MTV True Life: I am a Competitive Eater Summary
The first Tim Janus segment of MTV’s True Life: I am a Competitive Eater begins with footage from the TripRewards birthday cake eating contest at Grand Central Station. The next location is Eater X’s workplace where he works as a day trader. Childhood pictures of Tim are displayed. Janus then goes to Nathan’s to train with Crazy Legs Conti (wearing an outfit inspired by Angus Young of AC/DC) for Nathan’s French Fry contest. Brian Seiken, Charles Hardy, Allen Goldstein, Cookie Jarvis, Badlands Booker make cameo appearances. Cookie Jarvis wins the contest.
We are then transported to Ian Hickman’s apartment in Lexington, KY. Hickman does not consider himself a “metrosexual”, he views himself as a “straight man with good taste.” Then a montage of childhood pictures of Hickman eating is displayed. Hickman will appear in his first contest after some impressive performances in restaurant challenges. “The Invader” prepares for the contest by eating massive amounts of lettuce (3 to 5 pounds) to stretch his stomach.
The next segment is filmed in Takeru Kobayashi’s hometown of Nagoya, Japan. Kobayashi is eating massive amounts of food in a restaurant which has a conveyor belt to deliver food. He cleans at least 100 small plates and claims he is not near his maximum. He is notably bloated after his meal. His apartment appears to be about the same size as an American walk-in closet. Some footage of Japanese eating contests is displayed. Kobayashi then goes to the gym and shows off his stomach which he claims sits lower than the normal person so it has less impediments to expansion. He builds his muscle to increase his metabolism and calorie consumption. The Tsunami watches a tape of last year’s contest and tries to see how he can improve. He has a goal of 55 hot dogs, one more than the previous year.
Tim Janus then prepares for Nathan’s by eating 11 pounds of food and drinking 2 pounds of water. He eats a variety of foods but no hot dogs.
Hickman trains for the Spicefest chicken wing contest by going to Hooters and is served by a Britney Spears lookalike. He eats 135 wings. Driving back from the restaurant, Ian suffers a “reversal of fortune.”
Kobayashi goes to the supermarket with a white umbrella. He says that competitive eating is healthy if you pay attention to your health. The Japanese equivalents of hot dogs does not look like Nathan’s offerings.
Tim travels to the Nathan’s qualifier in Hartford, CT and stands next to Brian Seiken at the contest. A mark of 22.5 hot dogs gives Eater X victory and a trip to Nathan’s finals.
Kobayashi goes to a restaurant called Mountain because of its large portions. In Japan, chefs challenge great eaters to consume huge amounts of food. The chef of Mountain gives Kobayashi a huge plate of pasta and an iceberg of shaved ice flavored with chili peppers. The Tsunami receives two more giant plates of pasta. Kobayashi says that it is possible to die eating competively, but “to be professional, you don’t die.” The chef congratulates Kobayashi and says he consumed 22 pounds.
Ian Hickman travels to the Spicefest hot wing eating contest. He sits next to a large heavily tatooed man. He says the wings are hard to eat because they are so dry. Chowhound Chapman emcees the contest (no mention is made of IFOCE vs. AICE issues) and announces that Hickman came in third place.
Kobayashi goes to a pizzeria after arriving in New York. He describes his precontest eating plan. The eaters assemble in Central Park for the weigh in. Janus is impressed with Kobayashi’s muscularity. George Shea says that the goal of Nathan’s is glory and the mustard belt and not money. Pat Philbin, Sonya Thomas, Rich and Carlene LeFevre appear briefly. Gersh Kuntzman of the New York Post interviews Tim Janus who says that the only way he can win the contest is by Kobayashi vomiting or dying. Tim Janus does a hot dog sprint with a goal of 6 hot dogs in 75 seconds (He takes 110 seconds) He then tries to eat 13 pounds in 30 minutes to stretch his stomach. He is disappointed in the practice with both his speed and his perceived stomach capacity.
Hickman then attends the spoonbread contest where his major competition will be senior citizen Margaret Rappart. Hickman eats with hands while Rappart uses a spoon. Hickman wins, but Margaret (who is the only female competitive eater quoted) says she could have given Ian a stronger challenge if she were younger.
Janus wakes up at 7:15 the day of Nathan’s contest. His goal is 27 hot dogs. The competitors take the bus to Coney Island. The contest begins. Tim finishes with 22.5 hot dogs which puts him at 9th place. Kobayashi finishes with 49 hot dogs and fails to break his record which he blames on his jaw getting tired. He says it takes 12 hours for his stomach to digest whatever is inside it. Tim Janus signs autographs and poses for photographs after the contest despite being disappointed in his performance.
