# Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 3, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378 "2007-07-03T18:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/21 "2007-07-04T00:58:03Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] NO, you really don’t. As a former Chesapeake Bayer, in Detroit or the Midwest, the “all-you-can-eat” something called “crab legs” is in no way what you are thinking of. They probably come from the West Coast or Alaska or somewhere alien. This “food” bears NO resemblance to CB Blue Crabs. [/QUOTE] Actually, thanks for posting this. I was coming back here to say something like this because I had a pang of guilt. Here’s this guy (poor, defenseless\*\* Figaro\*\*) lookin for a good crabbing (and he knows his crabs, dammit), and he gets a plate full of…well, they ARE crabs, but they’re not king crabs or anything ultra sweet. Yeah, lower expectations, kind sir. (If we go to Joe’s Crab Shack, raise them up a little more, though). Edited to add: Hey! Alaska gives me good crab, dammit! Don’t you pick on Alaska, or I will be forced to deal with you by…um…force! ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/22 "2007-07-04T01:08:42Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] His next life won’t be as a male escort, I can guess that much. [/QUOTE] Actually, you’d be surprised at how good-looking his body is. He works out as part of his training. Yes, he works out to eat competitively. I didn’t know that either, until MTV’s True Life. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/23 "2007-07-04T01:12:23Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Actually, thanks for posting this. I was coming back here to say something like this because I had a pang of guilt. Here’s this guy (poor, defenseless\*\* Figaro\*\*) lookin for a good crabbing (and he knows his crabs, dammit), and he gets a plate full of…well, they ARE crabs, but they’re not king crabs or anything ultra sweet. [/QUOTE] They’re sea spiders. Crabs exist along the East Coast of the United States. The Mid-Atlantic states are the home of the Blue Crab. I _might_ allow some FL. residents to say that stone crabs are pretty good. They are. But, West Coast stuff masquerading as crab meat?—give me a break. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/24 "2007-07-04T01:14:29Z")
[QUOTE=Figaro] I wish to know more about this all-you-can-eat crab place…(says the displaced Marylander who still thinks all food can be eaten with a hammer…) [/QUOTE] Hooter’s has cheap crab. Not all you can eat, but something like a pound for a few bucks. Hooter’s should think about having an all you can eat crab deal, they’d make a killing. Free Crabs! ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/25 "2007-07-04T01:22:14Z")
[QUOTE=Leaper] Actually, you’d be surprised at how good-looking his body is. He works out as part of his training. Yes, he works out to eat competitively. I didn’t know that either, until MTV’s True Life. [/QUOTE] I was aware of that fact. I was making fun of the jaw-arthritis-meaning-he’d be-bad-at-sucking-dick angle. I’m vulgar. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/26 "2007-07-04T01:23:19Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] They’re sea spiders. Crabs exist along the East Coast of the United States. The Mid-Atlantic states are the home of the Blue Crab. I _might_ allow some FL. residents to say that stone crabs are pretty good. They are. But, West Coast stuff masquerading as crab meat?—give me a break. [/QUOTE] Spoiled…SPOILED!!! That’s what you are, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/27 "2007-07-04T01:26:46Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] I was aware of that fact. I was making fun of the jaw-arthritis-meaning-he’d be-bad-at-sucking-dick angle. I’m vulgar. [/QUOTE] Ah. I guess I’m still the old-fashioned type; I pictured “male escorts” as taking out middle aged rich women, not men. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/28 "2007-07-04T01:33:41Z")
[QUOTE=Leaper] Ah. I guess I’m still the old-fashioned type; I pictured “male escorts” as taking out middle aged rich women, not men. [/QUOTE] Well, this is true. In that case, not speaking English could be his death knell. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/29 "2007-07-04T02:31:20Z")
[QUOTE=Leaper] Ah. I guess I’m still the old-fashioned type; I pictured “male escorts” as taking out middle aged rich women, not men. [/QUOTE] In which case, the jaw arthritis could still play havoc with such a career. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/30 "2007-07-04T03:02:57Z")
