Competitive Eating: May 2007 Archives

As Steakbellie put it in a recent EatFeats.com comment, when it comes to hot dogs, 40 is the new 20. Just last year, Tim "Eater X" Janus took his hometown qualifier in Hartford with 27.5 HDB. He went on to the big table to eat his personal best on the 4th: 34 HDB. His success with the food seems only to have accelerated and he won his qualifier this year with 41.5, an amazing number to join Pat's 46 and Chip's 39.5. This year may include the highest total of winning qualifier dogs yet.

Just two days after his stunning feat, Tim went on to compete in a chicken wing competition held in Grand Central and co-hosted by SNL's Kenan Thompson. Having not competed in a wings competition since 2005, Tim's performance was all the more amazing. Though he placed third behind Joey and Sonya, he managed not only to eat a pound over his personal best, but to surpass the world record.

True Fan caught up with Tim to ask a few burning questions.

Three short years ago, Don Lerman won the Hartford qualifier with 20 HDBs and you finished a question marky 4th; this year you took it with 41.5, and the second and third place finishers both did the deuce. Do you feel like competitive eaters' abilities will always improve exponentially or do you think eaters' abilities are reaching an inevitable plateau?

I feel pretty confident there's a ceiling.

At-home physical training isn't endorsed by the IFOCE/MLE, but what about mental training? Have you considered the lucrative business of competitive eating meditation retreats? Who would you hire to run the seminars?

Sometimes I think it would be fun to coach other eaters myself. But not right now. I don't want to help anyone beat me. So I'd probably hire my brother Cheeky because he needs the work and doesn't really know anything. Cheeky, if you're reading this, GET A JOB! I don't want you bringing me down no more.

Over the years, the crowd has grown and the Bus of Champions has shrunk. How much does the anticipated awesomeness of the Bus of Champions factor into your desire to make it to the big table? Like, if you knew they were talking sweet reclining seats and a live orchestra and hand massages would you eat more hot dogs than if you knew for sure it was just going to be a rented U-Haul van with no ventilation?

I'm pretty happy riding in any vehicle that's called The Bus of Champions. It doesn't have to be a bus, and it doesn't have to be for champions. I like the name, the romance of it. You know you don't sell the steak; you sell the sizzle.

Who are we going to see at the Nathan's table this year that we didn't see last year?

God willing, Beautiful Brian Seiken.

Your glorious return to wings was marked not only by surpassing the world record and by beating your personal best by over a pound, but also by being joined by Kenan. Tyra, Kenan...which celebrity would you most like to see emceeing a competition next?

Tyra talks too much, and Kenan doesn't say enough. I'm partial to George and Rich. Can't we just stick with them.

On May 3rd, while most of us were gearing up for Cinco de Mayo, Pat Bertoletti, now the 3rd ranked competitive eater in the world, ate 46 HDBs at the Vegas Nathan's Qualifier. That number makes him the only other person besides Joey Chestnut and Kobayashi to eat over 40 HDBs. It was at the Vegas competition last year that Joey ate a groundbreaking 50, so maybe the second qualifier of the year is a charmed one (though not so much for local Rich LeFevre, who for a second year in a row ate over 30 HDBs in his home state and was powered out of a win). But Pat didn't stop there, he went on to celebrate Cinco de Mayo properly on the 5th with a tamale eating competition outside Houston, eating 51 of the hefty treats and coming in second place to Joey's 53.5. After being disqualified at last year's tamale eating competition for a reversal of fortune, this marks a strong return to a difficult food.

True Fan caught up with Pat on during his recent trip to Mexico. And though he was kind enough to answer some questions for us, due to some technical difficulties involving pina coladas, we had to run Pat's answers through our patented Beer-terpreter.

