Seven Questions: The World of Competitive Eating

FOREIGN POLICY: So, just how international is the sport of competitive eating?

George Shea: The Nathans hot dog-eating contest and the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) are kind of like a new United Nations, bringing nations together in peace. Eating knows no political or geographic boundaries. Today, the IFOCE holds events in England and Japan, and weve sanctioned events in Germany and Thailand. Were doing one in Hong Kong in August, a bun-eating contest of some kind.

At this years Nathans contest, there are 20 competitors. Weve got a Czech eater, a Swede, and two Japanese. In the past, weve had eaters from Germany, England, Scotland, Australia, and Thailand. And I think that slowly, over time, it could become much more international. But the vast majority of the competitors are American.

FP: Why have certain countries embraced it more than others?

GS: The nations who have embraced it the most are, in order of magnitude, the United States, Japan, and England. [Competitive eating] plays on sports obsessionsthe pageantry and the hosting and the play-by-play commentary. Some see it as absurd and comedic and entertaining. In Japan, they play it straight. Actually, they dont even play it; it is straight. Their contests are longer and more grueling. Its a function of their reality TV culture.

FP: Is there a big rivalry between the United States and Japan?

GS: Japan has a long tradition of eating contests. By that, I mean a couple of decades. In the early 1980s, Japan sent a couple of eaters to Coney Island and they won a few contests. So the [championship prize] Mustard Yellow Belt was in Japan and was actually lost over there for several years because the defending champion didnt come back. Finally, in a special one-on-one competition in 1993, American Mike DeVito beat Japans Orio Ito, winning the belt back for the United States. Then Hirofumi Nakajima won it back for Japan in 1997. American Steve Keiner won once in 1999. And then there was Kobayashi.

FP: People say Kobayashi is the best competitive eater of all time. Is he really that dominant?

GS: You have to understand that until Kobayashi came along, the winners ate between 20 and 25 hot dogs in the 12-minute competition. Everything changed when he came over in 2001. He ate 50 hot dogs that year. Here was this sweet, 22-year-old kid who had the body of an acrobat. It blew my mind. He was playing at an entirely different level. Everyone was shocked.

FP: Does size matter?

GS: Kobayashi is 56, and has now become a 170-pound bodybuilder. I mean, hes a professional eater, but in his spare time he likes to work out. Its a hobby for him. Hes now muscular, totally chiseled, like a mini-Schwarzenegger. When he first started, he was around 120 poundsvery slender, fit, and lean. If you tighten up your abs as much as he has and build a wall of super-developed muscle, presumably that could prevent the expansion of his stomach. But really, it has nothing to do with size.

Competitive eaters like Cookie Jarvis and Badlands Booker are 65 and weigh over 400 pounds, and they cant hang with Kobayashi. And then theres Sonya Black Widow Thomas, whos ranked No. 2 in the world behind Kobayashi. Shes 57 and weighs 100 pounds. Her personal record is 38 hot dogs in 12 minutes. When she beat those other guys, it was a counterintuitive shock and delightful for everyone involved. Theyre so big, they have their own ecosystems, and she could fit into a jar.

FP: Is there any way that Kobayashi could lose his title? Are there any new kids on the block?

GS: Kobayashi has won five straight times now. [His world record is 53 hot dogs in 12 minutes during the 2004 competition.] Theres a little bit of Kobayashi fatigue. Wheres America? Our eaters are eating 32 hot dogs, 38 hot dogs. Were nowhere near 50.

This year, however, theres this kid, Joey Chestnut. Hes a 22-year-old engineering student at San Jose State University. Interestingly, hes the same age that Kobayashi was when he first won. Earlier this year, Joey Chestnut ate 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes. And it has been reported that in training, hes eaten 50 in 9 minutes. Hes 61 and 210 pounds. Hes not bulky, though. At a competition last fall, Joey almost beat Kobayashi. In fact, he was ahead for the first 7 minutes of an 8-minute competition. I was losing it! I was out of my mind! I mean, no one beats Kobayashi. But then Joey made a rookies error. He forgot to dunk a bun, and it just stopped him. The bun was so dry, he couldnt eat it. It was so tragic. And so Kobayashi won. But this year its actually possible that Kobayashi could lose. Its also possible that he will kick ass and do 60. But if I had to bet, I think Joey could win.

FP: So, how many hot dogs can you eat in 12 minutes?

GS: Only six.

George Shea is cofounder and chairman of the International Federation of Competitive Eating.