Joey Chestnut Wins Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest; Kobayashi Arrested

[ChinoWayne]

The headline says it all: http://gawker.com/5579405/joey-chestn...

[enbell]

Kobayashi interview
http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/art...

[dach]

I was thinking this was Harding/Kerrigan ploy to boost competitive hot dog eating to the next level of pop culture. o_O

Anyway, if you like this stuff, enjoy. Watching folk force stuffing their face like a xmas ham or foie gras poultry is not my cup of tea.

[ChinoWayne]

Second this.

[Miss Needle]

"I was thinking this was Harding/Kerrigan ploy to boost competitive hot dog eating to the next level of pop culture. "

Definite possibility. One of the Shea brothers kept saying how upset he was with Kobayashi's publicity stunt -- but it could be part of one huge elaborate ploy. I mean, this is what PR people do.

Oh, and watching this totally made me lose my appetite. But a part of me can't help but be fascinated by this.

[Firegoat]

as disgusted as I was, i admit to reading a site about how they train...... I mean... $150k a year.... for eating....

[PattiCakes]

If you EVER want to see something disgusting, you ought to check out Philly's annual Wing Bowl. Many of the same professional eaters, like Joey Chestnut, have done thier time at WB. Kinda reminds me of Roman Orgy. Well, what I think a Roman orgy would be like -- never actually went to one.

[curiousgeo]

Anyone know what the contract dispute was that prevented Kobayashi from appearing? It seems silly given how many times he's appeared previously. What should have been a win win for the contest and Kobayashi, turns into a lose lose circus. Don't understand it at all.

[Servorg]

From what I read the contract would have restricted his "eating" in any other contests (outside of MLE contests) for one year.

[bookhound]

It has more to do than just that according to Kobayashi.

http://calorielab.com/news/2010/07/03...

[ChinoWayne]

Never under estimate the lengths that American entrepreneurial greed will grow. Kobayashi is one of the guys who does the grunt work to make the Shea brothers and Nathan's successful in their promotion, and the Shea brothers return the favor by stealing Kobayashi's livelihood.

[curiousgeo]

I have to agree with ChinoWayne. Kobayashi brought the contest to a whole new level with his participation, paving the way for Chestnut and others like him. Even though Chestnut won, his victory seems a bit empty without Kobayashi competing along side him, JMHO.

[agoodbite]

I completely agree. Without Kobayashi in the competition, Chestnut only managed 54 hotdogs which is sadly shy of his record of 68. I know it's a completely nauseating thing to watch, but if I'm going to tune in, I want to see a real competition where the participants really have to push themselves. I hope I get that next year.

[bigmackdaddy]

Maybe Gray's or Katz's should have their own hot dog eating contest. I'm sure they could spark Kobayashi's interest.

[Firegoat]

After the contest Chestnut said he made about $150,000 a year from competitive eating. Also he ate approximately 15,000 calories that day

[gloriousfood]

Watched it on TV for the first time yesterday and couldn't stop laughing at some of the contestants' names (Notorious B.O.B., Eater X, etc.). What an event! I was sort of disgusted by the close-ups of some of the gorging, but it was an amusing diversion.

Re Kobayashi's arrest, as Joey Chesnut said, not sure what's going on with him but hope to see him back next year.

[bookhound]

Kobayashi didn't win the last 4 times he faced Chestnut at the hot dog eating contest. He's been bested at this event and this was just a sad publicity stunt.

[celfie]

sounds like a christopher guest movie LOL

[anonymouse1935]

How sad. I hope this is a PR stunt by Kobayashi.

[Servorg]

The Kobayashi Maru scenario: Still sinking ever hopeful cadets on a worldwide basis...(learn the lesson grasshopper - you can't both spurn the dog event and eat at it too - it's a "no bun situation" for sure...) ;-D>