Coney Island Top Dog
July 5, 2016 1:04 AM Subscribe
Previous title holder Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, 32, has eaten his way back to victory by downing 70 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes at this year's Nathan's Famous annual Fourth of July hot dog competitive eating contest -- and it's the most hot dogs and buns ever eaten at the Coney Island event. Joey "Jaws" Chestnut regains title as top dog at eating hot dogs.
Back in the '90s competitive eating was just starting to enter popular culture so my friends and I decided to hold an impromptu hot dog eating contest in the university cafeteria. I only managed to eat five hot dogs, which is pretty pathetic. I didn't lose, though, which was punished by having to do a shot of yellow mustard. That doesn't seem so bad, but if my twenty year old memory serves the recipient got awfully sick and vomited.
Another time I decided to singlehandedly eat two pumpkin pies (no contest, I just like pumpkin pie and am an idiot). I ended up breaking out in hives and my fingers swelled to the size of sausages. I still love pumpkin pie, though.
posted by Literaryhero at 1:43 AM on July 5, 2016 [14 favorites]
Another time I decided to singlehandedly eat two pumpkin pies (no contest, I just like pumpkin pie and am an idiot). I ended up breaking out in hives and my fingers swelled to the size of sausages. I still love pumpkin pie, though.
posted by Literaryhero at 1:43 AM on July 5, 2016 [14 favorites]
By the way, this sort of PR stunt is only required to encourage mass consumption of average to low-grade hot dogs. Eater and Dog together in a mutually-destructive cycle of abuse.
Please take yourselves to Chicago, where a good Vienna Beef hot dog is a food to be savoured.
Bon Appetit Chicago Hot Dog
posted by C.A.S. at 1:49 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
Please take yourselves to Chicago, where a good Vienna Beef hot dog is a food to be savoured.
Bon Appetit Chicago Hot Dog
posted by C.A.S. at 1:49 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
Please take yourselves to Chicago, where a good Vienna Beef hot dog is a food to be savoured.
I don't think that comparing Chicago hot dogs to ballpark franks is really fair. I mean they are nominally the same food, but are basically as different as two things can be.
posted by Literaryhero at 3:49 AM on July 5, 2016
I don't think that comparing Chicago hot dogs to ballpark franks is really fair. I mean they are nominally the same food, but are basically as different as two things can be.
posted by Literaryhero at 3:49 AM on July 5, 2016
> Is there a strictly controlled standard hotdog?
Nathan's Famous.
posted by ardgedee at 4:11 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
Nathan's Famous.
posted by ardgedee at 4:11 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
It would be fun to take this eating strategy and generalize it to other places like high end restaurants.
Put on a rain poncho.
Stare down other dinners and sit and wait until they start eating before you dive into your food.
Pour a glass of water into a bowl and dunk your food before cramming it in.
Do a victory dance with stuffed chipmunk cheeks while trying not to regurgitate.
Maybe also do it when you first meet potential in-laws. There is probably already a SNL sketch.
posted by srboisvert at 4:34 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Put on a rain poncho.
Stare down other dinners and sit and wait until they start eating before you dive into your food.
Pour a glass of water into a bowl and dunk your food before cramming it in.
Do a victory dance with stuffed chipmunk cheeks while trying not to regurgitate.
Maybe also do it when you first meet potential in-laws. There is probably already a SNL sketch.
posted by srboisvert at 4:34 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
There is probably already a SNL sketch.
Mr. Creosote (Monty Python's The Meaning of Life) [NSFLunch]
posted by chavenet at 4:46 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
Mr. Creosote (Monty Python's The Meaning of Life) [NSFLunch]
posted by chavenet at 4:46 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
Mod note: One comment deleted. Sorry, but we've had a lot of derails about ethical consumption in past food- or restaurant-related posts, and while it's a perfectly valid subject to discuss, it's probably a better idea to make a post specifically about the topic, and discuss directly that way.
posted by taz (staff) at 5:15 AM on July 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by taz (staff) at 5:15 AM on July 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
Competitive Hot-Dog Eaters Have Made America Great Again (FiveThirtyEight)
I'll also advocate for Eat This Book: A Year of Gorging and Glory on the Competitive Eating Circuit, which is a surprisingly good look at the psychology and physiology of the... okay, let's call it a sport.
And for those who think this isn't about health and nutrition and other good things, I give you Kale Yeah!—The World’s Healthiest Eating Championship.
posted by Etrigan at 5:25 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'll also advocate for Eat This Book: A Year of Gorging and Glory on the Competitive Eating Circuit, which is a surprisingly good look at the psychology and physiology of the... okay, let's call it a sport.
