USA! USA!
July 4, 2007 10:35 AM Subscribe
The mustard yellow belt returns to the U.S. It just wouldn’t be the 4th without the annual Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest. This year’s event was especially exciting, featuring not only a win by California gurgitator Joey Chestnut, but a record-breaking 66 dogs consumed in twelve minutes. Former six time champ Takeru Kobayashi, who had reportedly been nursing a sore jaw, took second place, with 63 red hots downed, in spite of a last-second “reversal of fortune.” Truly a proud day.
We're #1! (At gluttony...)
We're #1 at all of the Big Seven except envy. But they were probably sour anyway.
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:52 AM on July 4, 2007
We're #1 at all of the Big Seven except envy. But they were probably sour anyway.
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:52 AM on July 4, 2007
Hey, c'mon! We do the same thing in Beer Chugging contests. Actually, I like the 'any guy can win' contests. It can't be healthy, but it's Independence Day! I can support bacchanalian revels for today at least.
So, hoist high your mug and grab those frankfurters!
posted by Lord Chancellor at 10:55 AM on July 4, 2007
So, hoist high your mug and grab those frankfurters!
posted by Lord Chancellor at 10:55 AM on July 4, 2007
I think the whole thing is fascinating and disgusting - I've read two books about it and in a few days will watch a special that might help me learn a bit more. The funny thing is, actually watching is difficult. Its like voluntarily observing highly motivated pigs at a trough. I think my fascination started with that scene from "Stand By Me."
posted by pinky at 10:57 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by pinky at 10:57 AM on July 4, 2007
uurph!
posted by kuujjuarapik at 10:58 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by kuujjuarapik at 10:58 AM on July 4, 2007
excuse me.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 10:59 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by kuujjuarapik at 10:59 AM on July 4, 2007
How often does vomiting occur at eating contests? I usually can't bear to watch them.
posted by ghastlyfop at 11:03 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by ghastlyfop at 11:03 AM on July 4, 2007
Oh man. Oh man.
Oh man.
I watched this today while eating lunch, which is probably the worst single decision I made in the past ten years of my life. My stomach is still contemplating its own "reversal."
Still, it was pretty awesome. In both senses.
posted by danb at 11:10 AM on July 4, 2007
Oh man.
I watched this today while eating lunch, which is probably the worst single decision I made in the past ten years of my life. My stomach is still contemplating its own "reversal."
Still, it was pretty awesome. In both senses.
posted by danb at 11:10 AM on July 4, 2007
Mr. Adams and I went out to lunch yesterday, and some channel was showing last year's contest. It was being shown on the many TV monitors hanging from the ceiling in the bistro, and even though I tried not to look, it was impossible. And it literally made me gag to see these people shoving food into their overstuffed faces and half of it hanging out while they tried to swallow. Even though I'd been pretty hungry when we arrived, I ended up taking most of my lunch home in a doggy bag.
posted by Oriole Adams at 11:11 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by Oriole Adams at 11:11 AM on July 4, 2007
I can't wait for someone to die in this contest.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 11:14 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 11:14 AM on July 4, 2007
My husband thought it would be awesome to have lunch while watching the contest. Lunch was you guessed it, Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs.
Worst. Dinner and a Movie. Ever.
posted by The Mermaid at 11:16 AM on July 4, 2007 [2 favorites]
Worst. Dinner and a Movie. Ever.
posted by The Mermaid at 11:16 AM on July 4, 2007 [2 favorites]
If you'd like to see screen caps, Gothamist live-blogged the whole thing. Be warned: there is spewing.
posted by Gilbert at 11:23 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by Gilbert at 11:23 AM on July 4, 2007
I'm with TheOnlyCoolTim. That I would find entertaining.
posted by 2sheets at 11:36 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by 2sheets at 11:36 AM on July 4, 2007
I saw the contest on TV for the first time today, after I ate lunch. I completely regret watching it. It looked like they were throwing up and forcing food into their mouths at the same time. Kobayashi's horrible last minute is burned into my stomach. So disgusting! I can't even watch that pie eating scene in Stand By Me, so I have no idea why I watched this.
posted by hooray at 12:09 PM on July 4, 2007
posted by hooray at 12:09 PM on July 4, 2007
THANKS FOR THE SPOILER ON THE FRONT PAGE, ASS. I WAS GOING TO WATCH THIS FROM TIVO LATER.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:35 PM on July 4, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:35 PM on July 4, 2007 [1 favorite]
THANKS FOR THE SPOILER ON THE FRONT PAGE, ASS. I WAS GOING TO WATCH THIS FROM TIVO LATER.
Since when do non-fictional events require "spoiler" warnings? Spoilers apply to fiction -- films, TV shows, novels. The outcomes of a baseball games or hot dog eating contests, which tend to be reported on radio news shows and elsewhere as soon as they happen, do not have to be shrouded with spoiler warnings for the Tivo crowd. If you didn't want to know, you could've quit reading by the second sentence.
posted by beagle at 12:51 PM on July 4, 2007
Since when do non-fictional events require "spoiler" warnings? Spoilers apply to fiction -- films, TV shows, novels. The outcomes of a baseball games or hot dog eating contests, which tend to be reported on radio news shows and elsewhere as soon as they happen, do not have to be shrouded with spoiler warnings for the Tivo crowd. If you didn't want to know, you could've quit reading by the second sentence.
