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00:00:03It's hard to explain what's important to me.
00:00:06But if I'm not sure if I'm not a life, I'm not a life.
00:00:35They say that competitive eating is the battleground upon which God and Lucifer wage war for men's souls, my friends,
00:00:45and they are right.
00:00:45For this is a battle for the ages, this is a battle of the titans, the early gods, who come
00:00:53to earth only once, in only one location, and that is at the corner of Cirque and Stilwell Avenue at
00:01:00Nathan's Famous.
00:01:04From San Jose, California, 22 years of age, 50 hot dogs and buns, pork rib eating, waffle house, waffle eating,
00:01:14American Crystal Hamburger eating, Golden Palace grilled cheese eating, asparagus eating champion of the world, Joey Chestnut.
00:01:25Ranked number one in the world from Nagoya, Japan, never beaten on U.S. soil, 21 pounds of rice ball,
00:01:3220 pounds of noodles, 17.7 pounds of calf brains, 53.5 Nathan's Hot Dogs and Buns, five-time Nathan's
00:01:40Famous Champion, ladies and gentlemen, Shakeru Kobayashi!
00:01:53And they are underway. It's eat all you can in 12 minutes. Kobayashi, the dominant power in the eating world.
00:02:03But this man may end the dynasty. Joey Chestnut says Kobayashi is going down.
00:02:13Kobayashi was the man.
00:02:17The other competitive eaters, they thought of him as unbeatable. Absolutely. Not even, not even, they could, maybe, if they
00:02:26considered themselves competitive eaters, he was, he wasn't an eater, he was a god.
00:02:33There are 20 competitors here today from all around the world to the, uh, what they call the Super Bowl
00:02:39of the eating events.
00:02:43If you don't win at Nathan's, you're not the world champion.
00:02:47First prize gets $10,000 officially.
00:02:50It's the Super Bowl, the Masters, the World Series rolled into one.
00:02:58I was, I was not going to accept second place. I wanted to be the best.
00:03:15And a change in the lead.
00:03:17Now pulling ahead. It's just unbelievable.
00:03:23Joey Chestnut is not trying to win.
00:03:27He is trying to win by Hitler.
00:03:31Joey, Joey, Joey, Joey, Joey.
00:03:35Wow. Chestnut's in trouble.
00:03:37Chestnut must hold that down.
00:03:39You cannot have a reversal on this stage.
00:03:42Kobayashi continues to just pound him down.
00:03:45He now has two dogs on Chestnut.
00:03:48It's so painful knowing somebody's faster than you.
00:03:51That your, your, your best isn't cutting it.
00:03:55Oh.
00:03:57You get this feeling of desperation.
00:04:0210, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
00:04:10Put in here, wake up!
00:04:12And Kobayashi takes it again.
00:04:15Unbelievable.
00:04:17Kobayashi once again the champion and they hand him the mustard belt.
00:04:21You have three quarters of the New World Cup.
00:04:23You have David Davis.
00:04:25Take it out to the New World Cup.
00:04:27Take it out to the New World Cup.
00:04:27Take it out to the New World Cup.
00:04:27Take it out to the New World Cup.
00:04:35I wept.
00:04:38I was heartbroken.
00:04:42I, I, I didn't go into that contest imagining that I would lose.
00:04:45I, uh, I put everything I had into it.
00:04:50And it just, it hurt really bad.
00:04:55When I was a kid, I wanted to be a writer.
00:04:58I did a lot of writing in the years after college.
00:05:01And I think trying to be a writer, a fiction writer, um, is an exercise in pain.
00:05:08I got a job in a PR firm and they ran the hot dog contest.
00:05:13It was a very, very small event.
00:05:15There were no fans.
00:05:17Maybe two dozen people watching.
00:05:19There were no real leaders.
00:05:21Citizens of the world!
00:05:23I have one question.
00:05:25Are you with me?
00:05:27You had to go out there and you'd say,
00:05:29You, sir.
00:05:30You, sir.
00:05:31Help your nation, you know.
00:05:32This is for the 4th of July.
00:05:34And don't turn your back on Uncle Sam.
00:05:36And if I die, someone delete my browsing history.
00:05:42You are my people!
00:05:45I took it over in 1991 and I loved it.
00:05:51And I thought, you know, this is dynamite.
00:05:54But I also thought, there's a lot more we can do here.
00:05:59That's me dancing!
00:06:01People were not seeing this as a sport.
00:06:03To create a sport, you need a backstory.
00:06:06So George had to create a backstory.