[QUOTE=devilsknew] Hooter’s has cheap crab. Not all you can eat, but something like a pound for a few bucks. Hooter’s should think about having an all you can eat crab deal, they’d make a killing. Free Crabs! [/QUOTE] Yeah, and that’s just from dating the waitresses! **ba-dump-bump** ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/31 "2007-07-04T03:06:04Z")
Mmm. I think we should have another Michigan Dopefest, but this time…at Hooters! ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/32 "2007-07-04T06:50:34Z")
I can see it on their menu: Free Crabs! ($17.95 for the Plate, Shell Crackers, Cocktail Fork, Butter, Lemon, and Bib.) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/33 "2007-07-04T12:33:46Z")
[QUOTE=mazinger\_z] You know, I never understood this part of the competitive eating…do they all throw up afterwards? At some point, they must retain some calories. Why isn’t that black widow girl huge? I thought contestants weren’t allowed to vomit. [/QUOTE] Mr. K and I were discussing this very subject the other day. I think they have to hold it down for X minutes afterward. I find competitive eating to be both repulsive and offensive. I keep thinking of the 42 people who could be having a much-needed meal with all those hot dogs…and it’s twice as bad if indeed they do puke them up. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/34 "2007-07-04T12:36:01Z")
[QUOTE=Telemark] Throwing up isn’t allowed, at least until quite some time after the contest. They aren’t huge because they rarely eat in those quantities except during competitions. [/QUOTE] Not according to the piece I saw on the Little Japanese Chick who is the current champ. She eats like that all the time to stretch her stomach. They followed her into a buffet-style joint and she ate six overflowing plates of food. She does it regularly, and then fasts the day before the event. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/35 "2007-07-04T14:25:32Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] Not according to the piece I saw on the Little Japanese Chick who is the current champ. She eats like that all the time to stretch her stomach. They followed her into a buffet-style joint and she ate six overflowing plates of food. She does it regularly, and then fasts the day before the event. [/QUOTE] From [Sonya Thomas](http://www.sonyatheblackwidow.com/)’s FAQ > [@](#): > > 1. HOW CAN YOU STAY SO THIN? YOU EAT SO MUCH FOOD IN COMPETITION. These competitions and eating events occur but once or twice a month. They are the exception–not the rule. > > 2. DO YOU HAVE A GIANT STOMACH INSIDE THAT LITTLE BODY? My stomach is really normal size, but over the years it has been trained to stretch quite a bit. As far as capacity is concerned, I believe I can handle up to 18 pounds of food and liquid overall. > > 3. WHAT MAKES YOUR STOMACH STRETCH? I usually eat one meal per day, a huge one, spread out over several hours with a gallon or so of no- or low-calorie liquid, like diet soda or water. Again, the food I eat is generally healthy, not junk. So while she does consume large volumes, a lot of is its water to stretch the stomach. Not sure if she’s the person you saw on TV, Sonya was born in Korea and is now an American citizen, but apparently there’s a Japanese woman named Gal Sone who has done some TV shows where she ate vast amounts over the day. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/36 "2007-07-04T14:30:49Z")
Here’s a video of Gal Sone eating 7 kg of soup/noodles on a Japanese TV show. Is this the person you saw? [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iurH9hU7ODY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iurH9hU7ODY) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/37 "2007-07-04T14:36:10Z")
[QUOTE=Telemark] Here’s a video of Gal Sone eating 7 kg of soup/noodles on a Japanese TV show. Is this the person you saw? [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iurH9hU7ODY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iurH9hU7ODY) [/QUOTE] Nope. She was dark-haired and very petite. I think they said she weighed around 105 lbs. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/38 "2007-07-04T14:37:12Z")
It was the Black Widow chick. Definitely. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/39 "2007-07-04T14:51:23Z")
[QUOTE=zamboniracer] Do these guys actually eat anything in these contests? [/QUOTE] No, no, no. They must eat the whole bun and dog for it to count. You should see what it does to their stomachs! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/40 "2007-07-04T14:58:29Z")
[QUOTE=Mahaloth] No, no, no. They must eat the whole bun and dog for it to count. You should see what it does to their stomachs! :eek: [/QUOTE] Edit: I was saying, “No, no, no” to the doubting of the eating, not to his/her question. :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378.md?page=3)