“Science of Speed Eating” to air July 8

June 15, 2007 at 11:18 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Media, Science, Sonya Thomas, Tim "Eater X" Janus

From a Bubba Yarbrough email:

I just received an advanced copy from National Geographic with the air dates and time. It will air July 8 at 9pm et/pt. It features Me (Bubba) tim and Sonya. Tim is run through some very exhaustic digestive testing and Sonya and I go through some training and other stuff Overall it looks great.

update TVWeek has a preview (from Rhonda Evans)

Comments (29)

29 Comments »

  1. Rhonda Evans said

    June 15, 2007 @ 11:31 am

    Thanks OJ and Bubba. I found an excerpt from TV Week: http://tvweek.com/news/2007/06/hard_to_swallow.php

  2. Steakbellie said (Registered August 11, 2006)

    June 15, 2007 @ 11:41 am

    now thats some ‘Must See TV’!!!
    sounds awesome, I wonder about this stuff all the time.

  3. Mega Munch said

    June 15, 2007 @ 1:28 pm

    That does sound awesome. I’m watching that one and taking notes.

  4. The_Hangman said (Registered August 30, 2006)

    June 15, 2007 @ 1:49 pm

    I wonder if this is the same movie that filmed myself and others at the 2006 Nathan’s contest at Zoo Atlanta. If so the backstage scenes were funny. Like the one where I picked up and was about to piledrive or bodyslam a new eater just before we went on stage. But those who have been in movies and I have been in 32 to date, many shots end up on the cutting room floor. The movie Casino I was in in 1995 or so took over 6 months to shoot in Vegas and weeks and months of shots ended up on the cutting room floor.

    I look forward to the “Science of Speed Eating”

  5. Rhonda Evans said

    June 15, 2007 @ 1:54 pm

    I think you’re right Hangman. It is my feeling that for every hour of filming only a minute or less makes it to airing.

  6. Bison said

    June 15, 2007 @ 2:06 pm

    I remember when I was 6 I got to meet Andre The giant.He picked me up and it felt like I was on a Elevator.

    What did you play in Casino Hangman?

    Bison

  7. ; ) said

    June 15, 2007 @ 2:22 pm

    If this program follows Tim J, it should not be called “the science of speed eating”. Tim is not a speed eater and never will be. On Sunday Deep Dish is going to teach tim something about speed eating.

    Does tim hold any eating titles?

  8. Rhonda Evans said

    June 15, 2007 @ 3:20 pm

    Why must some people make it a point to seek out any negative angle in any given life situation? More specifically, why is it necessary to say that any of the top dozen or so people (as ranked in the IFOCE, or independents, as far as that matters) is not a speedeater if they are not as fast as the top 3 or 4?

    Tim Janus damned sure is a speedeater. Granted, and he will readily admit, contests lasting only a handful of minutes may not be where he is best, but there are few in this world better, nonetheless.

    Bertoletti would also admit that he cannot afford to talk smack, because though he is improving, and may be better than Tim right now, rankings and talent can be fleeting traits.

    Besides, speed is only part of the game. Give Tim 20 minutes or so and he will show any other American man a thing or two!

  9. Superpaul said

    June 15, 2007 @ 5:36 pm

    Can’t wait for this show – It’s about time I learned something!! Thank goodness Despaerate Housewifes isn’t on, or I’d have to wrestle for the television…Hangman, I need to know the elevator move!!

  10. carey poehlmann said

    June 15, 2007 @ 5:43 pm

    Rhonda, I believe that there is a world of difference between speed and capacity. There are many who can throw down 10 HDBs in a minute, who can’t get past 12. Then there are those who can’t do more than 4 a minute, but get close to a double deuce in competition. If the show is called “Science of Speed Eating” I think it should address the former. The outside world considers all Competitive eating “speed eating.” Actually, it would have been best, if no intentions are for a two part series, to just call it “Science of Competitive Eating” and cover both aspects. I don’t know if he only posts negative comments or not, but 😉 has a good point.

  11. Anonymous said

    June 15, 2007 @ 6:39 pm

    If they wanted speed eating why not include Don Moses because his baked bean record is the greatest speed eating record of them all and he does in fact have the fastest hands in competitive eating. I think they really missed the boat on this one because you have one slow eater and two so so ones.

    Luther

  12. ; ) said

    June 15, 2007 @ 8:12 pm

    Carey & Rhonda,

    The best speed eater in america is??…drum roll……Pat Bertoletti. he is ahead of everybody in the begining of a contest and has a capacity that can be matched by few. not seeing his name associated with the science of speed eating is a joke.

    “Given life situation” ???

    what is the purpose of wearing face paint? Why would a man dress as a woman in an eating contest? Why would a “stock broker” dress as a “whaler”?

    Tim Janus is not a competitive eater, he is a media whore. his motivation for improving is attention.

    tim has almost no competitive eating talent. Anybody that uses his training methods can eat an enormous amount of food.

    If a person is a decent eater for the wrong reasons, are they still a decent eater?

  13. Mega Munch said

    June 15, 2007 @ 8:26 pm

    Good points. I think we can all agree they’re referring to competitive eating in general with the title. And it sounds like they’re focusing on capacity, so Tim fits in well there. For the record, Tim holds world records in tiramisu, canolli and tamales. He also once held the record for shoofly pie. But X doesn’t need me to stick up for him. We all know he’s one of the greatest eaters and entertainers in CE.