00:06:08The greatest example of that is the coveted Mustard Yellow Belt.
00:06:12We've got the trophies here that would adorn anyone's home or office.
00:06:15Of course, the belts created by the descendants of Fabergรฉ, I understand.
00:06:18Cynics would say that my buddy Kevin Pearce made that on the floor of our apartment
00:06:25using a weight belt and jewels from Pearl Paint on Canal Street.
00:06:30I can't verify that.
00:06:33And that belt created a very powerful rivalry between America and Japan.
00:06:40Everything just became enormously fun.
00:06:44How can the Japanese guy beat the American?
00:06:47America's honor besmirched, dark day for our country.
00:06:52And that's really where things just got off and running.
00:06:55The Japanese were having their own eating contest in the 90s.
00:06:58This was off most Americans' radar screens.
00:07:00It's like you.
00:07:03The Japanese were making my own eating contest.
00:07:04There are many people from right now.
00:07:05We saw it!
00:07:06The Japanese were having a meal with the rice.
00:07:07Let's eat one of the rice.
00:07:09It's about 7 kilos.
00:07:10Oh my god!
00:07:22ใใ!
00:07:43ๅฐๅญฆๆ กใฎ้ ใชใใงใใใฉใใฎๆใซๅ
จใใใผใ ใฏใผใฏใใใใชใใใใใใใ็ถใใใไฝใงใใใใใๅๅผทใใใชใใฆใใใไฝใงใใใใใใๅไธ็ชใชใฃใฆใฟใใฃใฆใใใตใใซ่จใฃใฆใจใซใใไฝใงใใใใใ ใ
00:08:12ใใใใชใใจใไปไบใใใพใใใไฟณๅชใ็ฎๆใใพใใใใใกใใ ใใใใผในใใผใซใ้็้ธๆใซใชใใใใฃใใฎใใใกใงใใใใใใใชใใจใใใใใใพใใใๆใฟใใใใใพใใซใชใใจๆใใชใใใฉใจใซใใใใณใใผใฏใณใฏ็ฎๆใใกใใใ้ใซไฝใงใใใใใไธ็ชใซใชใใฃใฆ่จใฃใๆใซใใใๆใใใใใใชๆฐๆใกใซใชใฃใใใงใใใญใ็ตถๅฏพใซๅซใใชๆใใใใใใๅฅฝใใชใใจใใฃใๆนใไธ็ชใซใชใใฎใฏ็ตถๅฏพ่ฟใใจๆใฃใฆใใใใ
00:08:20ใฉใใ ใฉใใ ใฉใใ ใฉใใ ใฉใใๅฐๆๅฅๅฅใใใผ8
00:08:27.1ไธ็ฌ ๆฌใใใฎใใฃใณใใชใณใฏ14ๆใซๅใกใจใใใใไบบ
00:08:52ๆฆใใไปๅงใพใใใใใใใฃใฆๅคง้ฃใไผๆฉ้ฃใไผใฎไธไปฃไบคไปฃใซใชใฃใใจใใกใใฃใจๆถใๅบใฆใพใใ?ใใใงใใญใใใฃใฑๆงใใฎไบบใใฃใใใงใ
00:09:21ๆๅใฏๆฌๅฝใซๅ่ซใฟใใใชๆฐๆใกใงๅบใฆใใใ ใใฉใฟใใชใใฎใใชใผใฏใ ใฃใฆๆใฃใฆใไบบใใใฃใฑใ็ๅฃใชใใงใใใญใใ ใใๅ่ซใซๆใใชใใชใฃใฆใใฆใใใใชในใใฏใใ็ใพใใใใงใใๆญปใฌใพใง็ถใใฆใใใใในใใผใใงใใ
00:09:22- ใคใจในใใผใทใฅใผใบ!
