AICE News reports that it will sanction the 30 inch hot dog eating contest to be held during the June 21 session of the New York Food Film Festival. “Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating”, a documentary starring Crazy Legs Conti, will be screened that evening and Conti will be present to answer questions about the film. Joe Menchetti is expected to defend his title.

AICE News also reports that “Swallow Your Pride” will be screened, but the Wing Bowl 13 documentary does not appear on the festival schedule.

update The schedule has been updated and “Zen” and Conti’s Q&A have been removed. “Swallow Your Pride” will most likely take its place

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Erik “the Red” Denmark has posted a report from his victory at Sunday’s Shea stadium qualifier along with a link to a flickr gallery of the contest.

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From NY Daily News:

WE (Women’s Entertainment) will usher in the June 17 premiere of the fourth season of “Bridezillas” with a ferocious wedding-cake eating contest in Times Square Tuesday at 8 a.m. Brides, bring your forks!

More on the contest and entry information can be found on plj.com First prize is $25,000 towards a dream wedding.

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Gothamist has an interview with Guardian Angels founder and talk radio host Curtis Sliwa. In addition to the opening of a Guardian Angels chapter in Cape Town, South Africa, stickball, and his hatred of Manhattan, Sliwa also discusses his competitive eating history:

Let’s switch focus from the Guardian Angels to competitive eating. How did you become a world champion pickle eater and do you have any plans to return to the world of competitive eating?

I established the world record one year at one and three quarter pounds. The contest took place on the lower East Side of Manhattan. I had done it because I was recovering from gunshot wounds that were inflicted on me by John Gotti Jr’s goons in the summer of 1992. One of the remedies was liquid penicillin- chicken soup. It came from the second avenue deli. The owner, Abe Lebewohl, would send it over each day and even inquire about my health. Unfortunately, he was the victim of violent crime. He was held up at gunpoint, shot, and killed. He had asked me to participate in this contest to represent the lower east side. I could barely consume solid food at that time and I had agreed. That was the first big solid food I’d had, which might be how I was able to set the world record, but I’d also won the contest three times after.

Unfortunately, I’ve suffered gastronomical depression. My head has revolted against my stomach. The stomach wants to continue but the mind has reached a wall. In my last pickle competition, I was so weak that I didn’t even place into the show. I placed third one year at the 4th of July Dirty Water Hot Dog Eating Contest at Nathans, with 16 hot dogs in 12 minutes. That was back in the late 90’s. Now that wouldn’t even qualify you to get into the contest. So, the world of competitive eating has passed this older timer by.

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Brian Seiken has uploaded the episode of his television program recorded at today’s qualifier at Shea Stadium to http://hometown.aol.com/beautifulbrian43/wrap.html

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From MosesNews.com via Todd the Butler:

Erik The Red Denmark – 26.5 + 3 in overtime
Pat Philbin – 26.5
Allen Goldstein – 25.5
Russ Keeler – 20
Brian Subich – 19

Erik Denmark has won a contest in a New York City baseball stadium for the second year in a row.

MosesNews.com also has a gallery of today’s contest.

update
BeautifulBrian.com has a report from Shea Stadium with some pictures

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BeautifulBrian.com has a preview of Sunday’s Nathan’s qualifier at Shea Stadium. He is torn between rooting for Brian Subich and Allen Goldstein in that contest.

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NYMag.com reports that “Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating”, starring Crazy Legs Conti, will be screened at the first New York Food Films Festival on June 21. The schedule of events for that evening follows:

Thursday, June 21st
8:30pm – Tasting Rachel Ray – 3 mins.
– Best of the Wurst – 21 mins.
– A Trip To The Butcher – 4 mins.
9:00pm – Crazy Legs Conti – Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating
10:15pm – Q&A with Crazy Legs Conti
10:45pm – Hot Dog eating contest – 32 inch Stahl-Meyer Hot Dog
closing – XXX – An Uncanventional Love Story – 1 min.

Another movie to be screened at the festival is Buffet – All You Can Eat Las Vegas. A trailer for that film is available at NYMag.com

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Yahoo Sports has a one minute video report about the TripRewards hot wing eating contest produced by the Associated Press.

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(From Megamunch and Brian Subich) Joey Chestnut’s victory at the TripRewards wing contest yesterday was the #2 play of the day on ESPN Sportcenter.

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TripRewards hot wings results Update MLE has full results

1. Joey Chestnut 7.05 lb in 12 minutes
2. Sonya Thomas 6.01 lb
3. Tim Janus 5.381 lb.
4. Micah “Wing Kong” Collins 3.913 lb
5. Crazy Legs Conti 3.263 lb
6. Steakbellie 2.475 lb
7. Pete Miernicki 2.2 lb

update NYMag.com has a short blog entry about the contest

update #2 A press release about the contest is available. Video from the contest can be seen at http://www.triprewardshotwingchampionship.com/.

update #3 wygwto.blogspot.com has a spectator’s report from the contest which says that Horatio Sanz was the first choice for the celebrity host.