  14. Carey Poehlmann said

    June 15, 2007 @ 9:03 pm

    there is the right word. Entertainer. I think there is enough space at the table for everyone that wants to compete. Whether it is for attention, the sport, or the fun. I also think that people should not think they are important because they know someone better, or that anyone is going to listen to them for long because of it. I meet people all the time who knows someone better than me at eating. I challenge them to a friendly contest, and they say that they don’t eat competitively. I have to ask what your motive is ;), because Pat himself wouldn’t flaunt like this, he has no reason to. Should the rest of us just pack up and go home because we aren’t the best? Do you think Pat is as upset as you are that he isn’t on that show?

  15. Anonymous said

    June 15, 2007 @ 11:03 pm

    Yeah Im convinced the show sucks. Big mistake it is.

    Luther

  16. Bubba said (Registered January 8, 2006)

    June 16, 2007 @ 6:56 am

    You are correct Hangman your in it a couple of times a waffles and at Nathans Atlanta. I have the screener copy and unfortunatly alot of that ended up being cut out. They did an interview with Pat Bertolletti that ended up being cut that I thought was cool because Pat was so candid after his win at the Zoo. It does show Pat holding up his Dale Boone Doll at the table.

  17. SuperPaul said

    June 16, 2007 @ 7:55 am

    Dear ;),

    facepaint is essential to speed eating…I do no training (and it shows), but have somehow managed to improve from my first competition ever, Nathan’s 2003…a measly 6 dogs to my now measly 10 or 11 with facepaint.
    My first year at waffles, I had 6 waffles, then the next year with more facepaint, and a rather debonair hat I must say, I improved to 10 waffles.
    If you are a competitive eater, you should be a media whore – why else would we travel the country for little pay….do we really love to eat our food wet??
    Tim’s biggest problem is his choice of women’s clothing….I notice he made no attempt to color co-ordinate, and his wig was all discombobulated. Tim, you are a candidate for Extreme Makeover, Eater edition. And do something about that bra…you are not a D cup!!

  18. carey poehlmann said

    June 16, 2007 @ 1:29 pm

    That’s my problem. Paul, back when you told me to try face paint to improve my numbers I thought I was supposed to eat it. No wonder you didn’t understand what I was saying about the constipation.

  19. Anonymous said

    June 16, 2007 @ 1:48 pm

    I think Bubba must dominate the broadcast.

    Luther

  20. Bubba said (Registered January 8, 2006)

    June 16, 2007 @ 7:26 pm

    I do I dominate everything.

  21. Irv Mccoy said

    June 16, 2007 @ 7:58 pm

    Bubba what makes you an expert on speed eating?

  22. Anonymous said

    June 18, 2007 @ 5:42 am

    This is going to be a joke with none of the top three eaters featured and its appearing after people have a chance to see the top eaters combat on July fourth. They’re going to say Tim who? and Bubba who? The only saving grace about the whole thing might posssibly be sonya but only out of curiosity because shes a woman and so small. Id probably tune in for that part if there was nothing else on the tube.

    Luther

  23. Anonymous said

    June 18, 2007 @ 7:58 am

    I think that Bubba, Sonya, and Tim will make the program go over very big. You don’t have to be number one or even in the top 10 to be an outstanding competitive eater, as all of these people are, in my own opinion. I, for one, would get very, very tired of seeing and hearing about the same faces all the time.

  24. Rhonda Evans said

    June 18, 2007 @ 10:00 am

    Another thing that makes these people’s talents especially interesting is their size. Sonya is a tiny girl so the interest in her speaks for itself (as it would Juliet). Tim is is what, about 5′ 8″ and maybe 160 lbs? Bubba is not a tall man either.

    You can say what you want, but pound for pound Eater X and Sonya can put away more food than much taller opponents, and Bubba can more than hold his own and will improve further.

  25. carey poehlmann said

    June 18, 2007 @ 11:09 am

    As it goes with these shows like what you see on Discovery Channel, it doesn’t matter who the subjects are. The research and study is the focus, and the intellectual type that this program is geared for doesn’t care if it is the top eater or not. Luther, go back to watching your MTV and waiting for your call to be on “My Life As – a nobody”

  26. ? said

    June 18, 2007 @ 11:30 am

    pound for pound and tallness are not one in the same. Come on Rhonda. You’re better than that!

  27. Bubba said (Registered January 8, 2006)

    June 18, 2007 @ 7:52 pm

    Rhonda I’m 6’3″ 240lbs. When I think about it compared to Sonya I should be eating like 30lbs of food in 12 minute contests.

  28. SuperPaul SetTheBarlow said

    June 18, 2007 @ 8:25 pm

    Will there be open casting for “My Life as a Nobody”??…I’m interested, and feel like my paycheck qualifies me.

  29. Producer said

    June 19, 2007 @ 11:47 am

    Hey all-

    We had a great time making this film and being a part of the Speedeater world. There are tons of awesome characters, and tremendous eaters that we looked at when it came to casting. Rhonda nails it as far as our thinking behind the selections– Bubba is the Up and Coming/Aspiring Eater, Sonya- I don’t think I need to explain she let’s her performance do the talking, and Tim is charismatic, kickass on camera, top ten eater, and willing and excited to go through invasive testing at UPenn hospital for three days. A show simply on the best eater of the moment would be dated six months from now. That’s why Spike broadcasts the contest. This should have a little more depth and really give non-eaters a look inside your world. I’ll be posting a trailer this week on http://www.bigfishdc.com. I hope everyone enjoys the show!

    -Big Fish Entertainment

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