# 2010 Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 4, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548 "2010-07-04T19:34:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/1 "2010-07-04T19:34:23Z")
I am mad as hell that Kobayashi didn’t get to compete. Why are contract disputes always messing up my sports. Why are athletes/atheltic organizations so greedy or so unwilling to compromise. Hot Dog eating isn’t even a real sport why are they worrying so much about contracts. Heck contracts and heck lawyers and heck athletes. Without Kobayashi competing Joey Chestnut won too easily and it was boring. I mean yeah eeating 54 hot dogs in 10 minutes is an amazing accomplishment, but last year he ate 68. He had no need to try hard because without Kobayashi he had no real competition. The Hot Dog eating contest was boring and a big dent in my holiday. I waited a whole year to see this. If I didn’t have Independence Day on laserdisc to look forward to, my entire holiday weekend would be ruined. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/2 "2010-07-04T19:38:03Z")
I agree. Takeru is still my fave. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/3 "2010-07-04T20:20:14Z")
I loved the introductions. They keep a sense of humor at all times. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/4 "2010-07-05T00:52:59Z")
I saw some blurb that Kobayashi got arrested? That’s just surreal ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/5 "2010-07-05T01:00:34Z")
I checked news sources here in J-land, but they seemed to be getting their news from US sites. I thought I read that the contract was the same as every year, and folk couldn’t understand why Japan’s Finest didn’t want to sign. But yep, he was arrested. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/6 "2010-07-05T02:17:44Z")
hot dog eating contest is nothing compared to a good old at-home “try to eat a slice of white bread in 30 seconds” contest… ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/7 "2010-07-05T02:26:25Z")
Two things about this: 1. why are there only two people on earth who can compete that well for eating hot dogs? 2. Kobayashi is someone who the fans either love (because he’s so good at the sport) or hate (because he isn’t American, and is trying to RUIN the 4th of July). I wonder if all of the hatred I hear for him had something to do with this contract slip up? ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/8 "2010-07-05T03:00:48Z")
> [@phungi](#): > > hot dog eating contest is nothing compared to a good old at-home “try to eat a slice of white bread in 30 seconds” contest… When I was kid, my older sister and her boyfriend bet me that I couldn’t eat a slice of bread in a short time period. (it could have been a 30 seconds, I don’t remember). For some reason only known to a 10 yr old, a couple of days prior to the bet, I had taken a slice of bread and rolled into a little ball. So I took the bet, got a slice of bread, rolled it up in a ball and consumed it in about 10 seconds. They said I cheated and wouldn’t pay me. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/9 "2010-07-05T04:59:03Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > When I was kid, my older sister and her boyfriend bet me that I couldn’t eat a slice of bread in a short time period. (it could have been a 30 seconds, I don’t remember). For some reason only known to a 10 yr old, a couple of days prior to the bet, I had taken a slice of bread and rolled into a little ball. > > So I took the bet, got a slice of bread, rolled it up in a ball and consumed it in about 10 seconds. They said I cheated and wouldn’t pay me. Explains a lot… ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/10 "2010-07-05T05:58:25Z")
How much money does a Joey Chestnut make during the year? I wonder how many years he’s cut from his life by consuming food in such bulk. Unless he pukes it all up afterwards, I can’t imagine what a nightmare his body goes through to process the nitrates and fat in 60 hot dogs. ---
**Author:** ![PopeJewish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@PopeJewish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PopeJewish)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/11 "2010-07-05T06:06:38Z")
so what the hell is the story with this kobayashi thing? I haven’T heard much other than snippets here and there ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/12 "2010-07-05T10:36:35Z")
I never understood why the skinny Japanese dude would always win. But the answer is Japanese school lunches. I have seen tiny 12 year old girls wolf down an entire meal of rice, meat, vegetables, soup and milk in 3 minutes. While gossiping with their friends under their breath. These people are unintentionally trained from a young age. And \*\*notfrommensa \*\*, while you may not befrommensa, you were totally robbed. Just like I was when I drank baby oil for $5 but they wouldn’t pay up because I _didn’t_ spew. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/13 "2010-07-05T13:27:59Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > When I was kid, my older sister and her boyfriend bet me that I couldn’t eat a slice of bread in a short time period. (it could have been a 30 seconds, I don’t remember). For some reason only known to a 10 yr old, a couple of days prior to the bet, I had taken a slice of bread and rolled into a little ball. > > So I took the bet, got a slice of bread, rolled it up in a ball and consumed it in about 10 seconds. They said I cheated and wouldn’t pay me. A better, if messier contest, is the old “see sho can whistle first while eating a saltine cracker”. I used to love that one. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/14 "2010-07-05T14:44:23Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > Explains a lot… I am not sure what that means, 😕 Are you referencing my poker abilities? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/15 "2010-07-05T14:57:07Z")
Anyone ever try the shot of beer every minute challenge? I have fond memories (that I created to cover up the blackouts).😃 ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/16 "2010-07-05T17:30:20Z")
I have not been able to find anything anywhere which explains anything at all about this “contract dispute”. For example: What was in the contract that Kobayashi objected to? Does everyone in the contest have to sign the contract? Is it only the top finalists who have to sign? Maybe only the previous winners who have to sign? Actually, I did find out one thing: That the contract was between (would have been between) Kobayashi and MLE (Major League Eating). So: What is the relationship between MLE and Nathan’s Hot Dogs? Is it an MLE event, and they’ve merely licensed the Nathan’s name? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/17 "2010-07-05T18:47:11Z")
[http://www.ifoce.com/index.php](http://www.ifoce.com/index.php) Here is the eaters website. It does not discuss Kobayashi very much. ---
**Author:** ![ekweizn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7c8e57/32.png) [@ekweizn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekweizn)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/18 "2010-07-05T18:54:51Z")
From [an ESPN article about the contest](http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/news/story?id=5354152): > [@](#): > > The 32-year-old Kobayashi did not eat this year because he refused to sign a contract with Major League Eating – the fast food equivalent of the NFL. On his Japanese-language blog, he said he wanted to be free to compete in contests sanctioned by other groups. In today’s hot dog contest news, [Kobayashi has pleaded not guilty for his Kanye West impression yesterday](http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/news/story?id=5355723): > [@](#): > > Kobayashi told reporters he had a sandwich and a glass of milk while being held. > > “I am very hungry,” he said. “I wish there were hot dogs in jail.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/19 "2010-07-05T19:06:39Z")
Does this remind anyone else of those staged WWE “grudge match” preparations? I’m thinking that in a month or two there’s going to be a well-publicised Kobayashi vs. Chestnut Hot-dog showdown eating contest. Probably in my home town of Philadelphia (home of the Wing Bowl). ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548/20 "2010-07-05T20:00:30Z")
Goddamit. Watching Chestnut beat Kobayashi at the Hot Dog eating competition every year was the only thing that still made me proud to be an American. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-coney-island-hot-dog-eating-contest/545548.md?page=2)