posted by beagle at 12:51 PM on July 4, 2007
Hint: calibrate sarcasm meter.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:13 PM on July 4, 2007
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:13 PM on July 4, 2007
*smacks beagle's sarcasm meter with a large trouser trout*
Is it reading anything now?
posted by eyeballkid at 1:13 PM on July 4, 2007 [1 favorite]
Is it reading anything now?
posted by eyeballkid at 1:13 PM on July 4, 2007 [1 favorite]
*waves at crash*
posted by eyeballkid at 1:14 PM on July 4, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by eyeballkid at 1:14 PM on July 4, 2007 [1 favorite]
..."an emotional win, a great day for America." -- ESPN
posted by maxpower at 2:25 PM on July 4, 2007
posted by maxpower at 2:25 PM on July 4, 2007
This is up there with Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point game, the '54 World Cup Final, the '70 World Cup semi-final, the Lakers vs Celtics series in the 80s, the '97 Chicago Bulls, Eddie Merkx tour domination, the rumble in the jungle, the first 100 metres in under 10 seconds.
Other sports have become infested with drugs. Football, cycling, American football, basketball and all the rest are drug riddled. Not so the pure and true sport of competitive eating.
It is truly a proud day for America and the world. The rivalry between these two should be something to treasure for years to come. Hopefully one of them will push the other over the 6 hot dogs per minute ( or one every 10 seconds ) mark.
This kind of sporting brilliance should make it certain that in London in 2012 we finally see competitive eating where it should be - at the Olympics.
posted by sien at 3:53 PM on July 4, 2007
Other sports have become infested with drugs. Football, cycling, American football, basketball and all the rest are drug riddled. Not so the pure and true sport of competitive eating.
It is truly a proud day for America and the world. The rivalry between these two should be something to treasure for years to come. Hopefully one of them will push the other over the 6 hot dogs per minute ( or one every 10 seconds ) mark.
This kind of sporting brilliance should make it certain that in London in 2012 we finally see competitive eating where it should be - at the Olympics.
posted by sien at 3:53 PM on July 4, 2007
THANKS FOR THE SPOILER ON THE FRONT PAGE, ASS. I WAS GOING TO WATCH THIS FROM TIVO LATER.
The good news is that having the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest spoiled for you means that the final installment of Harry Potter won't be.
posted by pokermonk at 6:08 PM on July 4, 2007
The good news is that having the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest spoiled for you means that the final installment of Harry Potter won't be.
posted by pokermonk at 6:08 PM on July 4, 2007
So, like we were wondering in the other Nathan's thread -- Kobayashi's jaw thing was probably a ploy that didn't quite work out.
posted by RavinDave at 6:11 PM on July 4, 2007
posted by RavinDave at 6:11 PM on July 4, 2007
"The greatest moment in the history of American Sport" involved a Japanese man barfing bunwater through clenched fingers. Something for the grandkids.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 7:02 PM on July 4, 2007
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 7:02 PM on July 4, 2007
I watched this live today. I truly believe this was one of the most exciting 12 minutes in competition (sports or otherwise) I have seen in a long time. Sure, its gross. Sure, it has no redeeming value. but it was entertaining as all hell. They shattered the record. It was close all the way. There was a great storyline behind it. There was a photo type finish. The "reversal" was also amazing as he tried to keep in in and eat it back up.
Great theater. Riveting sport.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:34 PM on July 4, 2007
Great theater. Riveting sport.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:34 PM on July 4, 2007
The level of hyperbole from the announcers... amazing. Where do they find guys who can seriously look at a table full of gluttons stuffing themselves to the point of puking and call it a spectacular moment in sports and a great day for America?
Wow. We'll call any damned thing a sport these days, just so long as an American team / individual is winning at it.
posted by caution live frogs at 5:30 AM on July 5, 2007
Wow. We'll call any damned thing a sport these days, just so long as an American team / individual is winning at it.
posted by caution live frogs at 5:30 AM on July 5, 2007
The level of hyperbole from the announcers... amazing.
One of the quotes (not exact, but those are definitely the names he used):
"Google 'American hero' tomorrow and you'll get Abraham Lincoln, maybe Neil Armstrong, Taylor Hicks, and this man, Joey Chestnut" -- ESPN announcer
posted by inigo2 at 6:51 AM on July 5, 2007
One of the quotes (not exact, but those are definitely the names he used):
"Google 'American hero' tomorrow and you'll get Abraham Lincoln, maybe Neil Armstrong, Taylor Hicks, and this man, Joey Chestnut" -- ESPN announcer
posted by inigo2 at 6:51 AM on July 5, 2007
I was there! It was seriously fun. The commentary from the announcers on ESPN was alright, I guess, but the actual live announcer was a true Coney Island huckster, and his level of hyperbole was unmatched. The contestants were "the prophets of a new god", "the flesh of archangels", "the horsemen of the esophagus", etc.
Quite a few vegetarian protesters there.
posted by painquale at 12:36 PM on July 5, 2007
Quite a few vegetarian protesters there.
posted by painquale at 12:36 PM on July 5, 2007
Quite a few vegetarian protesters there.
Yeah, but Kobayashi was only able to eat three of them in the 2003 contest. Not nearly as dramatic.
posted by vito90 at 2:20 PM on July 5, 2007
Yeah, but Kobayashi was only able to eat three of them in the 2003 contest. Not nearly as dramatic.
posted by vito90 at 2:20 PM on July 5, 2007
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posted by Soliloquy at 10:46 AM on July 4, 2007