Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest... lots of hot dogs
 

I'm sure most people are familiar with Nathans's hot dog eating contest every July 4. Reading an interesting article (or alarming depending on your view) that back in 2001 the record was eating 25 hot dogs in 12 minutes. Last year Joey Chestnut set the record with 74 in 10 minutes - that's hog dog and bun. 74! I haven't had that many in my life.

I'll admit that every year I look to the news to see how many hot dogs are eaten.

Your thoughts?

I know of a place that has their own contest on the 4th. They give away a surfboard with a beer logo on it to the winner. They have a great line in their promotion of the event: "You heave, you leave!"

I saw it in person once and only once. That's not something anyone needs to see any more than that of...believe me!

And they get paid to do this:rolleyes:

They get paid if they win, not sure if those 'losers' who only eat 50 hot dogs get paid :).

I wonder if there's a Chinese buffet contest. Interested, JPD? I'll just stop at 2 medium plates but it'll be an enjoyable two plates

I saw a documentary about eating contests, the contestants train for them. It was kinda gross, but made it clear that these contests aren't for anybody who just thinks "Hey, I like hotdogs! I guess I'll enter."

I grew up about 20 minutes' walk from Nathan's Coney Island (the original since 1916 and still the only real Nathan's in the opinion of many a lifelong Brooklynite) - which we did often when money was tight and we wanted to spend a day at the beach; without getting into historical esoterica, suffice it to say that they were a major force in legitimizing the hot dog as uniquely American cuisine - and when my father was active in local politics he was well-acquainted with members of the Handwerker family, of whom he always spoke in the most favorable terms...

Shame to see things reduced to a freak-show level which, I have it on good authority, the founder himself would most likely have frowned upon...

ESPN 30 for 30 tonight is a doc about Chestnut and Kobayashi
The Good, The Bad, and the Hungry :)

There's just nuthin' like an ol' fashioned eatin' contest...

I'll pass on watching that...

As a former bulimic (I gave it up for booze in 1978, and booze in 1988)
the whole thing holds a bit of a perverse attraction for me,
and a healthy dose of repulsion :)

Years ago, I knew a guy who won a hot dog eating contest in Canada. He ate 23 hot dogs during half time, at a BC Lyons game. I don't recall what the prize was? "Chew Chew" was a local celebrity for his eating victories... He was a pilot for Air Canada, stood 5' 10", and only weighed about 175 lbs. Boy, could he wolf down food in a hurry!

I used to enjoy a yearly "Oyster Eating Contest" held during "Harborfest", in Morro Bay, CA. It was a team sport, with one person shucking, and another eating the raw oysters... IIRC, it was decided by how fast the team could shuck, and eat two dozen oysters? It was a ghastly sight to behold...."Gluttons is, as Gluttons does!", as Forrest Gump might say?

Don

Yes, hard to believe but they do train for this. Not to sound gross but I imagine that when they're done 'training' or the contest that they purge themselves? Can't imagine trying to digest 74 hot dogs.

Chestnut wins again!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ut/1648183001/

Your on;)...............

I was eating one while watching this....ugh...