joey chestnut
07/05/2007
Chestnut. Kobayashi. Hot Dogs. Eternal Glory!
It's been damn near impossible, these last couple weeks, to go more than two minutes without hearing mention of the annual Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest, held every 4th of July. And that's just the way it should be, damn it! Any time you get the King Kong and Godzilla of a respective field going one-on-one, you pay attention. Or else, they'll eat you! Because they can. That's what they do.
Yesterday, all the hype surrounding the event came to a head as six-time defending champion Takeru Kobayashi and American power Joey Chestnut squared off on competitive eating's grandest stage to prove, once and for all, who is the most voracious eater of them all. Chestnut is all, "Yo, I'm gonna be the guy that finally knocks off Kobayashi." And Kobayashi is all, "Say what? Sore jaw be damned, I'm bringing it!"
Coney Island was witness to one of the most impressive feats in our lifetime: Chesnut slamming 66 hotdogs in 12 minutes. Yes, that is a record. And his prize? Aside from a pile of cash, a year's supply of Nathan's hotdogs! Oh the gluttony!
As this video proves, you're not a champion unless you're throwing up all over yourself. This video is comedy, this video is intensity, the throngs of fans in attendance are rabid. This is the footage other videos aspire to. Bonus points, Joey, for draping yourself in the flag on this, our Independance Day.