So, holy shit: 46 HDB. Were you gunning to break Joey's Vegas record specifically?

start this interview off right I must say that I just won the cancun taco eating contest followed by the pina colada drinking contest. I'm pretty sure I drank like 20+ pinas in 2-3 hours. I think that my typing ,spelling and grammar will justify this. 46 was a good number but I trully wanted to break joeys vegas record of 50. There is no bs here, I am certainaly not happy with 46 and hope to improve on it on the 4th, 50 or bust, that is all I say.

Beer-terpretation: Always glad to talk with you, True Fan. I just returned from a lovely dinner. While my score of 46 was certainly noteworthy, no real competitor can ever truly be satisfied knowing he didn't live up to the potential he set forth for himself. Thusly, having not met my goal of defeating Joey's Vegas record, my quest continues unsated.

Last year, when Joey busted out his 50 HDB, some people wondered if he should have kept his talent quiet until the big day, so as not to tip off Kobayashi that he'd improved so much. Obviously he felt differently, and it seems you're in the same camp. Why blow your cover now? Or is it that you are unable to eat below what your talent allows?

I dont think that joey blew his hand too early last year because I think that kobey was a better eater last year. I think that joey has a better chance this year and really could be kobey this year. Joey has awaken the sleeping giant inside of kobey, look at krystals, 97, are you kidding me, I am still in awe of that. I only did 76 my grandmother could eat 76, well when comparing it to joey and kobey is seems possible, not shite against anyone else but they put on a f****** great showl. I hope to break that 20 unit barrier because they normally beat be by 20+ units of food I e nathans and krystal last year. I'm drunk by the way. Speaking of joey, he sets goals for himself and will not rest until be accompishes them. He is by far the best eater america has ever seen. I am not even in the same paragrasph as him, he is a god. Last year he wanted to set a presedent and to prove all the haters and ne sayers.

Beer-terpretation: It is not a matter of tipping one's hand, but a question of whom is the better eater. Last year, Kobayashi demonstrated that he was the superior gurgitator, though he appears to be fueled by Joey's rising capabilities. One clear result of this competitive nature is Kobayashi eating 97 Krystal burgers. My grandmother, from whence my competitive eating skills came, can eat an impressive 76 Krystals, which is coincidentally the same number I was able to consume in the same contest. I hope to break free of the genetic restraints and close the gap between myself and Joey and Koby. I keep a poster of Joey in my room for inspiration.

Do you feel any more pressure with the slick new MLE website, knowing that your audience is growing? Is there any downside to the extra press?

I think the audience is growing and it making us all better eaters. Rios, seaver, and juliet, along with denmark, mongo, and numerous others are all nipping at our heels. This makes us and pushes us to improve. If there wasn't more talent we would settle for mediacrety and less then our best, fresh talent is ideal to keep it interested and to challenge us. More press equals more press, notoriety, contests, and prize money.

Beer-terpretation: I love pina coladas. With the coconut? And the pineapple? And the rum. The rum is totally the best part.

Last year, you had a rather unfortunate time with the Baja Grill tamale competition. Did it feel good to rebound from that so successfully this year?

The tamales is a sore subject. I am not happy with 51, not throwing up yes, but not eating our projected 55-60 really let me down becuase it's only logical that we would all jump to 55-60. I am happy for not puking but not happy that I didn't win or eat up to my potential. That's how I feel for all contests, I cannot and will not eat up to my potential. I know it's stupid but I take this very seriously and anytime i don't eat up to my percieved potential I become unhappy and want to redeem myself. I think all eaters that are serious are only happy with there totals for 20 minutes but are then questioning why they didn;t jump to 80 krystals instead of 76. At least that is how i feal usually a day after all contests. That must be what drives all eaters, a percieve improvement and a lack of content with usual totals. The future of mle and competitive eating should be quite exiting, i'm exited to see how it all plays out.

Beer-terpretation: To quote Theodore Roosevelt, "It is only through work and strife that either nation or individual moves on to greatness. The great man is always the man of mighty effort, and usually the man whom grinding need has trained to mighty effort."