Loading ...
Bubba said (Registered January 8, 2006)
February 23, 2006 @ 11:36 am
I thought the show was awesome! It made Ian look like a light weight eater even though everthing I have read says he has some skills. When the show focuses in on Janus and Takero I found that very interesting. Both of these guys are awesome, and to look into how they get mentally and physically prepared was amazing.
truth hurts said
February 23, 2006 @ 11:41 am
ive never see a bunch of jealous bastards in my life. where are all the comments about tim and mtv true life show? whats the deal? is it because you werent on the show ? Lets get some reviews some comments and some feedback.regardless of an aice clown inserted in the show the ifoce could have mentioned tim was appearing on mtv ‘s true life. This is insane . It appears everyone is out for themself and who gives a rats ass about someone else getting featured.
Bubba said (Registered January 8, 2006)
February 23, 2006 @ 12:56 pm
Truth, I don’t get what you are saying, elaborate please.
truth hurts said
February 23, 2006 @ 1:05 pm
Bubba the comment was made before you posted your praise of the show so you you are excluded. What i meant was most people do not care unless its them being featured meaning that you have a bunch of selfish asshole babies out there that unless the camera is focused on them they dont give a damn one way or another to praise or comment about someone else .
Laredo Daily Times said
February 23, 2006 @ 1:33 pm
MTV promoted the show well. The IFOCE didn’t need to. The Whaler didn’t even promote it.
DONMOSESLERMAN said
February 23, 2006 @ 2:25 pm
this is don moseslerman, i thought TIM JANUS did a first rate job on the show and i wish him further success..don lerman
Bubba said (Registered January 8, 2006)
February 23, 2006 @ 3:39 pm
Purgeing means you intentionally made yourself vomit when he puked after the Hooters wings he definitely wasn’t trying to make that happen. Also he was new then and just begining his eating career. I’m not saying he’s great just that he isn’t Joe Schmoe off the street. I think if he was thrown into a competition with the IFOCE eaters he would not be a stand out. I never understood why anyone would want to be in AICE unless they want to be a BIG fish in a little pond, me I don’t mind being a little fish in a huge lake atleast I have something to strive for. Besides how good can you get hanging out with those goof balls they don’t have any skills atleast everytime I leave an IFOCE event I have learned something sometimes through observation or somebody teaches you something like Bob, Charles Hardy or Booker who I have learned the most from.
Gentleman Joe said (Registered December 8, 2005)
February 23, 2006 @ 4:51 pm
I have a life!
I haven’t seen it yet, to comment on it. Thankfully it re-airs many times, so i’m sure i’ll catch it.
I really wish people would stop using my alias/or a version there of!
dave said
February 23, 2006 @ 7:58 pm
Is tonight’s show a repeat of last night or part 2 ?
ojrifkin said (Registered July 27, 2005)
February 23, 2006 @ 8:06 pm
Its a rerun
Erik the Red said (Registered January 9, 2006)
February 25, 2006 @ 11:50 pm
Hey, I know my comments are a little delinquent but I just got a chance to see the show. Awesome! It’s so interesting to see a little behind the scenes of the elusive and suprisingly insightful Kobayashi. And “X” I thought you were very genuine and impressive, I like the Papst poster in the apartment as well, nice touch. Not sure what to say about Hickman, he comes off looking like a definite amateur, not to discredit the softbread victory over the 80 year old woman. Good motivational video, the best True Life I have ever seen.
Badlands Booker said
February 26, 2006 @ 7:49 am
MTV’s True Life was Awesome! Congrats Eater X. You’re Shining like the sun now, so Shine On Bro! Hoo Ah!!!
Eatchughugefast said (Registered January 20, 2006)
February 26, 2006 @ 11:17 am
Congratulations Eater X, I tried that record some years ago when it was around 28 burgers ( I think Stoberski got the record then) and I got sick because I was choking with a piece and I have to stop 2 burgers away from the record 🙁 the burgers were not that great (the ones in Eagles Deli in Boston are delcious though, I tried that record and I miss 1 pound french fries but I ate the 4lbs burger and 4lbs fries, now the challenge is 5lbs burger and 5lbs fries but nobody has been able to finish it, I think they serve more than 5lbs fries!!!)
In other order of things, has anyone ever tried a banana eating contests? bananas are really cheap down here (10 cents of a dollar a pound) so I bought some and had some fun with 10 in about 2 minutes, I was peeling them and not forcing to be fast but I see that bananas could be a new cathegory that is not already on IFOCE or AICE… just an idea, and I got a video too, I love competitive eating! Well I know we all do love it!
thanks,
Alex
Dave said
February 26, 2006 @ 6:42 pm
Alex can’t you just come on one time without talking about yourself? Its either you drank a gallon of milk and you have the video to prove it or you ate burgers or drank water and you have a video to prove that. Noone cares ok . Why cant you just congragulate Eater X and leave it at that instead of talking about your feats. I can just imagine the other videos you have of yourself.
