• Video of the end of the Apple Ugly eating contest (the trophy was a mounted toilet seat)
• Ian Hickman beats Elizabeth Canady in overtime at Bowie burger contest
• Detailed review of MLE game by Platform Nation
• Skinnyboy eats 8/9 of Big Texan 72 ounce steak
• Gallery of 2008 Philadelphia Nathan’s qualifier
• Picture of Samantha Brown at Italian sausage contest
• MissBusyLady describes her start in competitive eating fandom
• Juris Shibayama sends a letter to the editor about last week’s column (from Crawfish comment)
• Boston hot wing eating contest Thursday
• Donut eating contest in Pittsburgh Friday
• Full results for the Singapore qualifiers on MLE.asia
• Vietnamese sub eating contest in Ho Chi Minh City

• Hall Hunt article in U of Florida student paper. Hall had a bad knee while he ran a marathon last Saturday. An article about Erin Andrews appears in the same issue.
• Crazy Legs Conti and Tim Janus appear in music video by Low Water (myspace)
• Wing Tut previews the contests he will MC this weekend. Samatha Brown of the Travel Channel might compete in the Italian sausage contest.
• MissBusyLady contemplates a Burritozilla attempt
• News items after May 8 removed from IFOCE home page
• Article about Randy Harrison, participant in the US Open of Competitive Eating
• WLOCE registration is open (from Crawfish comment)
• MTV’s video game blog has footage of the first two minutes of the MLE game
• Blog entry about Pauliesaurus challenge. The current prize is $250.

The database of challenge finishers on Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub’s website has been set up after being empty for over a year. There are still two listed finishers for the 6 pound burger.

The comments for the Baltimore Sun’s blog entry about the Bowie burrito contest has a link to another baseball themed eating contest. 999AllStar.com has been set up as the home of the 9 hot dogs & 9 beers in 9 innings challenge. Competitors can register on the website and an all star list has been set up.

• Final Denver hot dog qualifier report
• Column criticizing Juris Shibayama for finishing “toward the back of the pack” that does not bother to find out his actual placing
• Megamunch blog entry and gallery from the UEPa meeting at Gregory’s Steakhouse
• Report on Tour de Donut in which cyclists can reduce their reported finishing times by eating donuts
• The Serious Sports News Network reports that a congressional committee will investigate allegations that PEDs were used in the Nathans’ finals
• Mini-essay contest for slots in the Bowie burrito eating contest, also lists expected ranked entrants

• Registration for the Ash Creek (CT, August 17) rib contest and the Myrtle Beach BBQ contest (August 30) opens tomorrow
• Transcript of Joey Chestnut on CNN July 4
• Furious Pete attempts to break Cookie Jarvis’ 76 ounce steak record at J & R Steakhouse (result)
• Jill Stoler’s report on the 120 ounce steak attempts
• Video of amateur contest at Delaplane Strawberry Festival
• 17 Year old eats age in hot dogs
• Video of radio interview of Joey Chestnut and the LeFevres
• Kobayashi has a blog entry about dining at Gray’s Papaya hot dog stand with Stephen Dubner

A segment about Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub containing footage from a 2002 event in which diners attempted 3 and 6 pound burgers has been uploaded to youtube. No one was able to finish a 6 pound burger, but Lori Weiss did manage to set the record for the three pound burger.

• Log of Pat Bertoletti on yesterday’s Steve Dahl show. Bertoletti will be competing against sandwich makers at the Taste of Lincoln Avenue on July 26 or 27.
• Video recorded by Gersh Kuntzman alleging cheating by Kobayashi after regulation time ended at the Nathan’s finals
• Press release about today’s UEPa meeting at Gregory’s Steakhouse
• Short article about Rich LeFevre

• Preview of the Chinook Winds rib contest. Rich LeFevre and Erik Denmark are listed as expected entrants.
• Steakbellie on the Camden qualifier
• Megamunch finalizes plans for the UEPa meeting. The 120 ounce steak is free if finished.
• Quotes and podcast of George Shea at the Nathan’s finals.
• According to CNN, Heinz’ sales are up 16.5% and profits are up 30.9% over the past two years. Nelson Peltz got Heinz to co-sponsor Nathan’s.
• 11 “Pushing Daisies” themed pie eating contests at the Orange County Fair from July 11 to August 2

