After ‘absolute hell,’ can Idaho man become Discovery Channel’s all-time badass in the buff?

Jeff Zausch knew that agonies awaited him in the swamps of Louisiana.

After four prior appearances on Discovery Channel’s long-running “Naked and Afraid” series, the Idaho native had endured a buffet of harsh conditions across the globe. Bloody, infected feet. Life-threatening fever. The shock of an electric eel sizzling through his heart.

But Zausch, who lives in Pocatello, felt extra incentive to tackle the latest clothes-free reality competition.

If the 33-year-old makes it through “Naked and Afraid XL: Legends” — which premieres at 8 p.m. Sunday — he will become Discovery’s pants-free boss.

The show’s all-time badass, bare-ass in the buff.

“If I successfully complete this challenge, I will officially become the most veteran survivalist on the ‘Naked and Afraid’ series,” Zausch explains, “with a total of 195 days completed and having never failed.”

Since appearing in his first “Naked and Afraid” in 2014, Zausch has left his job at Idaho State University. He’s turned outdoor extremes into a career. Zausch is host of the channel’s “Dual Survival” series. He also has sponsorships related to the outdoors.

“Naked and Afraid XL: Legends,” which brings back elite survivors from past seasons, pushes things to a new level. The competitors usually are asked to endure 21 or 40 days. This time, it’s 60. With 10-foot alligators. Microscopic parasites. And water moccasins. (Not the type that cover your feet — the venomous snakes.)

“This season of ’XL’ presents hazards and hardships that only the toughest survivalists in the world can endure,” Discovery Channel says, “but also opportunities to showcase their elite skills. ... Survivalists will have to hunt, fish and gather every day if they want to earn the title of Legend.”

Oh, and endure bugs. Lots and lots of flesh-gnawing bugs.

“The mosquitoes were absolute hell,” Zausch says. “I actually went into anaphylactic shock out there. I was throwing up for two straight days, just from the toxin from the mosquitoes.

“They were so thick on my feet and ankles, it looked like I was wearing black socks. Every bit of skin you had was covered in mosquitoes. Absolute hell.”

Still, not all of Zausch’s life is horrible.

Guess where he’s speaking from by phone for this interview?

“I’m in Iceland running around the mountains,” he says. That’s thanks to Fuji Film, which sent him to check out the erupting Fagradalsfjall volcano.

“They sponsored me to come out here and get some epic footage of it,” he says.

There’s nothing like molten lava to help you forget hanging out naked in Louisiana for a month or two, right?

OK, maybe not.

“It was horrible,” Zausch says.

This story was originally published April 24, 2021 at 4:00 AM.