00:09:25these shows propelled him into huge fame he was a heartthrob he became a
00:09:31sensation overnight there were a lot of great eaters in Japan at the same time
00:09:35that we were growing our eaters and their ability here in the US every year
00:09:42we look at the fourth of July we go to go where's our story where's our AP story
00:09:46right we need an AP story we need something to really get this going in
00:09:502001 I said you know I'm gonna start picking up the phone and I picked up the
00:09:53phone to a guy at the LA Times I said look these guys are out on the circuit
00:09:57this is a whole new culture there there are three guys they are traveling
00:10:01America they're traveling the blue highways of America searching this glory
00:10:05and in fact well they may not have been doing it that second but they soon were
00:10:10see a lot of what I say it's not literally true in terms of words but it's
00:10:21emotionally true that blew it oh and once that happened there was national attention on the
00:10:29contest that year
00:10:30ah more they are America new who knowๅใใฆใ ใฃใใใใใใใใญใใญใใฆใพใใใ่กใใใฎใใใๆฅฝใใฟใงใใใฃใใใงใใๆใใฃใใใฉใ็ถใใใฏใใๅในใฟใผใใใฌใๅบใฆๅฎใฏใใใๆใฃใใใงใใไธไบบใใฟใใใชๆใใ ใใญใชใฎๅใฎ็ใพใ่ฒใฃใ้ท้ใทใใฃใฃใฆใใใฎใฏๅฐใใใผใชใผใชๅ ดๆใชใใงใ
00:10:46ๆฆไบใ็ตใใใใ5ๅนดใใฃใใใใญๅคงๆ นใ้ฃในใฆใใจใใใใฎใใใๆฅฝใใฟใงใใใใใฎใใใๆฅฝใใฟใงใใใฃใใใงใใใใฎใใใๆฅฝใใฟใงใใใฃใใใงใใๆใใฃใใใฉใ็ถใใใฏใใๅใใฌใๅบใฆๅฎใฏใใใๆใฃใใใงใใ
00:10:48I'm a story like this.
00:10:51I was born in a village of the้ท้ City.
00:10:55It's a little bit of a place.
00:11:02When I was in the war, I had a little bit of a place.
00:11:07When I was in the war, I had a lot of vegetables.
00:11:11I had a lot of vegetables and vegetables.
00:11:13I had a lot of vegetables and vegetables.
00:11:16I mean, it's a good thing.
00:11:18It's a good thing.
00:11:20It's a good thing.
00:11:28It's a good thing.
00:11:45It was just, do what you want. Do what you want. That's what I loved about it.
00:11:50We lost the belt to many of the foreign nations.
00:11:54Now it is up to a brave few to bring the belt back home.
00:12:00Where is the belt? Tell me where has it gone?
00:12:07Let me have help for someone.
00:12:13Kobayashi shows up in 2001.
00:12:15I don't know who this kid is. He's a sweet little kid.
00:12:18I don't know.
00:12:19I don't know.
00:12:20I don't know.
00:13:07I had heard rumors that Kobayashi could eat 30 or 35, but I didn't believe it.
00:13:45I had a lot of people that I would love.
00:13:48I had a lot of people that I had to eat.
00:14:00I had a lot of people that I wanted to eat.
00:14:06I had a lot of food for 2, 3 kg.
00:14:08I always thought I was eating.
00:14:11I was working at that time.
00:14:41The audience! The only one!
00:14:46Can anyone be such a man?
00:14:54Kobayashi!
00:14:56Niata!
00:14:58You're listening to the world!
00:15:05Kobayashi! Kobayashi!
00:15:07Kobayashi!
00:15:07Kobayashi!
00:15:09Kobayashi!
00:15:10Kobayashi!
00:15:12Kobayashi!
00:15:16Kobayashi!
00:15:23He went in at 8.50.
00:15:24no joke I mean like I thought 30 was the mountaintop it turns out 50 was the
00:15:28mountaintop and that really did propel the sport it is not only smash the
00:15:34record it has smashed it by twice again as many the old record 25 and 8 it is
00:15:38now 50 hot dogs and buns a Japanese guy did it I mean you I can understand where
00:15:42they go him I don't understand where do you think those hot dogs are like they
00:15:47may be in his leg I was they went into his mouth I mean maybe there's he's got
00:15:54he really captured the American imagination and we loved him for that
00:15:59suddenly there was a fire it created opportunities created an opportunity for
00:16:04their organization to become big because the kid was bringing press there is
00:16:08nothing greater than the belt the victory and the trophy and even though it wasn't
00:16:13American who won it's congratulations ladies and gentlemen Takara Kobayashi
00:16:18we're not gonna have to answer the question is this a sport anymore we're
00:16:22going to answer the question where can this sport go
00:16:31we realized that we had a sport but that we did not necessarily control that sport
00:16:38so we quickly got organized and got all our eaters together on a lead
00:16:49at the same time reality TV was blowing up in the US
00:16:56it's the Flutton Bowl the world's greatest eating competition
00:17:00welcome to Santa Monica California where this arena has been transformed
00:17:04into the world's biggest buffet Patero the tsunami Kobayashi
00:17:12I was in America I'm in America I thought I was a person who created sports
00:17:22Kobayashi and MLE were growing on parallel tracks both helping each other
00:17:29A bucket of brains
00:17:46Think of it as a pate, a liver pate
00:17:53It is a problem with a smell
00:18:00Kaku-ru Kobayashi is approaching 10 pounds of cow brains ladies and gentlemen
00:18:07Let me state that is a world record
00:18:09How is it possible?
