Kennedy appeared unfazed and joked, "Black snakes, they're biting me," as wife Cheryl Hines reacted in alarm, pleading with him to stop and calling him "nuts."
The snakes are North American black racers, which the Florida Museum of Natural History describes as nonvenomous and harmless to humans, though they readily bite when handled.
The clip fits Kennedy's long-running public image around animal encounters, following past attention over stories involving a bear carcass in Central Park and a dead whale transported on his car.

How do a Health Secretary's bizarre animal encounters challenge the bioethical standards of his public role?

What does a cabinet member's history of strange behavior reveal about modern standards for public officials?