Takeru Kobayashi: I Want To Compete In Coney Island Hot Dog Contest

TOKYO — Former world hot-dog eating sensation Takeru Kobayashi of Japan wants to compete in this weekend's annual Fourth of July contest on Coney Island, but still can't agree to a contract with the organizers.

Kobayashi, one of the world's premier competitive eaters, won the contest for six years up to 2007 and then had to settle for second-place finishes behind American Joey Chestnut. He moved to New York in March so he could train with local hot dogs.

But his chances of getting revenge this weekend against Chestnut, from San Jose, Calif., seem slim because of a contract dispute with the event's organizer. Kobayashi, 32, has balked at signing an exclusivity clause with the group, and can't compete unless he does.

"I really want to compete in the event," Kobayashi told Japan's Kyodo news agency.

In a report from New York on Friday, Kyodo quoted Kobayashi as saying the event "holds a special place in my heart," but added he did not agree with the conditions.

Kobayashi became a celebrity and a hero in Japan by eating his way to victory from 2001 to 2006, a feat that remains unmatched. But Chestnut has won the title for the last three years, setting a world record by scarfing down 68 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes last year. Two years ago, Chestnut beat Kobayashi in a five-dog eat off, after they tied at 59 franks each.

Chestnut says he still sees Kobayashi as a rival – and a bitter one. They don't talk to each other, and did not shake hands after last year's eat off. Kobayashi lost to Chestnut last year by only 3 1/2 hot dogs.

In May last year, Kobayashi beat Chestnut in a pizza eating contest, consuming 5 3/4 pizzas in six minutes. Each pizza weighed one pound (0.45 kilogram). Chestnut could only manage 5 1/2 in that time.

If Kobayashi is out of the game, Chestnut's toughest opponent may be Bob Shoudt, the world's No. 2 eater, and Patrick Bertoletti, ranked No. 4 in the world.

The 95th annual hot-dog eating contest will take place in Coney Island, Brooklyn on Sunday. U.S. TV viewers can catch the spectacle on ESPN.

The contest has been held every Independence Day since 1916.

Comments

[mp60mp32]

04:25 PM on 07/04/2010

Sorry to sound overly righteous, but the people in Haiti and other Third World nations could use the food that these people scarf down for temporary fame. I'm not sure if hot dogs would be ideal, however there are a lot of hungry people in this world.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

07:56 AM on 07/04/2010

What is the Top Pz In this $th of july Food fest, ?what did Joey Chestnut Get last year in monetary Award? in Amerikan dollars?

[O K Ali]

03:52 PM on 07/04/2010

I don't believe there is a monetary award, just the mustard yellow belt. Why would any of the competitors have to sign exclusivity? Are there other hog dog contests on the fourth?The first time I've heard about it.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

05:21 PM on 07/04/2010

they make a living at this,there is cash for winning!

[JackiChan]

07:32 AM on 07/04/2010

He must love all you can eat buffets.

[cameron d]

09:26 PM on 07/03/2010

I gotta say, I could really go for a hot dog right now.

[hypnotoad72]

09:24 PM on 07/03/2010

Instead of watching those (competitions), wouldn't it be more fun to get somebody to educate the participants of what constitutes a hot dog?

Thankfully, a hot dog isn't real food or else I'd go into one of my patent-worthy tirades against wasting food.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

01:52 PM on 07/03/2010

Anyone know how much money the top 4 finisher, make for downing 40-65 hotdogs and buns!

[hypnotoad72]

09:32 PM on 07/03/2010

$32 for the hot dogs ($4 for 8 packages, each package containing 8 doggies)
$24 for the buns ($4 for 6 packages, each package containing 12 buns, with a small remainder)

And $5,000 for the ER bill to get that crap pumped out of the stomach, because:

44mg x 60 dogs = 2640mg of cholesterol
18g x 60 dogs = 1080g of fat, hot diggity!
180 cal x 60 dogs = 10,800 calories - how the heck does Kobayashi remain so thin?

[leftpinkie]

07:13 AM on 07/03/2010

It might be a blessing in disguise if he doesn't get to compete since he wouldn't be poisoning his system with whatever sh*t that goes into hot dogs! Besides overeating is never good for anyone. I am surprised that Mayor Bloomberg hasn't gotten his act together to ban the "sport" of stuffing one's face since it's really a health hazard both in the short and long term. Or at least get the organizers to post the calorie count/per hot dog [with or without the bun and condiments] so that contestants can make informed consent about when they might want to quit stuffing their faces!

[Imasqre]

11:35 AM on 07/03/2010

They did some True Life on MTV on him, apparently his stomach is placed higher in his abdomen so he has more room lower to fill. It was a really cool True Life, lol.

He said the worst part after the hot dog eating contest was how he smelled. He said when he'd sweat a couple of days after, he'd smell of hot dog..... gross.

Eu de Nathan

But come on?? CALORIE COUNT??
It's a hot dog eating contest, they sign releases, they know what they're doing. Come on now.

[jeb50]

08:05 PM on 07/02/2010

Amazing that people actually get paid because of how fast they can stuff their faces. Great contribution to mankind.

[PaleFace215]

07:53 PM on 07/02/2010

humans are mutants

[hypnotoad72]

09:25 PM on 07/03/2010

After eating THAT many hot dogs, I wouldn't doubt it...

[olddognewtrick]

07:33 PM on 07/02/2010

Best Hot Dog at Chipoodle...

[Henny Bogan]

05:40 PM on 07/02/2010

"He moved to New York in March so he could train with local hot dogs."

[JackiChan]

07:32 AM on 07/04/2010

That plan alone might be the death of him.

[sloreader]

03:00 PM on 07/04/2010

All that and he gets outmuched by a left coaster.

[apx]

05:10 PM on 07/02/2010

I want a hot dog now...

[JonShank]

05:07 PM on 07/02/2010

That picture gets me all friskie!

[unami]

04:47 PM on 07/02/2010

This guy is the king of the recovery of edible protein from fatty animal stocks!

[charlot]

04:35 PM on 07/02/2010

Eating contests are downright obscene. Millions of people all over the world have nothing to eat, and these people are competing to see how much food they can cram down their gullets (i.e., waste) in a certain period of time. What a disgrace.

[InYourWorld]

11:51 PM on 07/02/2010

No more than professional sports, how much medicine of education could a NFL or NBA football players salary pay for in a poor country? Instead of buying stupid expensive jerseys why not send it to Africa?

[pmilo]

01:01 AM on 07/03/2010

I agree with the both of you. I loves me some Nathan's but the thought of the waste and gluttony that comes with that contest (espechially in the past few years) makes me sick.

As with professional sports, again I love my Mets. But Jesus, can we find a better place to put all of that money? I wish they would use it for education, or medical labs so we can get a cure for something.

[JackiChan]

07:34 AM on 07/04/2010

Worry not my friend, they have who can eat the most very hot pepper contests. We wouldn't last a second!