00:18:11So, I believe that I can win the best for the world to win the best of the world.
00:18:20What a fire! The Prince! The Tsunami! The King of Competitive EDI! Ladies and gentlemen!
00:18:28I was really surprised by the American TV show.
00:18:32He is the greatest athlete in the world.
00:18:36I was really surprised by the fact that I was really impressed.
00:18:42Nathan's Palette is coming out to the adjoaring honor of his fans.
00:18:48They are growing roses, I believe, Riot.
00:18:51They may not be roses, carnations, but still a significant show of respect.
00:18:56When I was out of the world, I was dying to die.
00:19:01I was dying to die.
00:19:11I was dying to die in Japan.
00:19:12I was dying to die in Japan.
00:19:12I was dying to die.
00:19:14I was dying to die.
00:19:15The American Compassion was still alive.
00:19:21Tonight, it's survival of the fittest.
00:19:25It's man versus beast.
00:19:27At 1,089 pounds, meet the beast!
00:19:33The Alaskan Cruncher!
00:19:42Now, again, the contest begins as soon as the bear eats the first hot dog.
00:19:47And it is underway.
00:19:51There's Kobayashi using his technique.
00:19:53He breaks them in half.
00:19:57Well, the bear is scooping them up.
00:19:59The bear is now looking at Kobayashi.
00:20:01Do you believe that?
00:20:03Looking back, I can remember me and my little brother watching Kobayashi on TV.
00:20:08So we started researching, and we found that he was pretty unstoppable.
00:20:15Kobayashi has got to be panicking.
00:20:18We have a winner.
00:20:19We saw him lose to a grizzly bear, so we knew he was beatable.
00:20:24Definitely made me want to prove that I could do it better.
00:20:32But I was a long way from being in that position.
00:20:35Were you afraid at all?
00:20:37Yes, he was very scared.
00:20:39It was a big, big bear.
00:20:49It was all starting for me.
00:20:50I was a table-ender.
00:20:53I was so nervous and excited.
00:20:56Oh, man.
00:20:59Kobayashi had won handily for four years.
00:21:03To compare Kobayashi to Tiger Woods is a slight against Kobayashi.
00:21:34There was a local competition in Stockton for the Asparagus Festival.
00:21:40And, of course, he won.
00:21:42I'd drive home to my parents' house.
00:21:44My mom helped me do the practice.
00:21:47We would grill up all the hot dogs in my mom's kitchen,
00:21:50plate them up, and then time it off.
00:21:53I stuck around not because I wanted to cheer him on
00:21:57and go, ah, Joey, you can do it, son.
00:22:03But it was more, please, God, don't let him choke to death.
00:22:07She was my first coach, really.
00:22:10And it was a secret how much it meant to me.
00:22:16Kobayashi, there he is, is still the man in charge,
00:22:20the man to be beat on a world record pace.
00:22:24ESPNใๅ
ฅใฃใฆใใฆ.
00:22:25ESPN coverage of the contest changed what it meant to America
00:22:29and changed the way people saw it.
00:22:31They learned about the Eaters in a very personal and close way.
00:22:35So look at Sonya Thomas.
00:22:37What an unbelievable vision in the sport.
00:22:40She loves hard boiled eggs.
00:22:42Look at that.
00:22:44You can see it as a sport.
00:22:47You can see it as a sport.
00:22:49You can see it as a sport.
00:22:50Kobayashi is the five-time champion.
00:22:54Joey came out giddy like a newcomer,
00:22:55but he's gonna leave a real man.
00:22:59Look at those guys, ladies and gentlemen.
00:23:01Look at those guys.
00:23:02This man, I gotta get back to the camera.
00:23:04In many ways, he's the story of the day,
00:23:08the man from San Jose, California,
00:23:10up there in asparagus country.
00:23:12I was legitimately surprised that I got top three.
00:23:17It started right then and there, I think.
00:23:20Kobayashi had won so many times in a row
00:23:22that it was kind of getting boring.
00:23:24We were trying to find somebody to hype.
00:23:30Some have said Kobayashi can never be beaten by an American
00:23:33and that America will always be embarrassed by his qualities.
