How hot dog contestants went from eating 10 to 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes
July 4, 2023 9:50 AM Subscribe
Some of the nation’s top ‘gurgitators’ shared their award-winning techniques CW: gluttony (archive.today link)
I like how this was a thing in"The Regular Show" it often ended weirdly.
posted by boilermonster at 10:13 AM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by boilermonster at 10:13 AM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
I don't think I can deal with clicking this link. I like a hotdog every once in a while, but competitive eating really squicks me out. food is meant to be enjoyed, savored. at the very least it is meant to nourish. this is wasteful and gross. I do not understand the appeal!
posted by supermedusa at 10:23 AM on July 4, 2023 [22 favorites]
posted by supermedusa at 10:23 AM on July 4, 2023 [22 favorites]
I am looking forward to eating 2 brats in an hour in a little while. I plan to savor every bite, wash it down with a chilly malt beverage, and possibly jump in the pool from time to time. To each his own, I guess.
posted by TedW at 10:38 AM on July 4, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by TedW at 10:38 AM on July 4, 2023 [8 favorites]
no.
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 10:40 AM on July 4, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 10:40 AM on July 4, 2023 [7 favorites]
At this rate, packing in a few more in the form of a hotdog suppository is just a matter of time.
posted by allegedly at 10:43 AM on July 4, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by allegedly at 10:43 AM on July 4, 2023 [7 favorites]
I read the whole article but what I want to know is what happens after the contests, do they just go on about their lives, do they purge in some way, how do they eliminate all that matter?
posted by bannana at 10:55 AM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by bannana at 10:55 AM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Breaking News. (Nathan's contest)
If only humanity could invent someway to eat hot dogs indoors.
posted by jmauro at 11:17 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
If only humanity could invent someway to eat hot dogs indoors.
posted by jmauro at 11:17 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've read a lot of stories about eating contests, and it seems like either reporters don't want to write about, or competitive eaters don't want to talk about (or, hmm, maybe Nathan's doesn't want to read a story about), what happens after the contests.
posted by box at 11:21 AM on July 4, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by box at 11:21 AM on July 4, 2023 [6 favorites]
I read the whole article but what I want to know is what happens after the contests, do they just go on about their lives, do they purge in some way, how do they eliminate all that matter?
Slowly and uncomfortably, it seems.
posted by chavenet at 11:37 AM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Slowly and uncomfortably, it seems.
posted by chavenet at 11:37 AM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Breaking News
posted by flabdablet at 12:08 PM on July 4, 2023 [16 favorites]
Australia’s James Webb came in 3rd with 47A NASA spokesperson described the commissioning of the inner space gastroscope as a complete success and confirmed early hints that multiple downloads are on tract to meet predicted targets. Raw dumps from the outer ring should be available from early Wednesday morning.
posted by flabdablet at 12:08 PM on July 4, 2023 [16 favorites]
This could not be more American.
posted by tommasz at 12:10 PM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by tommasz at 12:10 PM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Sure it could. They could combine it with a monster truck rally.
posted by flabdablet at 12:12 PM on July 4, 2023 [13 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 12:12 PM on July 4, 2023 [13 favorites]
I read the whole article but what I want to know is what happens after the contests, do they just go on about their lives, do they purge in some way, how do they eliminate all that matter?
For many years, Philadelphia was home to Wing Bowl, a chicken-wing eating contest that provided January entertainment for Philadelphians accustomed to not enjoying Super Bowl victories instead. Sports-talk radio juggernaut WIP organized and ran it, which grew from four guys in a hotel lobby into a stadium-filling spectacle of drunken debauchery. Contestants without a fully established pedigree had to complete an eating stunt to gain entry; one guy offered to eat a Yankee Candle on the air as his entrance fee, for instance.
The champion for a while was Jonathan "Super" Squibb, a local who had a talent for downing chicken en masse. One year, he was challenged by Takeru Kobayashi (the famed hot-dog engulfer) and was found wanting, though Squibb did register the highest wing total among local contestants.
Afterwards, a reporter noted his personal-best consumption of 271 chicken wings in thirty competition minutes and said that she had a pertinent question. "How will you shit?" she asked.
"You're really asking me that?" he countered.
"I'm really asking you that."
He paused, then replied, "Pretty much exactly what you'd expect after eating 271 chicken wings."
posted by delfin at 12:18 PM on July 4, 2023 [11 favorites]
For many years, Philadelphia was home to Wing Bowl, a chicken-wing eating contest that provided January entertainment for Philadelphians accustomed to not enjoying Super Bowl victories instead. Sports-talk radio juggernaut WIP organized and ran it, which grew from four guys in a hotel lobby into a stadium-filling spectacle of drunken debauchery. Contestants without a fully established pedigree had to complete an eating stunt to gain entry; one guy offered to eat a Yankee Candle on the air as his entrance fee, for instance.
The champion for a while was Jonathan "Super" Squibb, a local who had a talent for downing chicken en masse. One year, he was challenged by Takeru Kobayashi (the famed hot-dog engulfer) and was found wanting, though Squibb did register the highest wing total among local contestants.