• Erik Denmark has a report from Coney Island
• Ian Hickman interview for delawareonline.com
• MissBusyLady believes Joey Chestnut should have won Nathan’s in regulation time
• HungrySisters on the Nathan’s finals
• List of Delaware eating challenges
• Mindy Kaling predicts she will eat “thousands of beets” at The Office Games
• NY Daily News reports on Peggy O’Neill’s July burger contest and reports the winner as “Pete Zerwinski”
• Greenwood, SC hot dog contest Saturday, $100 first prize
• Top 16 things overheard at the Nathan’s finals
• Will Millender added to non-IFOCE rankings
• Darren Rovell says he will drink 6 bottles of ketchup in 10 minutes if the Steelers leave Pittsburgh

Pictures and videos of Furious Pete’s attempt at the Clinton Station Diner’s Zeus burger challenge have been posted to bodybuilding.com. It is estimated he finished about 60% of the burger. The current prize for finishing the burger is $500. Forks are apparently allowed at the Clinton Station Diner (they are prohibited in Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub’s challenges)

Augusta.com reports that Dale Boone won $1000 recently by being the first person to eat a 28 inch cheese pizza from Roma’s Pizza in under 90 minutes.

WLOCE.com reports that Dale Boone also won the Apple Ugly eating contest in North Carolina yesterday and competed in the Elizabethton, TN hot dog contest.

• Jill Stoler has a belated birthday tribute to Pat Bertoletti
• Poll about biggest eating baseball players: (1st Babe Ruth 2nd John Kruk 3rd Tommy LaSorda)
• Sonya has a commentary about the Nathan’s finals
• Furious Pete is seeking a dining partner for his attempt at the Zeus Burger at the Clinton Station Diner July 5.
• Kobyashi reports he is now in New York City
• Tomoko Miyake has an autograph signing session for her new book
  

(from Baseball Think Factory) The Pittsburgh Pirates blog Mondesi’s House has a report about watching yesterday’s game from the section offering all you can eat food. The blogger actually only saw the last seven innings of the game because the first trip to the refreshment stand required waiting in line 30 minutes.

My final tally: a burger, two hot dogs, an order of nachos, and three Diet Pepsis. It’s not much more than I’d eat at a family cookout, especially spread over three hours.

Actually, I didn’t see much “abuse” from the AYCE customers. It’s not as if there was some enormous guy walking back and forth the entire game with four burgers in his hand at all times. The speed of the line clearly discourages a lot of people. Some employees looked like they were trying to keep up with the crush; others looked like they were moving in suuuuper—slooooow—-motion.

(From Consumerist.com) The Telegraph reports that a burger costing £95 ($185) sold by a London Burger King was certified by Guinness as the world’s most expensive burger. The British burger appears to be normal size (its weight is not listed) ABCNews reports that the burger contains Wagyu beef, organic mayonnaise, white truffles and pink Himalayan rock salt and has an Iranian saffron bun. All proceeds from the sale of the burger will go to the charity Help a London Child.

At least three American restaurants have more costly offerings:

• $399, Absolutely Ridiculous Burger, Mallie’s Sports Grill & Bar
• $379, Beer Barrel Main Event Charity Burger, Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub
• $320.95, 8th Wonder Deluxe, Clinton Station Diner

The sandwiches from Mallie’s and Denny’s have received acknowledgement from Guinness as the world largest commercially available burgers, so the records organization must have been aware of them.

The video of Krista Lander competing against two minor league hockey players in a one pound burger eating contest is now available on the CBS 7 website.

