I’ve always felt that eating two or three hot dogs was rather piggish - even without the buns. However, in food-eating contests, three - ten - twenty - even fifty hot dogs WITH buns isn’t enough to win. I don’t know how they do it. This is definitely not a stop-and-smell-the-roses activity. It’s all about cramming as much food into your mouth and down your throat as fast as possible. No time to appreciate taste or worry about table manners.

Here’s the winner - Joey Chestnut - showing off his trophy:

And a food-eating competition is not a pretty sight. Just take a look at Chestnut’s opponent - previous winner, Takeru Kobayashi. And this is not even one of the more disgusting photos.

Here’s the story:

American Captures Hot-Dog-Eating Crown
Chestnut Sets World Record as He Beats Defending Champ Kobayashi
Posted: 2007-07-04 16:26:18
Filed Under: More Sports
NEW YORK (July 4) - In a gut-busting showdown that combined drama, daring and indigestion, Joey Chestnut emerged Wednesday as the world’s hot-dog-eating champion, knocking off six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi in a rousing yet repulsive triumph.
Chestnut, the great red, white and blue hope in the annual Fourth of July competition, broke his own world record by inhaling 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes - a staggering one every 10.9 seconds before a screaming crowd in Coney Island.

“If I needed to eat another one right now, I could,” the 23-year-old Californian said after receiving the mustard yellow belt emblematic of hot-dog-eating supremacy.

Kobayashi, the Japanese eating machine, recently had a wisdom tooth extracted and received chiropractic treatment due to a sore jaw. But the winner of every Nathan’s hot dog competition from 2001 to 2006 showed no ill effects as he stayed with Chestnut frank-for-frank until the very end of the 12-minute competition.

Kobayashi finished with 63 HDBs - hot dogs and buns eaten - in his best performance ever. His previous high in the annual competition was 53 1/2. The all-time record before Wednesday’s remarkable contest was Chestnut’s 59 1/2, set just last month.

The two gustatory gladiators quickly distanced themselves from the rest of the 17 competitors, processing more beef than a slaughterhouse within the first few minutes. The two had each downed 60 hot dogs with 60 seconds to go when Chestnut - the veins on his forehead extended - put away the final franks to end Kobayashi’s reign.

Hazel, I don’t know how this works, but HOW do their stomachs hold so much food? Do they throw it up after the contest ends - or can they throw up during the contest? And WHO would want to be in such a contest.

Adeline, I hate to say this, by my husband was watching this contest earlier today. It was really gross towards the end. The funniest thing to me was the announcer who really got into it. You’d have thought he was announcing a horse race. He made comments like, ‘this is the most important win in an American sport in …. ‘ I can’t remember how long he said, but I think he was indulging in just a little bit of hyperbole!