Afterwards, a reporter noted his personal-best consumption of 271 chicken wings in thirty competition minutes and said that she had a pertinent question. "How will you shit?" she asked.
"You're really asking me that?" he countered.
"I'm really asking you that."
He paused, then replied, "Pretty much exactly what you'd expect after eating 271 chicken wings."
posted by delfin at 12:18 PM on July 4, 2023 [11 favorites]
Now I want to find out whether That Guy Zucks or Phony Stark can eat more hot dogs in ten minutes. Preferably immediately before they have their little punch on.
posted by flabdablet at 12:19 PM on July 4, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 12:19 PM on July 4, 2023 [6 favorites]
I've done no research about this, but I can't possibly be the only one wondering what the other end of an eating competition like this is like to live through. Do they re- their gurgitation, or what is the situation several hours later?
posted by hippybear at 1:04 PM on July 4, 2023
posted by hippybear at 1:04 PM on July 4, 2023
One might think they could get a sponsor like the Colon Cancer society or something. H. Pylori treatment. I dunno.
Honestly if they don't boot everything right back up into a trashcan behind the pipe-and-drape, but instead actually attempt to digest it all ... that's even more disgusting.
posted by seanmpuckett at 1:19 PM on July 4, 2023
Honestly if they don't boot everything right back up into a trashcan behind the pipe-and-drape, but instead actually attempt to digest it all ... that's even more disgusting.
posted by seanmpuckett at 1:19 PM on July 4, 2023
Jamie Loftus has a chapter-long tangent about competitive eating in Raw Dog. Read it if you haven’t!
posted by slogger at 1:46 PM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by slogger at 1:46 PM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
While this is completely disgusting to me and probably one of the top three reasons Why The Terrorists Hate Us, I will admit to being impressed when, years ago, Kobayashi took the record from 25 1/8 (how do they count that?) to 50. Whatever your feelings about the activity, nearly doubling the previous record has to get your attention.
However, yuck.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 3:05 PM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
However, yuck.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 3:05 PM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
I read the whole article but what I want to know is what happens after the contests, do they just go on about their lives, do they purge in some way, how do they eliminate all that matter?
This doesn't really answer your question, but: I was at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest today, and right after the women's contest, I saw champion Miki Sudo just chilling nonchalantly by a lamppost smoking a cigarette like she hadn't just scarfed down 39.5 hot dogs. I was impressed.
posted by adso at 3:20 PM on July 4, 2023 [7 favorites]
This doesn't really answer your question, but: I was at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest today, and right after the women's contest, I saw champion Miki Sudo just chilling nonchalantly by a lamppost smoking a cigarette like she hadn't just scarfed down 39.5 hot dogs. I was impressed.
posted by adso at 3:20 PM on July 4, 2023 [7 favorites]
Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest Finds Familiar Winners Amid Unexpected Drama
[Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo win, again]
posted by chavenet at 3:38 PM on July 4, 2023
[Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo win, again]
posted by chavenet at 3:38 PM on July 4, 2023
I have an acquaintance who was a nationally ranked eater and he definitely had a “reversal of fortune,” as they call it, sometime after most competitions but not always. There’s technique involved and eaters specialize in different things — eating something with bones fast is different than something soft.
posted by Bunglegirl at 3:50 PM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Bunglegirl at 3:50 PM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Wurst of the web
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 3:55 PM on July 4, 2023 [15 favorites]
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 3:55 PM on July 4, 2023 [15 favorites]
Remember to finish it all or you don’t get dessert.
posted by Capt. Renault at 4:19 PM on July 4, 2023
posted by Capt. Renault at 4:19 PM on July 4, 2023
Remember to finish it all or you don’t get dessert.
How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?
posted by Foosnark at 4:40 PM on July 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?
posted by Foosnark at 4:40 PM on July 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
We don’t need no
Mastication
We don’t need por-
tion control
posted by cortex at 5:33 PM on July 4, 2023 [9 favorites]
Mastication
We don’t need por-
tion control
posted by cortex at 5:33 PM on July 4, 2023 [9 favorites]
I am in the camp (rare?) that thinks these competitive eaters are great athletes. Joey Chestnut is one of the greatest athletes of all time. All my family, friends and kids know I think this way. From noon until two when the contest went off, I was getting texts that essentially said, Let Joey Eat! The NY Post erroneously reported for about an hour it was canceled.
As Joey ages, it clearly is that he is not the eater he was 5 years ago. He is married now. Life focus changes. My daughter has a friend who went on two or three dates with Joey about 5 years ago. She said that to put it family friendly, he is quite uncomfortable for several days afterwards. I think he drinks a lot of liquids leading up to a competition to expand his stomach without the calories.
Joey is the man!