00:23:36If anyone in America can beat Kobayashi,
00:23:40I believe it's Joey Chestnut.
00:23:42Joey Chestnut is our hope.
00:23:48Five different rounds of five different foods.
00:23:52From potato skins to cheese fries,
00:23:54the Alka-Seltzer US Open of competitive eating has arrived.
00:23:59One of the guys we'll be watching is Joey Chestnut,
00:24:02who did so well at the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.
00:24:06How will he do in Vegas?
00:24:11Well, to say Joey was shy in the beginning is an understatement.
00:24:17I get nervous sweats and I stutter.
00:24:26Getting on that stage, eating in front of the people
00:24:28and you're making eye contact with these people
00:24:31and some people are smiling,
00:24:33some people have a look of absolute horror.
00:24:41Sometimes I hear gasps.
00:24:44Those are the ones that really bother me.
00:24:46The gasps, like,
00:24:47or like, oh my God.
00:24:50This is really a big win for Sam Weiss.
00:24:56I grew up not thinking that eating to pure indulgence was bad.
00:25:02Here at this house, food was comfort.
00:25:07It was your friend, so to speak.
00:25:10And when you were sad, you ate.
00:25:12And those are all different kinds of things that why we eat or overeat.
00:25:17My dad's a music teacher.
00:25:18We'd go to these Drum and Bugle Corps shows.
00:25:21We'd just pick up pizzas and some of them never made it home.
00:25:25We would split two large pizzas on the way home.
00:25:27We'd both get our own.
00:25:28We would just eat them.
00:25:32Yeah.
00:25:33And then come home.
00:25:33I never heard about those pizzas.
00:25:35Yeah.
00:25:35Well, they were gone.
00:25:37And then come home and look for something else.
00:25:40It was kind of just, just a bonding.
00:25:45Come on out, ladies and gentlemen.
00:25:48All right, fire up your whip.
00:25:50Kobe! Kobe!
00:25:52The only person I kind of wanted to emulate was Kobayashi.
00:25:57I eat way more herky-jerky.
00:26:00Kobayashi more graceful.
00:26:02Kobayashi sees it as almost an art.
00:26:27of a family.
00:26:32I eat way more.
00:26:34I eat as much as I can.
00:26:41I eat way more.
00:26:48I eat way more.
00:26:49I eat way more.
00:26:49I eat way more.
00:26:49I eat way more.
00:26:49Oh yes!
00:26:51The rules of the universe do not apply in the 144th century.
00:26:55pounds that comprise Takeru Kobayashi. He is an alchemist who has transformed
00:27:02athletics into mathematics, mathematics into poetry, and poetry into history.
00:27:13I just thought he was one in a billion. Turns out he just knows how to train.
00:27:38Normally, I use hot water.
00:27:57Three, two, one.
00:28:02One, two, one.
00:28:10It's different.
00:28:11So, when I put it on, I want to make it on the bottom.
00:28:19I want to make it on the bottom.
00:28:20I want to make it on the bottom.
00:28:21It's not easy to make it.
00:28:24I don't know, I'm a little bit nervous.
00:28:26I don't think about the movements that I mentioned before.
00:28:30There are a lot of movements that I used to have to do during my time.
00:28:33It is different, I mean, despite the first step, the first step is to make it on the bottom of
00:28:37my mind.
00:28:41I mean, you put it on the bottom of my mind.
00:28:49There is a lot of movements that I use.
00:28:49It's very small to make it on the bottom.
00:28:54We can do everything.
00:28:58We can do everything.
00:28:59I can do it.
00:29:01Until the season, we can't eat.
00:29:04We can't eat it.
00:29:06I think this is quite healthy.
00:29:31Joey started training, and he took it very, very, very seriously.
00:29:36Joey just hunkered down and trained, and trained with one focus, and the focus was to beat
00:29:43Takara Kobayashi.
00:29:47I was gaining.
00:29:49I was starting to figure out technique.
00:29:53I'm playing a previous year's contest in the background, so I can try to get amped up.
00:29:57Final look before the competition begins.
00:30:00Three, two, one, go!
00:30:02There you go.
00:30:03Come on, Joe.
00:30:04Come on.
00:30:06You know you got this.
00:30:07Come on.
00:30:08Keep pushing.
00:30:08Keep pushing.
00:30:09You can do this.
00:30:11We were a big family.
00:30:12We ate big dinners together, and sometimes if my mom made something good, that would disappear
00:30:20really quickly.
00:30:22You'd have to eat fast, or my dad would steal from us.