And for those who think this isn't about health and nutrition and other good things, I give you Kale Yeah!—The World’s Healthiest Eating Championship.
posted by Etrigan at 5:25 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
My husband, son, and I happened upon the event on TV and I just could not watch it. It was so, so gross. Just thinking about it now is making me queasy.
posted by cooker girl at 5:49 AM on July 5, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by cooker girl at 5:49 AM on July 5, 2016 [4 favorites]
Here's an interesting article about the controversy behind Major League Eating's rules prohibiting contestants from taking part in other eating contests, and limiting their annual earnings, which is why six-time Coney Island winner Takeru Kobayashi no longer competes in the event.
posted by Umami Dearest at 5:57 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Umami Dearest at 5:57 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
Chestnut set a new record last month when he ate 73 ½ hot dogs and buns during a qualifying event.
Never peak too early, dude! You gotta save it for the big day!
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:16 AM on July 5, 2016
Never peak too early, dude! You gotta save it for the big day!
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:16 AM on July 5, 2016
If like to see them try that with Costco (cafeteria) hot dogs!
posted by blue_beetle at 6:31 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by blue_beetle at 6:31 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
As he gripped the mustard-colored belt after his win Monday afternoon, Chestnut said Stonie had "woke up the sleeping giant" when he beat him out last year.Matt "Megatoad" Stonie beat Chestnut last year, I'm surprised that this year Chestnut won this year by 17.
posted by mattking17 at 7:25 AM on July 5, 2016
Mr. Creosote (Monty Python's The Meaning of Life) [NSFLunch]
That's an understatement.
posted by Melismata at 7:36 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
That's an understatement.
posted by Melismata at 7:36 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Is there a strictly controlled standard hotdog?
A Standard Hot Dog (SHD) at sea level must fit in this bag with precisely one centimeter protruding and must weigh 175±0.2 grams. The serving temperature of the SHD is not specified, but it is customarily 28–30°C.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:39 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
A Standard Hot Dog (SHD) at sea level must fit in this bag with precisely one centimeter protruding and must weigh 175±0.2 grams. The serving temperature of the SHD is not specified, but it is customarily 28–30°C.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:39 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
Wait "Chestnut" isn't his nickname? Granted, I haven't paid much attention to the guy, but I assumed his name was something like Joseph "Joey Chestnut" Smith and I just never heard him referred to anything other than the nickname. Plus, "Jaws" seems a little too on the nose for a competitive eater nickname.
posted by The Man from Lardfork at 8:45 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by The Man from Lardfork at 8:45 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
the pride and joy of san jose, ca! yeah buddy!!
posted by burgerrr at 8:50 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by burgerrr at 8:50 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
I never actually watched this until I happened to catch it last year. The introductions are pro-wrestling style chunks of insanity.
posted by ob1quixote at 9:50 AM on July 5, 2016
posted by ob1quixote at 9:50 AM on July 5, 2016
Those aren't just hot dogs, those were water soaked buns and hot dogs. Which makes eating 70 of them even worse......
posted by lstanley at 1:41 PM on July 5, 2016
posted by lstanley at 1:41 PM on July 5, 2016
I don't think that comparing Chicago hot dogs to ballpark franks is really fair. I mean they are nominally the same food, but are basically as different as two things can be.
Almost as different as Chicago "pizza" is from real pizza!
posted by dersins at 9:52 PM on July 5, 2016
Almost as different as Chicago "pizza" is from real pizza!
posted by dersins at 9:52 PM on July 5, 2016
Almost as different as Chicago "pizza" is from real pizza!
um, you've got to be kidding. I assume you are talking about this "deep dish" bullshit, which is largely handed out to tourists and not really representative of the native Chicago pizza scene. Chicago is home of some of the best thin crust and neapolitan pizza in the country. There are many places with proper wood-fired ovens.
Take yourself to Coalfire on the North side, or Vito & Nicks on the South side. Or any one of dozens of other choices.
posted by C.A.S. at 6:24 AM on July 6, 2016
um, you've got to be kidding. I assume you are talking about this "deep dish" bullshit, which is largely handed out to tourists and not really representative of the native Chicago pizza scene. Chicago is home of some of the best thin crust and neapolitan pizza in the country. There are many places with proper wood-fired ovens.
Take yourself to Coalfire on the North side, or Vito & Nicks on the South side. Or any one of dozens of other choices.
posted by C.A.S. at 6:24 AM on July 6, 2016
« Older The Wind Will Carry Us | Who's On First (I always wanted to use that as a... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by Pendragon at 1:05 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]