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:05 PM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
As Joey ages, it clearly is that he is not the eater he was 5 years ago. He is married now. Life focus changes. My daughter has a friend who went on two or three dates with Joey about 5 years ago. She said that to put it family friendly, he is quite uncomfortable for several days afterwards. I think he drinks a lot of liquids leading up to a competition to expand his stomach without the calories.
Joey is the man!
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:05 PM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
I was at Redamak's (a touristy Michigan burger joint) with my family midway through a long drive a couple days ago. The TV right above our table was playing reruns of previous years' contests. It was not appetizing.
posted by HeroZero at 8:39 PM on July 4, 2023
posted by HeroZero at 8:39 PM on July 4, 2023
I accidentally wound up at the 2005 Nathan's contest because visiting friends wanted to go to Coney Island on the 4th, and I had no idea this event was part of it. We were pretty far back in the crowd, but it was fascinating to watch.
As a Type 1 diabetic whose endocrinologist would probably spontaneously combust if I entered one of these, I know I will never participate in something like this. However, I have often wondered if, in a sport such as this, a shot of insulin would be considered a performance-enhancing drug, as low blood sugar makes me want to eat everything on the planet as fast as possible.
posted by ilana at 8:53 PM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
As a Type 1 diabetic whose endocrinologist would probably spontaneously combust if I entered one of these, I know I will never participate in something like this. However, I have often wondered if, in a sport such as this, a shot of insulin would be considered a performance-enhancing drug, as low blood sugar makes me want to eat everything on the planet as fast as possible.
posted by ilana at 8:53 PM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
I wonder if we'll get to the point where these events are won by increasingly smaller fractions of a hot dog, like the way timed races are won by increasingly smaller fractions of a second.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 9:13 PM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 9:13 PM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
> I read the whole article but what I want to know is what happens after the contests, do they just go on about their lives, do they purge in some way, how do they eliminate all that matter?
We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the meat sweats began to take hold.
posted by sebastienbailard at 10:07 PM on July 4, 2023 [11 favorites]
We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the meat sweats began to take hold.
posted by sebastienbailard at 10:07 PM on July 4, 2023 [11 favorites]
I don’t begrudge people their weird hobbies. I just get so nervous for them while watching it, like Will they choke or hit a gage reflex. Or worse hit MY gag reflex. For that reason I can’t watch.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:21 PM on July 4, 2023
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:21 PM on July 4, 2023
I can't take the sheer volume of competetive eating, but I certainly love a bit of super hot sauce on a burger or a sandwich.
Expect stomach cramps the next day, but it does give you an endorphin rush.
posted by chmmr at 2:18 AM on July 5, 2023
Expect stomach cramps the next day, but it does give you an endorphin rush.
posted by chmmr at 2:18 AM on July 5, 2023
We don’t need no
Mastication
We don’t need por-
tion control
Our gastric chasm
Always has room
Long as we leave
Chips alone
Hey! Eater!
Leave them chips alone!
All in all I'm feeling
Just a bit overfull
posted by flabdablet at 2:36 AM on July 5, 2023 [8 favorites]
Mastication
We don’t need por-
tion control
Our gastric chasm
Always has room
Long as we leave
Chips alone
Hey! Eater!
Leave them chips alone!
All in all I'm feeling
Just a bit overfull
posted by flabdablet at 2:36 AM on July 5, 2023 [8 favorites]
21 years on and I'm still gutted that Fox never made The Glutton Bowl a yearly thing. Watching a dude eat a foot of pure wasabi, or gulp down eight pounds of mayo, is definitely my idea of a good time. The most wasteful, gross and vulgar of good times? Sure, why not—it's America!
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 3:37 AM on July 5, 2023
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 3:37 AM on July 5, 2023
> in the form of a hotdog suppository
Isn't that just "a hotdog"?
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 6:36 AM on July 5, 2023 [2 favorites]
Isn't that just "a hotdog"?
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 6:36 AM on July 5, 2023 [2 favorites]
I read the whole article but what I want to know is what happens after the contests, do they just go on about their lives, do they purge in some way, how do they eliminate all that matter?
I think the rules specify that you can't throw up for a certain amount of time after the eating part of the contest ends, and it's actually pretty long, like 15 minutes. After that I'm assuming plenty of them do purge.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:32 AM on July 5, 2023
I think the rules specify that you can't throw up for a certain amount of time after the eating part of the contest ends, and it's actually pretty long, like 15 minutes. After that I'm assuming plenty of them do purge.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:32 AM on July 5, 2023
“You know how many times of the day I answer questions about poop?” an absolutely jacked professional eater asks me. “Every single interview.”
I look down at my notes. Shit, why didn’t I think of that?
Jamie Loftus (previously) interviews competitive eaters Mary Bowers and 'Megabyte' Ronnie (The Takeout)
posted by box at 10:51 AM on July 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
I look down at my notes. Shit, why didn’t I think of that?
Jamie Loftus (previously) interviews competitive eaters Mary Bowers and 'Megabyte' Ronnie (The Takeout)
posted by box at 10:51 AM on July 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by cortex at 9:57 AM on July 4, 2023 [23 favorites]