Nicky Paris has warned beachgoers to stay alert after filming a rattlesnake crawling through the sand at a popular Orange County shoreline.
The TV host and comedian, who is based in Los Angeles, shared the footage on Instagram last week showing the venomous snake at Crystal Cove in Newport Beach. Paris had just stepped out of the ocean when he felt a tickle in his big toe and looked down to discover the reptile gliding past his feet.
“It crawled right out of the water. Right all the way past the beach, in between my sandals, on the beach. I literally was watching it. And it just went right back up into the hill,” Paris said as he recorded the video.
The comedian was not bitten during the encounter, but the close call left him shaken. He has since urged visitors to remain vigilant at all times, noting that walking along the water’s edge is no longer safe.
Other beachgoers could be seen walking along the shore in the background as the viper moved through the sand. The snake’s appearance in the surf zone marks an unusual and alarming location for the species, which typically inhabits drier terrain.
The incident comes amid a string of recent rattlesnake encounters across Southern California. An aggressive rattlesnake sent a woman to the hospital last week in Los Angeles County, then returned to strike her pet cat named Magic while she was still recovering from her own bite. The victim had been cleaning up her cat’s toys in her backyard when the rattler emerged and bit her on the index finger. A day later, the same snake returned and attacked her pet.
Earlier this month, a Calabasas family discovered a rattlesnake lurking in their backyard in the exact area where their children play. Hugo Will, a Los Angeles-based cinematographer, shared video of the chilling discovery in his yard. The snake was hiding directly among his children’s scattered toys.
Will has collaborated with industry legends including director Ted Kotcheff, editor Thom Noble, and director James Fargo throughout his career.
The cluster of sightings has heightened concerns about rattlesnake activity in populated areas across the region, with experts noting that warmer weather can drive the reptiles into unexpected spaces as they seek food and shelter.
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