Mayor Bloomberg's speech gets salty at Nathan's weigh-in

New York City Mayor Bloomberg— who thinks restaurants and stores are already putting too much sugar, sodium and trans-fats into our beverages and food— yesterday, thought his junior speechwriters put too much corn syrup into a speech.  His constituents probably thought his language was what was a little too salty.

As Bloomberg presided over Tuesday's weigh-in for the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, the mayor himself had his fill of the corny puns and tired quips during his pre-written introduction.

After grimacing through a dozen groan-inducing puns— like he wanted to be "perfectly frank," "it'll be a dog-fight" and after it's over we'll "pronounce a wiener"—  in a short while, Bloomberg finally looked at the hot dog mascot next to him and asked, "Who wrote this s--t?"

Lucky for the mayor, the Coney Island atmosphere and happy, friendly audience just rolled with the public gaffe.  The audience just roared with delight at the public obscenity.  It actually got the biggest laugh of the day.

Bloomberg did introduce last year's wieners, five-time men's champion Joey (Jaws) Chestnut, who weighed in at 210 pounds and the women's champ, Sonya (The Black Widow) Thomas,  who tipped the scales at 100.

It's probably only a matter of time before the mayor starts ordering his hot dog speeches without the puns.

Kobayashi headed to new Fourth of July hot dog eating competition

Takeru Kobayashi may not be competing in the world-famous Nathan's Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island, but that doesn't mean he still won't be in Brooklyn trying to top his world record at another tube steak eating competition this Fourth of July.

Kobayashi has formed his own competition this year after contract disputes and restrictions kept him out of the last two Nathan's competitions.  Throw in an arrest for crashing the 2010 event and you have all the makings of a mustard covered rivalry.

On Wednesday, the 34-year old Kobayashi and ten other world-class competitive eaters will challenge the world record at the inaugural 2012 Crif Dog Classic in that newest hipster-enclave Bushwick, Brooklyn— about six subway transfers from the boardwalk.

Last July Fourth, Kobayashi competed independently against only the clock and a simulcast of the Nathan's contest at a rooftop bar in Mid-town Manhattan.  He set a new world record by downing 69 hot dogs in front of two judges and hopes to top that by downing even more Bushwick Barkers this year.

The diminutive Kobayashi held the hot dog eating world record for almost six years before Joey Chestnut became the new champ in 2007.  Chestnut— the five-time champion of the Nathan's competition— still doesn't give credit to Kobayashi for breaking his record of 68 last year and sounded bitter after Kobi claimed the record as his own.

"I think even Kobayashi  would agree that the record still stands at 68," said Chestnut.  "And if he wants to compete with me on the Fourth of July, he knows what he has to do: sign a simple agreement and man up."

It starting to sound like the old AFL upstarts showing up the NFL.

Did I hear the words Super Bowl of Hot Dog Eating.

Kobayashi Downs Record 69 Hot Dogs To Win Simulcast Eating Competition

Article and photos by Tony Mangia

On a rooftop bar in mid-town Manhattan, six-time champ Takeru Kobayashi downed a record 69 hot dogs to become the unofficial winner of this year's annual Nathan's hot dog eating competition—only problem was, he was seven miles west of the actual boardwalk event on Coney Island.

With the Empire State Building as a backdrop and a ten-foot high TV screen showing the actual sanctioned Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Competition in real-time on ESPN, Kobayashi went up against the broadcasted competitors on the big screen and demolished the field via the air waves.

You know the new saying: If you're not allowed to join 'em face-to-face, beat 'em via television simulcast. 

Four-time defending champ, Joey Chestnut, ate 62 hot dogs today and won the authentic competition from the Nathan's at Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Brooklyn, but it was Kobayashi who broke Chestnut's two-year old record of 68 and technically ate more hot dogs on this Fourth of July during the same time span.

On this steamy hot morning, about 500 Kobayashi supporters crowded the 230 Fifth Avenue rooftop bar and braved overcast skies and dehydration as they cheered for their exiled competitive eating champion.

Kobayashi says he is banned from the Nathan's event due to a two year old contract dispute with Major League Eating which oversees the Nathan's annual event.  A clause in the contract stipulates Kobayashi cannot appear in certain eating competitions and the league would control his endorsements.

Last year in protest, Kobayashi was arrested at the Nathan's event after he climbed over a barrier and stormed the stage of the Nathan's contest. He spent time in a New York City jail.

230 Fifth's owner, Steven Greenberg, said he approached Kobayashi with the simulcast idea after seeing Kobayashi's arrest last year.

"He [Kobayashi] is a cross between an athlete and a performer," said Greenberg.  "It's entertainment."

Greenberg said Kobayashi was paid for his hot dog eating appearance, but said it wasn't an endorsement or promotional fee and wouldn't disclose the amount.

Today, Kobayashi stood alone on a stage with a table, which was measured to the exact competition height, and two members of the New York State Athletic Commission—former-boxers Tyrone "The Harlem Butcher" Jackson and Brian Adams—who acted as judges.

A timer rested on the table along with five large cups of water and a person to count the hot dogs devoured and flip a tally card. The huge TV screen to Kobayashi's right dwarfed the smallish eater with a huge appetite.  He never looked at the screen even once.

The pro-Kobayashi crowd cheered loudly as he jumped to any early lead over Chestnut.  It was 36-27 at about the half-way mark and the Japanese eater never slowed down before crushing Chestnut.  Sixty-nine barkers later, Kobayshi held the unofficial title once again.

There was some concern at the end of the contest when some credentialed "spies" for Nathan's said there was confusion and a miscount.  The discretion was cleared up when the flipper/counter explained that they didn't only count hot dogs individually eaten, but also by the tray.  Each tray held five hot dogs and there was four left.  It was a two-step counting system.

After sixty-nine hot dogs and 18 pounds of additional weight, Kobayashi, sporting a blond-streaked mane, leaped to the table after the record was announced.  He shook his fist in triumph and pulled up his tee-shirt, which read "Kobi Unleashed" and puffed out his belly.

"I'm so happy to break the record in front of everyone," he beamed.

Asked if it was harder to compete with no one standing next to him Kobayashi said through a translator, "I compete for myself, I was battling myself today."

In the past, MLE president Richard Shea said the league wouldn't recognize Kobayashi's achievement if he wins.  "It's a farce," said Shea.  "He's not banned, he's just mad he lost three years in a row."

Kobayashi claims he has no hard feelings for the MLE.  He just doesn't want to sign a contract that restricts him.

Kobayashi may not lay claim to Nathan's "Mustard Yellow Belt" like  Chestnut, but he did break his record in public.

I don't know if simulcasting competitions from different venues to the same event is feasible in most sports or a wave of the future, but it's too bad it couldn't set up the one-on-one match-up everyone wants — Pacquaio vs. Mayweather.

For now though, we'll settle for Kobayashi vs. Chestnut.