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.
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