Finish Strong

Before this weekend, it never really occurred to me that some audience members are paid because being an audience member is really hard work. Even if the show you're watching being filmed is really interesting, there's a limit to how much clapping your hands can take before becoming completely numb. Being at the taping of three episodes of "Eats of Strength" on Saturday certainly pushed the physical cheering capabilities of my body, but luckily the producers seemed to encourage lots of little breaks and ending them by saying, "Okay, hide the beer cans!"

Crazy Legs rented a van and drove a bunch of us to Long Island very early in the morning so we could get the studio with enough time for the eaters to situate themselves. Pat Bertoletti flew in from Chicago to be there (Hardy was originally going to try to beat his corned beef record, but the food was switched to french cut green beans at the last minute), and Joe, a childhood friend of Tim's came in from Connecticut. Joe looked remarkably like a thinner version of Joey Chestnut (#2 ranked US eater) and I would have to say it was a toss up between which was the better amusement for the day: the eaters "interviewing" "Joey" in between takes ("Tell us about Krystal Burger again. Man, that was close, huh? How many you eat?") or everyone giving Tim grief about the surfer-esque perm he'd just gotten the night before.

We saw three records demolished, and the mood was very good. Unfortunately, there was a bit of a reversal at the end. Though he put up a good fight, some beers, a couple bloody marys, blueberry cocktails, pizza, and some chocolate chip cookies proved too much for "Joey Chestnut" to handle while riding in the back of a bumpy van through New York traffic. Luckily he made it to the curb, hopping out when Crazy Legs let us off at our subway stop. This may be the only time in my life when someone puking on the sidewalk elicited joyous cheers from companions. Maybe it had something to do with spending the entire day watching people eat record-shattering amounts of food, but I cheered as well. Even Joe thought this was pretty funny. Then he puked some more.

* * *

Krista had a bunch of us over for a Texas Ranch House marathon party. As it tends to go with us and reality television events, we couldn't get away without a themed feast to accompany the watching. I got to use my wicked little corncob-shaped skillet and made the cutest cornbread that ever graced this good earth, and Jennie and I put together a couple pots of chili. Although, after watching a couple episodes, it was clear we should have just brought beef jerky, whiskey, some contaminated beans, and called it a day. We're not completely caught up yet, but so far impressions include:

We hate Mrs. Cooke
Mr. Cooke sure thought he was on The Apprentice there for awhile
To make Maura's experience more historically accurate, I think she should bind her chest, make a cow tail beard, and go by Matt. That, my friends, would have made some excellent Texas Ranch House.

Mmm, foods.

Delicious tiny corns cornbread.