Eatchughugefast said (Registered January 20, 2006)
February 26, 2006 @ 9:28 pm
You know what, I talk about myself here because I thought this was a place to share information about things related to competitive eating besides that there is nothing like this in my country so I thought this was the right place to share all of this, also I think I have never been unrespectful with anybody here however I have been told to shut up and dont worry that’s what I am going to do, because this is just ridiculous, if I am here talking about myself but about things that have nothing to do about eating I would understand what you said but this is not the case.
thanks
Alex
P. S. Enjoy your food and good luck with your contests for other people I have talked here but have not been this rude with me and feel free to keep in touch if you want.
Dave said
February 26, 2006 @ 10:20 pm
Alex There is a difference between sharing and bragging. We welcome all your thoughts on competitive eating but put yourself in someone else’s shoes . How would you like to hear “I drank a gallon of milk in 20 seconds i really did and i got the video to prove it” . Most people or anyone with common sense would find that annoying . Noone is pushing you away but every time you enter this site you always have a video that everyone must see.
The Tubesock Destroyer said
February 27, 2006 @ 12:59 am
Well I think the banana idea is amazing. Anything involving a mechanical element- having to peel the bananas in this case- would definitely add to the action.
Eatchughugefast said (Registered January 20, 2006)
February 27, 2006 @ 1:00 pm
Well Dave, I am sorry, it was never my intention to bother anyone about my stuff but I hope you understand, there is nothing about competitive eating in my country, so this is the only way for me to talk about this with people who likes and understands about competitive eating. The banana idea is great, you just to have to weigh the previous amount unpeeled, peel it and eat it and then weigh what you have not eaten including the peels (unless you eat them unpeeled!!!) and then you have a winner, I think this can be a 30 mins contest because the unpeeling of course would take effective eating time but of course it makes things more interesting.
thanks
Alex
P. S. I do apologize if I was being annoying with my posts, that was not my idea!
Rich LeFevre said
February 27, 2006 @ 4:46 pm
Alex,
You need to get yourself to an IFOCE contest to show everyone what you are capable of. The only way to end the scepticism from other eaters is to produce at an event. Talented eaters are always welcome.
Eatchughugefast said (Registered January 20, 2006)
February 28, 2006 @ 6:21 am
Thank you Rich, I know you are one great gentleman so anything that comes from you is an honor and I humbly accept your invitation, I may be going this year from July 1st to July 15th to the USA to Atlanta and the New York (Northeast Coast Area) so it would be great to meet you all my competitive eating heroes! I have some months to practice with my speed which still is a turtle compared to yours though! I think I should not be that bad in a longer time challenge though. I would like to try all the available challenges if possible.
Thank you very much
Alex
O'Doyle said
February 28, 2006 @ 10:04 am
I think Alex should stay away from competitive eating. I think he should stay away from it forever because the eaters don’t need any more competition.
Stay away, Alex!
O’Doyle Rules!
Gentleman Joe said (Registered December 8, 2005)
February 28, 2006 @ 1:45 pm
Bars & strip joints etc. have banana eating contests rather often. They are nearly always for women, (unless you’re in a Broke Back Bar) & often eating the banana out of a guys lap. This seems like eathugefasts kind of contest… Dontcha think!.
You’d also have the opposite internal effects of pickles & jalapenos. Instead of having to go repeatedly after an hour, you may not be able to go for a week after eating 50? bananas.
Eatchughugefast said (Registered January 20, 2006)
March 1, 2006 @ 6:29 am
Well, Dont worry I am not in US so for me it is not easy to go to any eating contests at all besides as I have said I am not that good as speed eater.
Gjoe I am not talking about that kind of contest and well I didnt have a problems with banana eating but well I have never eaten 50 so I don’t know.
Kobayashi #1 said
July 19, 2006 @ 9:19 pm
I loved that episode.
warren g said
August 4, 2009 @ 11:44 pm
can somebody please send me a link to a full length video of the true life i’m a competetive eater and/or true life i’m a competetive gamer!!
please and thanks!
Anonymous said
August 5, 2009 @ 12:21 am
Long Live the Invader!
anonymous said
August 5, 2009 @ 1:32 am
Warren G you are replying to a post from feb 2006 ? You must have been sleeping for 3yrs and just woke up. I can just imagine what your breath smells like