The Impulse Buy has a review of the hot dogs endorsed by Takeru Kobayashi.
Crain's New York Business reported last month that Nathan's Famous lost a breach of contract lawsuit with its former hot dog supplier and has been required to pay damages of $4.9 million. The award represents almost 2/3 of the company's annual profit and has been appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court.
Mr. Figure Insider announced plans to create a 7-inch action figure resembling Kevin "LA Beast" Strahle.
Hot dogs endorsed by Takeru Kobayashi are available for sale at http://www.rastellidirect.com/kobidog/. A pack of 24 hot dogs costs $19.99.
Buzzfeed on Kobayashi’s schism from Major League Eating
Buzzfeed has what is probably the best competitive eating article of 2013 about Takeru Kobayashi’s schism from Major League Eating containg more information about his post-MLE business arrangements.
- Good news for Kobayashi about his deal with Hofmann Hot Dogs: He was to have received $100,000/year, 2% of supermarket sales and a stake in Hofmann’s restaurant chain
- Bad news: The deal was with Zaccanelli Food Group and not Hofmann and was terminated after Hofmann sued Frank Zaccanelli earlier this year. Rastellis is producing Kobayashi’s line of hot dogs which will debut tomorrow.
Maggie James also provides information about the start of her relationship with Takeru Kobayashi:
I was hosting this gay male party and I invited Kobayashi to come because I thought he was gay. He shows up and says, ‘I don’t think I’m gay,’ and I’m like, ‘What does that mean, you don’t think?’ He’s like, ‘I don’t know, everybody all my life has told me that I’m gay, but I’ve never experienced that.’ And Kobi is just a little bit strange, so people think that, but when you get to know him and talk to him, there’s nothing really feminine about him.
The Atlantic has an analysis of the standoff between Takeru Kobayashi and Major League Eating.
In a comment on his facebook page, Pat Bertoletti says he does not expect to return to Major League Eating, citing contract issues for the termination of the relationship.
Joey Chestnut 2010-2012 earnings analysis
This post updates a post from last year comparing Joey Chestnut’s winnings from contest prizes with his annual earnings according to ESPN Magazine, which have dropped from $218,500 in 2010 to $161,400 last year according to that periodical. The new poll asks what you think is the main reason for that decline.
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Business Week reports that Nathan's Famous sales are up 17% from last year and cites the hot dog contest as a reason. This goes against a decline of 3% for the overall hot dog market.
A press release has more information about Takeru Kobayashi's July 4 event where he will attempt to break his personal record of 69 hot dogs and unveil his line of "Kobi Dogs". None of the seven "accalaimed competitive eaters" that will also participate are listed by name. Kobi Dogs will be available for mail order on www.KobiDog.com starting July 4 (that website currently shows a generic Go Daddy page).
Hotel Chatter Reports that Kobayashi will compete against seven unnamed "acclaimed competitive eaters" at the Eventi Hotel in Manhattan on July 4. He will also unveil his new line of hot dogs called "Kobi Dogs".
ESPN Magazine: Joey Chestnut 2012 earnings down $40K+ from 2011
The Money Issue of ESPN Magazine reports that Joey Chestnut earned $161,400 in 2012. His earnings from previous editions of that issue:
| 2012 | $161,400 |
| 2011 | $205,000 |
| 2010 | $218,500 |
Frank Zaccanelli, former CEO of Hofmann Sausage Company, stepped down from his position in April after a group of investors sued him. (The @FrankZaccanelli twitter has not been updated). Takeru Kobayashi became a partner and brand ambassador for the company last year, but no 2013 events with him have been announced. (HoffmanHotDogs.com has results from an October contest on its main page.)
B for Banishment: Bertoletti, Brown, Biller out of MLE top 50, Miki Sudo #7
update May 10 Rake & Herald has a post about the new rankings containing an interview with Pat Bertoletti who says he declined to extend his MLE contract due to issues it was causing with the Glutton Force Five food truck and his “Stuffed” youtube series. He says he might have competed in his last eating contest.
Flashback: November GQ article where Pat Bertoletti says he is contemplating retirement. ( Joey Chestnut also says he is considering retiring after the 2013 Nathan’s finals)
update May 9 Flashback to the Spring 2010 top 10 Half are apparently no longer with MLE ( Kobayashi (#3) Pat Bertoletti (#4) Ben Monson (#7) Hall Hunt (#9) Tim Brown (#10) )
Miki Sudo noticed that the MLE top 50 was updated today. The new top 10:
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eBay has an autographed Joey Chestnut trading card available for purchase. The current bid (closing April 29) is $22.37. (via Rob Johnson)
It is the one year anniversary of the creation of a limited liability corporation for the upcoming competitive eating documtenary Hungry on March 27, 2012. Over one hundred corporations have the same Beverly Hills address as the documentary company, Klasky Csupo, animators of the first three seasons of The Simpsons is one of them.
CelebrityNetWorth.com claims Takeru Kobayashi's net worth is one million dollars. Kobayshi is listed in the Olympic athletes category so all the information on this page may not be 100% accurate. (via Renny McCullough)
Jamie McDonald takes 365 days cash prize lead
The sidebar has been updated to list both money won in 2013 and over the past 365 days. (Full listings: 2013 | 365 days). According to the eatfeats database, Jamie McDonald has taken the lead in both tables after winning $20,000 in Wing Bowl 21. (If the list took the value of non-cash prizes into account, Dave “US Male” Goldstein would probably be third after winning a car valued at $38,220 in Wing Bowl 21.) A list of Joey Chestnut’s and Jamie McDonald’s contests over the past 12 months follows after the jump
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List of 2012 moneywinners
A list of people who won money in a 2012 eating contest according to the eatfeats database follows after the jump. The top 5:
| $43,000.00 | Takeru Kobayashi | Nagano, Japan | 34 (b. 1978 Mar 15) | M | 5′ 7″ | 170 lb. | professional eater | |
| $40,400.00 | Joey “Jaws” Chestnut | San Jose, CA | 29 (b. 1983 Nov 25) | M | 6′ 1″ | 220 lb. | I | civil engineering major, San Jose State |
| $24,950.00 | Jamie “Bear” McDonald | Granby, CT | M | 6′ 2″ | 220 lb. | |||
| $24,750.00 | Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti | Chicago, IL | 27 (b. 1985 Jun 6) | M | 6′ 2″ | 190 lb. | I | culinary arts major, Kendall College |
| $19,500.00 | Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas | Alexandria, VA | 45 (b. 1967 Jul 26) | F | 5′ 5″ | 100 lb. | I | Burger King manager (Andrews Air Force Base) |
Jamie McDonald has joined Takeru Kobayashi on the Thuzio roster. His price list ranges from $99 (phone call) to $2500 (corporate outing).
Grantland.com has an article about Thuzio, the company that books Takeru Kobayashi's personal appearances. (The only reference to Kobayashi in the article is the appearance of competitive eating on a pie chart displaying the sports of Thuzio's athletes.)
Syracuse.com reports that Hofmann Sausage CEO, Frank Zaccanelli, is being sued by Syracuse University basketball coach Jim Boeheim and other investors for improper use of company money. Boeheim, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach and Takeru Kobayashi were announced as Hofmann investors last year. (Kobayashi and Staubach are not part of the lawsuit).
Thuzio is holding a contest awarding a box of 10 Twinkies autographed by Takeru Kobayashi. former New York Giant running back Tiki Barber and Olympic rower Taylor Ritzel.
ebay is offering a Notorious B.O.B trading card for $80. (via twitter)
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