00:30:28All of our kids ate like this.
00:30:34The guarding.
00:30:36Sort of.
00:30:37Not quite so obvious.
00:30:40Is that obvious?
00:30:42No, it wasn't.
00:30:46Come on.
00:30:47Keep working.
00:30:48Keep working.
00:30:48Let's go.
00:30:50Yes.
00:30:51Come on.
00:30:51Keep pushing.
00:30:56Get it down.
00:30:57Let's go.
00:30:58Breathe.
00:30:59Get it down.
00:31:00Come on.
00:31:00Keep pushing.
00:31:01Keep pushing.
00:31:02Keep pushing.
00:31:03You need to stretch it out.
00:31:04Come on.
00:31:05Come on.
00:31:06Two, one.
00:31:08Come on.
00:31:09There we go.
00:31:11What do you think?
00:31:15Slow down.
00:31:17I was gagging.
00:31:18That's what it was.
00:31:19Remember?
00:31:19There was gags on the board tray.
00:31:21A little bit.
00:31:22I don't know.
00:31:23What was that about?
00:31:37Everything was a self-fulfilling prophecy.
00:31:39If we said, you know, there was a championship belt that was lost in Japan, there was, right?
00:31:45If we said that we had a rivalry with the Japanese, we did.
00:31:49If we said there was a circuit of events, there was, right?
00:31:53And everything sort of just came true.
00:32:03The circuit of eating events beyond Nathan's really began to grow.
00:32:07And we've kind of capped out at about 65 events a year.
00:32:11Live from Chattanooga, Tennessee, it's Crystal Burgers.
00:32:15And lots of them.
00:32:33A lot of people are saying that this is Joey Chestnut.
00:32:37Stay at Goodwell Beat.
00:32:39And there goes the world record.
00:32:42The record was 69.
00:32:44Both Tobiasi and Tessbiter through it.
00:32:47This is true.
00:32:48If I didn't break the record, I don't have to support the sport, so I can't support the sport.
00:32:59I felt like I was able to play a role in my life.
00:33:04I had a happy feeling.
00:33:38I realized that I hate him.
00:33:41That's a great job.
00:33:43It's just an unbelievable job.
00:33:4491 crystals, man.
00:33:46It's a great job.
00:33:47It's a great job.
00:33:48You did great.
00:33:49Do good.
00:33:50Kobe!
00:33:51Kobe!
00:33:51Kobe!
00:33:52Kobe!
00:33:55Kobe!
00:33:56Kobe!
00:33:57Kobe!
00:33:58Kobe!
00:33:58Kobe!
00:33:59Kobe!
00:34:00Kobe has taken the championship.
00:34:03What is he doing that nobody else has thought of?
00:34:08He can't just be that much better.
00:34:11There's a lot of nights where I can't quite get to sleep,
00:34:14because I'm thinking about,
00:34:16why can't that Japanese man eat so much more than everybody else?
00:34:22It was so much easier for me to motivate myself
00:34:24when I thought Kobayashi was purely the enemy,
00:34:29my nemesis.
00:34:43I have a ball I chew.
00:34:46When I'm chewing it, I'm trying to simulate that I'm eating.
00:34:50I'm helping those muscles push the food down a little bit more.
00:34:55It's not something that there's books written about.
00:34:58There's not trainers.
00:34:59Everything's trial and error.
00:35:12And I just, these are all little muscles that are moving pounds and pounds of food down.
00:35:21When they get tired, the food sits in the back of the throat and you get nauseous.
00:35:39I swallow air as I'm raising my head up.
00:35:43I take these gulps of air.
00:35:45I have three gulps up on my way up and three gulps on the way down.
00:36:18I have four gulps up on my way up and down.
00:36:26Do it again.
00:36:31Very gradually, you know, you started to see Joey as this real threat to Kobayashi.
00:36:35Kobayashi really became an icon of American culture and a celebrity.
00:36:42Oh, Japanese guy.
00:36:45Aren't you a f*** yet?
00:36:47But he was as American as a Japanese guy can get.
00:36:51Meet Takeru Kobayashi, the world's fastest eater.
00:36:58Takeru left the subculture and entered the mainstream.
00:37:06There are some things money can't buy.
00:37:08For the quick snack, there's MasterCard PayPass.
00:37:11I remember there was a Saturday Night Live episode, a great cartoon by Robert Smigel.
00:37:19He looked pretty good there.
00:37:21The Mets might be able to use him.
00:37:23That's crazy to think that he's on The Simpsons.