The liveblog follows the jump

Read the rest of this entry »

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This afternoon, TripRewards will sponsor a chicken wing eating contest. The previous TripRewards contest was a birthday cake eating contest in 2005. AnchoragePress.com has an article about Shishaldin, who participated in that event.

Readers might remember Shishaldin as the Brooklyn, New York-based performance artist so starved for attention that she ran the New York Marathon draped in cold cuts, auctioned her DNA on eBay and willed her remains to the Guggenheim Museum to be freeze-dried and displayed after her death. She also once attempted a diet solely of her own breast milk by using imported lactation-inducing drugs and a breast pump. (She described the results on her website: “Weeks of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea ensued… project abandoned. Some people are just not the nurturing kind.”)

Now Shishaldin is training to become a competitive eater. Last month she beat out ex-NFL celebrity William “The Refrigerator” Perry in a cake-eating contest that she entered dressed as Marie Antoinette, complete with a corset that she unzipped once she got onstage. Perry, a “guest eater” who was paid for his appearance, placed 10th out of 10. Winner Rich Lefevre ate a five-pound cake in 11 minutes, 20 seconds. Other results were not reported on the International Federation of Competitive Eating website. Shishaldin said there were problems weighing cake after the contest and some controversy over the rules, which didn’t allow eaters to dip cake in water. “Some of the eaters were really upset,” she said.

Shishaldin has apparently shifted from competitive eating to running. Her old blog announces a goal of running a marathon in every state before she reached the age of 30. Her current blog has an entry about participating in a six day race.

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A press release for Monday’s Trip Rewards hot wing eating contest lists the expected entrants:

Competing for the TripRewards Ultimate Hot Wing Eating Championship title will be IFOCE eaters Joey “Jaws” Chestnut of San Jose, Calif.; Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas of Alexandria, Va.; Tim “Eater X” Janus of New York, “Crazy Legs” Conti of New York, Micah “Wing Kong” Collins of Drexel Hill, Pa.; Eric “Steakbellie” Livingston of Drexel Hill; and Pete Miernicki, a rookie eater from Philadelphia. Bob “Humble” Shoudt of Royersford, Pa., and “Wild” Bill Myers of Brenigsville, Pa., will be “waiting in the wings” as alternates.

Kenan Thompson of Saturday Night Live will host. The contest will be webcast on Monday at 1pm eastern at http://www.triprewardshotwingchampionship.com/

update The blog for the the Minneapolis paper has an entry about the contest with a lot of comments.

The first commenter has the following response to the question “Why does competitive eating need its own international federation?”:

I don’t know. I guess they need a union to fight the evil promoters.

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The Guardian, a British newspaper, has an article on the planned redevelopment of Coney Island:

Coney Island may be something of a time capsule – as well as the perfect milieu for a Scooby Doo villain – but it holds its ground in terms of modern thrills – the Cyclone is as terrifying a white-knuckle ride as you’ll find anywhere, and well worth an hour’s ride on the F train from midtown Manhattan.

The summer season has a non-stop carnival atmosphere, with a fancy dress Mermaid Parade on 23 June and Nathan’s Famous hot dog-eating competition on 4 July. Aged eccentrics promenade the boardwalk next to Brooklyn homeboys, Williamsburg hipsters and young families. All human life is here, out for the day, an afternoon at the Aquarium or the Circus Sideshow, or at least a drink at the adjoining Freak

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From Badlands Booker email:

What’s good eating fans:

Don’t miss yours truly Badlands Booker this weekend as he will be performing two competitve eating themed hip hop songs over a live rock band. It happens on Saturday, April 21st. As I become a special guest to one of the hottest rock bands in New York City, The KNOBS!

If you live or will be in the NYC area tomorrow, stop by and witness the greatest Rock/Hip Hop Collabo since Linkin’ Park @ Jay-Z! At Bar Nine

Bar Nine is located at: 807 9th. Avenue bet. 53 & 54th. Streets. Show starts at 10:33 pm. I’ll see u There.

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USAToday.com reports that a planning subcommittee has recommended denying a permit to the San Gennaro Festival in Little Italy, which hosts an IFOCE cannoli eating contest. The committee has a second hearing on the festival tonight.

But last month the Street Activities Permits Subcommittee of the Traffic and Transportation Committee of Community Board 2 — one of hundreds of such neighborhood panels that influence everything from new skyscrapers to street names — took the unprecedented step of recommending against a permit for the feast.

