Eating Competitions Permeate Pop Culture
With only 13 days until Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest Circuit it excites me to see eating competitions being taken more seriously and it seems like this will be the biggest eating competition ever.
With Jason Fagone's Horsemen of the Esophagus and Ryan Nerz's Eat This Book the public has the ability to get the deep background information that has been so hard to find in one place. The MTV special treated the eaters with respect, and I'm sure brought in a lot of new fans. Additionally, the Tour De Gorge has been playing on the HD Channel, luring new viewers in and giving fans like myself an opportunity to see Sonya Thomas in action and root for my favorite eaters:
And the internet is just exploding with content. Most of the eaters have blogs or websites, Liz and Krista's work here on Digest has been like the Frontline of blogging, and it feels like these events are getting more press coverage.
And my friend George sent me this screen shot from a MySpace advertisement:
Thanks in large part to the efforts of the IFOCE, eating competitions have moved beyond the country fair and into the realm of a true sport. Watching someone eat 8 pounds and 15 ounces of grapes in 10 minutes (record held by Cookie Jarvis) is not so different from watching female bodybuilding. Initially you get a little grossed out, but it's strangely hypnotic, and before you know it you are rooting for Jenny Hendershott to take the title again!
And so here at UrbanHonking we're going to make a little change. We're moving coverage of eating competitions from the food blog to the sports blog, True Fan. The first post will be on July 4th, when we will liveblog Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest Circuit. Liz and Krista will be there and reporting back to UrHo HQ where where I will post updates from them throughout the event.
Maybe it's just the World Cup infecting me with a bit of nationalism, but I'm super psyched about this being the year that an eater from the US wins the Coveted Mustard Yellow Belt. With the amount of dogs being consumed in qualifiers, this could be the year! GO USA!
Do you consider eating to be a sport? Is it a sport anytime you push yourself to do something that is difficult? It seems that there is a physical test inherent in the concept of Sport, and yes, eating a shit-ton of food is physically challenging... but a sport? Next you're going to say that splattering paint on a canvas is art.
It's a competitive sport. it's a race. They train, and they get better. I would definitely say it's a sport, and that is why we're moving it to True Fan.
Sport: activities that are competitive, have formal rules, require physical effort and skills, and are organised within institutional structures (www.health.qld.gov.au/npag/glossary.asp)
Sport: physical activity involving large muscle groups, requiring strategic methods, physical training and mental preparation and whose outcome is determined, within a rules framework, by skill, not chance. Sport occurs in an organized, structured and competitive environment where a winner is declared. (http://www.sbed.gov.bc.ca/SportBranch/Glossary.htm)
Physical effort? Check. Strategy? Check. Large Muscle Groups? Hrm. Yeah... Training? Check. Rules? Check. Skill, not chance? Check. It fits the definition.
Look at that babyface pic of Tim! Ha. Can't wait for the big event and I'm excited for our big move to True Fan.
RA RA RA! Cheering for the USA is great when it involves us being the under(hot)dog.
The guys in that My Space advertisement are a dead ringer for Joey Chestnut. Those crazy ad folk really do their homework!
I want an American to bring the Belt back to the good ol' USA. If it were to come back to America, that means Koby would have a bad day. If that happens, there are a number of eaters who have a chance. Koby having a bad day is THE ONLY way that belt will change waist-laden residences this year. But anything's possible perhaps.
I am Emily Roth of Piranha Productions, we are currently producing a
sports blooper show that will begin airing September this year on NBC
and other affiliates. We are looking for Competitive Eating footage,
Please let me know if you have this type of footage or know someone to
contact.
Thank you for your time and efforts in getting back to me
--
Emily Roth
efroth@gmail.com
Office:206.576.2058 ext.104
Cell:206.310.8526