00:37:26As the great Kobayashi says,
00:37:28What does that mean?
00:37:32That's gonna hurt coming out.
00:37:47I don't know.
00:37:50You're not.
00:37:50It's fine.
00:37:51Yeah.
00:37:54You know, I won't.
00:38:03I don't know.
00:38:03That's a good.
00:38:03What?
00:38:19My mom is...
00:38:21...
00:38:22...
00:38:23...
00:38:24...
00:38:24...
00:38:25...
00:38:25...
00:38:27...
00:38:28...
00:38:28...
00:38:28...
00:38:29...
00:38:30...
00:38:33็ใ ใจใใใใจใๅใใฃใฆใฆใใฃใจ็
ๆฐใจๆฆใฃใฆใใฎ
00:38:36ใง ใใฎ
00:38:40ใใฎ 2007ๅนดใใใฎใณใณใใใทใงใณใฎ
00:38:45ใใ
00:38:47ไฝใถๆใๅใซ
00:38:49ใใฎ
00:38:51็ใงๆญปใใใใใใ ใใญ
00:39:16I'm not sure how to put my mother together, but...
00:39:21I'm not sure how to put my mother together.
00:39:25I'm not sure how to put my mother together.
00:39:26I have a lot ofๆ่ฌ and...
00:39:28I wanted to make my mother happy to give it to me and I wanted to give it to my
00:39:39mother.
00:39:39My mother died when she died.
00:39:43I don't think I'm going to be able to do it.
00:39:58I wrote a blog about it.
00:40:01I said,
00:40:04I don't think I'm going to do it.
00:40:08I don't think I'm going to do it.
00:40:09I don't think I'm going to do it.
00:40:13I wrote a blog about it.
00:40:41I said,
00:40:42I'm going to do it.
00:40:43But when I told you to kill you,
00:40:45I'm going to kill you.
00:40:47I told you to kill you.
00:40:50I told you,
00:40:51I'm trying to kill you.
00:41:14Not long after my qualifier, I learned that Kobayashi had a jaw injury.
00:41:28What was your reaction when you first heard about the jaw injury?
00:41:36My first reaction was probably the same as everybody else's.
00:41:40It was a little bit questionable.
00:41:44If he had announced his jaw injury a week before I broke his record, that would be one thing.
00:41:49But a week after I broke his record by six hot dogs, that's questionable.
00:41:54I'm not calling him a liar.
00:41:56I'm not calling him a liar.
00:42:01I'm not calling him a liar.
00:42:07I'm not calling him a liar.
00:42:16He had a jaw injury.
00:42:17He has arthritis of the jaw.
00:42:20He has jawthritis.
00:42:23He had inflamed tissue in his jaw.
00:42:27We called that jawthritis.
00:42:29The research division of the International Federation of Competitive Eating called that jawthritis.
00:42:34And that created a huge amount of publicity in the run-up to the fourth.
00:42:39And that's what it's all about.
00:42:41You know, give me that day a press.
00:42:44And at the end of the day, whether or not I should be, that is the barometer of success for
00:42:50me.
00:42:50How much free media did we get?
00:42:54The bus carrying the competitors arrived with 16 of the 17 Gurgitators on board.
00:42:59The one participant not on that bus was Takiro Kobayashi.
00:43:03The emotions were really in turmoil.
00:43:06And there's Joey trying to sort of make a sense of it all.
00:43:10He didn't know whether Kobayashi was going to compete.
00:43:13We didn't know what the deal was.
00:43:15Maybe he's trying to sandbag this competition.
00:43:17I was using that as, this is, he's not going to catch me.
00:43:23He's not going to, he's not going to surprise me.
00:43:28Look at this enormous crowd out here.
00:43:31They're saying it's going well above 30,000.
00:43:34They're saying it's going well above 30,000.
00:43:35They're saying it's going well above 30,000.
00:43:36And then, when I was told that,
00:43:39I was like,
00:43:40He says that he says that he is going to be a good thing.
00:43:44He says that he is going to eat nothing,
00:43:49and he said he's going to eat nothing.
00:43:52He says that he's going to fight with me.
00:43:54He said that he wants me to win.
00:44:00He says that he wants me to win.
00:44:11I really wanted to win that year.
00:44:58I felt amazing, so focused, so ready to just get it on.
00:45:10I was, yeah, I was on.
00:45:30Early on, I knew we were pretty much neck to neck.
00:45:48The crowd was cheering right from the start.
00:45:51It felt like they were forming.
00:45:54Two dogs between Chestnut and Kobayashi.