“People use our hallways as toilets,” complains John Casalinuovo, a longtime resident who spoke at the hearing.

When festival officials did not attend the hearing — they say they weren’t notified — the subcommittee voted to recommend the permit be denied.

nytimes.com also has an article

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The documentary about Sonya Thomas at Wing Bowl 13 produced by Jenny Drumgoole will be screened at the New York Underground Film Festival as part of the “Fierce Creatures” program on Thursday and Monday.

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(From BrooklynRecord.com) The New York Daily News reports that a gefilte fish eating contest held in Brooklyn has a new champion:

Sanchez, 21, chomped his way through 3-1/2 pounds of gefilte fish to take the top prize in a recent eating contest – leaving his Jewish competitors in the dust.

“I never had it before today,” he said. “I like it. I like all food, though. I like to eat.”

Courier Life and a kosher restaurant message board have previews of the contest, which state the first place prize was a trip for two to the Czech republic.

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nyc.metblogs.com has a report about the undercard of Vending Machine Challenge II, won by amNY and gizmodo has a blog entry with a video about the second contest, won by Pocket Change. The blogger from metblogs only covered the first contest because s/he left between contests:

To be fair, I left before the main event, so bored and annoyed was I. It could have taken a turn for the awesome, but I doubt it. Also, I should mention how incredibly sweet the organizers were. There was a mix-up with my tickets (which happened to be totally my fault), but the long and short of it was that they let me in with very little proof that I’d actually paid. It’s a rare occurrence for people to be so kind. Finally, the booze was free (or came with the cost a $22 ticket, but I drank my money’s worth). Okay so, all in all, it wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t awesome, and it should have been.

update lvhrd.org and nymag.com have recaps of the evening. Lance Bass (NSYNC) and Jaime Lynn-DiScala (Meadow Soprano) were in attendance.

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As mentioned by megamunch, mediabistro.com reports that LVHRDs Vending Machine Challenge II will take place tonight. Teams from The Onion, MoMA, amNY and Pocket Change will attempt to consume the contents of an entire vending machine. Tickets are $22 (?) and the location has yet to be disclosed.

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Don “Moses” Lerman’s most recent blog entry has a picture of himself at the unveiling of the Nathan’s Wall of Fame. That monument, which lists Don Wolfman as the 1986 winner with 12 hot dogs, needs correction according to this New York Times article:

In a weekend of indulgence, 27-year-old Mark Heller of Manhattan -depending on one’s perspective -might rightfully lay claim to the prize for the most indulgent act.

Mr. Heller, a television commercial producer and director, was crowned the Nathan’s Famous 1986 hot dog-eating champion after consuming 15 1/2 all-beef hot dogs, 6 1/2 inches long – and buns, some with mustard – in 10 minutes.

Mark Heller was inspired by Birgit Felden’s victory in the 1984 contest.

After victory, Mr. Heller searched for bicarbonate of soda and said that the festive atmosphere of Liberty Weekend and seeing a ”German girl who had never eaten a hot dog” win the contest two years ago had prompted him to participate.

15.5 hot dogs would be the best known Nathan’s result from the 1980s. It would be interesting to learn what year the contest changed from 10 to 12 minutes.

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From myspace.com/badlandsbooker:

Mar 24 2007 9:00P Julian Maile’s Spray Paint Stars Concert At Sine New York, New York
Mar 26 2007 8:00P The Bro’In Out Show at The UCB Theatre New York, New York

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Crazy Legs Conti has a column on competitiveeating.net which predicts that Brian Seiken will qualify for Nathan’s at the qualifier restricted to civil service workers at the South Street Seaport.

That’s right, Beautiful Brian is going to Coney as the 2007 Civil Service champ. Could it be that in his tenth year of competing Beautiful Brian will walk the catwalk of Stillwell Ave and ascend the grand stage at Coney Island for his debut at the finals? If the stars and spreadsheets align, on June 27th, Double B will rock the Civil Service contest as the lyrical stylings of Stephen Morrissey blare from the speakers. “ Please, Please, Please, Let me get what I want. Lord knows it would be the first time.”

updated Brian has his own thoughts about qualifying for Nathan’s

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(from slashfood) The New York Times has an article about the Penthouse Executive Club, where Crazy Legs Conti works as a buyer. The article consists mainly of a review of Robert’s Steak House inside the club. Frank Bruni only gives the restaurant one star despite his claim that it has some of the best steaks in New York City. A slideshow is available.

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“Hot Dog Heavens” will be televised on the Travel Channel today at 5pm eastern. Nathan’s on Coney Island will be one of the restaurants they will visit.

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