• July 12 Fort Wayne, IN hot dog eating contest, $850 purse ($500 first place), 3 qualifiers, $10 entrance fee
• 15 second podcast about the Dover, DE BBQ sandwich contest
• Video of Crazy Legs Conti and Tim Janus playing the MLE video game
• Video from 2001 Nathan’s finals
• Video of Stevens Point, WI pizza challenge, $500 prize for finishing

• David Mitolo completes the Outrageous Split at BR Frozen Custard - video, gallery
• Furious Pete finishes the Belly Buster Challenge from MT Bellie’s
• Skinnyboy catches Anthony Bourdain on the Big Texan’s webcam
• Orange County sushi bar with hot dog roll named after Kobayashi (from Liz K, link fixed)
• Beautiful Brian will not be entering the Shea Stadium qualifier (update - he will enter)
• Brooklyn stinky cheese eating contest June 22
• The New York Post reports that Dick Zigun, the “Mayor of Coney Island”, has been living rent free in a publicly financed building
• Speculation that a developer was responsible for the information about Zigun
• The New York Times on the future of Coney Island

(From The Big Lead) Yahoo’s hockey blog, Puck Daddy, has an interview with Krista Lander about her preparations for competing against two members of the Odessa Jackalopes minor league hockey team in Fuddrucker’s one pound burger challenge. Ms. Lander is the sports anchor for CBS 7 and the contest will be a part of “Krista’s Sports Challenge” segments in which she competes against local athletes in various activities. The contest is expected to be televised on Thursday.

• Beautiful Brian has expected entrants for next weekend’s contests in New York
• Cameron McKirdy has videos of the Las Vegas qualifier, including his reversal
• Don Lerman is selling his dentures for $1,000
• Article about Big Goomba pizza challenge attempt in South Carolina
• Jill Stoler and Will Millender of “Fat March” to exercise together
• Hungry Sisters report on the Hog Happenin eating contests
• Japanese article about Brooklyn Pizza contest - 2ch thread

Erica Pierson, a DJ at Love 96.1 FM, attempted Tumbleweed’s 2 pound burger challenge last October. The owner of Tumbleweed’s donated $500 to the Spinal Cord Injury Project after she successfully completed the burger.

• Short preview of New Orleans qualifier: Juris “Dr. Bigtime” Shibayama, Chris MacVicar and Steve Ulness are expected
• Final batch of bios for MLE game characters - also includes profile of bunnette and paramedic. Juliet Lee’s nickname is listed as “The Lovely”
• End of school year White Castle eating contest for Kentucky teachers. Joey Chestnut is listed as the White Castle record holder
• Pancake contest for Cincinnati area high school students - contest video
• Eating contest from Hey Arnold cartoon (Kobayashi has called Hey Arnold his favorite American TV show
• Tomoko Miyake videos on yahoo: at the department store buffet promo, wearing bikinis with friends, eating big burgers with friends

The blog for the Team Emerica skateboarding team reports that several team members attempted the Big Texan 72 ounce steak challenge last night. Danger Ehren from the MTV show Jackass also tried to win a free meal.

Skinnyboy caught the webcast of their attempt last night and has some video captures. He thinks the mohawked diner looks like Pat Bertoletti, but apparently does not eat like him.

• Charlotte qualifier to take place at Concord Mills Mall parking lot
• Singer/pianist Dr. John competes in a chile pepper eating contest
• Hall of Fame Thurman Thomas to help judge hot dog contest at Watkins Glen
• Video from 2003 Nathan’s finals
• News video of Kansas qualifier captured by Skinnyboy
• Erik Denmark’s Kansas City qualifier report
• Arena Football kicker completes Big Texan 72 ounce steak
  
• Results of Denver hot dog contest qualifier
• Nanticoke PA pierogie eating contest this weekend (date unspecified)
• Steakbellie & sons run in 5K race
• Fake inspirational poster (in the style of despair.com) using a picture of a hot dog eating contest

(From BaseballThinkFactory) Susan Polgar, the first woman to obtain the rating of chess grandmaster in regular competition, recently dined at the Big Texan and wrote about that restaurant’s signature meal. According to the blog entry, Joey Chestnut was not the first Nathan’s champion to attempt the challenge:

Former Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Frank Pastore did it in a record time of 9 ½ minutes, and held that record for 21 years until Joey Chestnut took the title on March 24, 2008 with a time of 8 minutes and 52 seconds. Another famous person who tried this was Takeru Kobayashi, the six-time hot dog-eating world champion.

It is not clear from the blog entry if Ms. Polgar attempted the 72 ounce steak. She is currently the chess coach at Texas Tech so it was not that long a trip for her. (Picture is from chessphotography)