Ryan Nerz interview in Salon
IFOCE MC and Eat This Book author Ryan Nerz did an interview for Salon.com Nerz thinks the popularity of competitive eating is plateauing and calls the Wing Bowl “a version of hell on earth” which may not be his most controversial statement:
Why do so many people like watching people gorge themselves?
It’s this uniquely American spectacle that is half sport and half magic. People can’t wrap their heads around the idea of eating 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes, so it does have an element of magic. Though, if you want to be pessimistic about competitive eating, it’s also a kind of a freak show. It’s a little bit like watching a train wreck and you try to hide your eyes and peek through your fingers.
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BS statement said
March 25, 2010 @ 11:04 pm
Way off base Nerz…big in Japan and other sections of the world.
Pat From Moonachie said (Registered December 10, 2005)
March 26, 2010 @ 2:25 am
quote: “Nerz…big in Japan..”
..Well, compared to the rest of them.
Mega Munch said
March 26, 2010 @ 9:49 am
His “train wreck” analogy has been echoed by others in the past. I think most people in the sport would actually agree with his statement. He’s on target about CE plateauing and Wing Bowl too.
Clearly the recession has taken a toll on competitive eating. Gluttony and wastefulness will always have their detractors, but when times are tough and people in the suburbs are pinching pennies, it becomes even harder to stick up for competitive eating. When the economy picks up again and Americans start driving their gas guzzling SUV’s, competitive eating will once again be on the rise.
SPBBBBMBBB said
March 26, 2010 @ 10:31 am
C’mon Ryan, love ya, but if you are that bored by announcing, I’ll be glad to do it!! That’s like saying you are bored by any sport…I mean, every football game they just pass, run, tackle, score, etc…every baseball game is pitch, hit, catch, etc….every eating competition is different, even if the “motions” are the same – the challenge should be to come up with new lines about the eaters, the crowd, that kind of stuff – and that’s a fun challenge!
anonymous said
March 26, 2010 @ 11:09 am
He is no longer employed by sheacommunications so he could say whatever he wants. He announces contests because they begged him to hang around not the other way around
Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)
March 26, 2010 @ 3:14 pm
As much as I’m a fan of CE, overall it IS boring. There’s little variation in strategy, unlike many other sports. And they just keep swallowing over, and over, and over … and … hell, I’m falling asleep now!
Thank God CE events rarely last more than 10 or 12 minutes, otherwise I’d probably need to pop some No-Doz, unless I was watching Sonya, Koby, or Juliet. Those three have attributes that not only lessen the boredom, but make the contests exciting to watch:
– small size (all three),
– gender (Sonya, Juliet)
– style / flair (Koby)
As I’ve said for years, it’s amazing when any human, regardless of size, can eat more in 10 minutes than an entire family, w/ guests, can eat at a picnic. But there’s something special and extraordinary when the person doing it is the smallest, or is female—-especially if he or she wins!
When people witness that, now that’s special. People like Koby and Sonya are once-in-a-generation (or less frequent) phenomenons.
I’ll never completely understand why the IFOCE never actually used that marketing angle for those two, and to a lesser extent, Juliet. They mentioned it once in awhile as a side issue, but that was the extent of that effort.
Anonymous said
March 26, 2010 @ 3:48 pm
Rhonda, maybe if you would go see a contest in person you would find competitive eating more interesting.
A-Bomb said (Registered May 7, 2009)
March 26, 2010 @ 3:58 pm
Yeah when I got in to this I thought for sure it would catch on because America loves their food. And they love to just sit on their asses and watch — anything.
Food + sitting = can’t miss!
But while they love to sit on their asses, CE is really really boring to watch. And yeah, American’s love food, but THEY want to be eating it, not watching others eat it. So Adam, Sheas, etc, keep milking it…
Erik the Red said (Registered January 9, 2006)
March 26, 2010 @ 4:17 pm
CE is not boring; I disagree. CE is part of the counter-culture in America, challenging what you consider to be possible and plausible. You don’t want to be one of the stuck up masses that has a contrite commentary on how CE ruins America’s image and promotes gluttony, do you? That argument is for those who can only see the reflections of obvious and are completely blind to the depths of marvelous.
Steakbellie said (Registered August 11, 2006)
March 26, 2010 @ 4:30 pm
well said Erik!
Anonymous said
March 26, 2010 @ 4:44 pm
Since when is a bomb a COMPETITIVE eater?
nunonabun2 said (Registered November 10, 2009)
March 26, 2010 @ 5:20 pm
I second the motion, damn fine way to put it Red
Anonymous said
March 26, 2010 @ 6:18 pm
What’s marvelous about watching gluttons?
anonymous said
March 26, 2010 @ 8:06 pm
After all these years do any of you idiots honestly believe th sheas consider eating a sport? They were able to succeed in selling the idea to a bunch of dum gluttons with eating disorders and made money on the deal lots of it
Pat From Moonachie said (Registered December 10, 2005)
March 26, 2010 @ 11:41 pm
What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding?
nunonabun2 said (Registered November 10, 2009)
March 27, 2010 @ 9:46 am
Damn pat , are you a dirty hippy now?