00:46:00I got my judges down so the people can see.
00:46:03Judges get down!
00:46:05Judges get down!
00:46:06But when I decided to win, I had a strong feeling of winning.
00:46:13In a special way, you can open your eyes.
00:46:16If you don't open your eyes, it won't open.
00:46:18But if you don't open your eyes, you can't open your eyes.
00:46:22You can't eat anything.
00:46:24You can't eat anything.
00:46:26You can't eat anything.
00:46:28You can't eat anything.
00:46:38It was a knife fight to the death.
00:46:44Joey has broken his own record.
00:46:46Kobayashi's right there with him.
00:46:48We never would have expected this.
00:46:52This is going to be a close call.
00:46:54Now is the moment of truth!
00:47:05That's a Kobayashi reversal within the framework of the competition.
00:47:08I'm afraid the judges are going to call that.
00:47:11Kobayashi ate the vomit that was coming out onto his hand.
00:47:14To me, that's not the mark of a failure.
00:47:16That's the mark of a champion.
00:47:22Many people believe that Kobayashi should have been disqualified.
00:47:27But our commissioner did not catch that.
00:47:32Ladies and gentlemen of Brooklyn and the world,
00:47:37in second place with 63 hot dogs and buns, Takero Kobayashi!
00:47:47Go away!
00:47:49The whole side is the right!
00:47:51Go home!
00:47:52Go away!
00:47:53Go away!
00:47:54And Nathan's famous, Patrick Boebyland.
00:47:58Go away!
00:47:59Go away!
00:47:59Go away!
00:48:00Go away!
00:48:02Go away!
00:48:04USA!
00:48:06USA!
00:48:07USA!
00:48:08USA!
00:48:09This is the most popular thing in the world.
00:48:13I thought I was very aggressive.
00:48:14I thought I was very aggressive.
00:48:15I thought I was really scared.
00:48:17I was going to go to the stage after this stage,
00:48:19I might be able to do something.
00:48:22I thought,
00:48:24I was really scared.
00:48:24I didn't understand.
00:48:24I was really scared.
00:48:27We have our confidence back.
00:48:29The dark days of the last six years are behind us.
00:48:36In first place with 66 hot dogs and buns,
00:48:40Joey Justin!
00:48:46Joey!
00:48:48Joey!
00:48:49Joey!
00:48:50Joey!
00:48:51Joey!
00:48:52Joey!
00:48:52Joey!
00:48:53Joey!
00:48:53Never in life does everything culminate to that perfect thing.
00:48:58You beat the person you wanted to beat.
00:49:01You hit numbers you wanted to hit.
00:49:06I'm not sick.
00:49:07I'm able to smile after the contest.
00:49:11There's so many little things that I was able to accomplish.
00:49:16I pushed this man who everybody thought was a machine,
00:49:22who was unbeatable,
00:49:23to break.
00:49:25To break in front of everybody.
00:49:27And that sounds mean that I'm happy he barked.
00:49:32But it really means a lot that I pushed him past his breaking point.
00:49:36It wasn't his jaw that broke.
00:49:38It was his stomach that gave away.
00:49:43He's going to eventually understand that everybody comes down from the top.
00:49:50That's good.
00:49:50I want to rephrase that.
00:49:51Kobayashi can say what he wants,
00:49:53but what he doesn't know is he's got to learn,
00:49:56and I'm going to teach him.
00:49:57What's going to happen?
00:49:58Are you going to set the record straight?
00:50:00Tell me what...
00:50:01You know what I mean?
00:50:02What's going to happen?
00:50:03What's going to happen?
00:50:03It's really the world's greatest match.
00:50:06But...
00:50:06What do you want him to say?
00:50:12I lost once to him,
00:50:14but I'll be able to show my true strength this time.
00:50:19Tonight, Battle of the Birds.
00:50:21We have 200 pounds of cranberry sauce and entire turkeys.
00:50:24We are joined now in the booth by Takiru Kobayashi,
00:50:27the legend from Japan himself.
00:50:29Is the jaw still bothering him?
00:50:31The injury has been a problem.
00:50:33It still hurts.
00:50:35Ladies and gentlemen, let the battle begin!
00:51:09He is not even chewing that food. It's reptilian.
00:51:12He is swallowing it whole.
00:51:13He does not want his fans around the world to think he's not going to try.
00:51:20And Kobe has fallen! Down goes Kobe! Down goes Kobe!
00:51:27What happened?
00:51:35After that event, I went back to my room and I wept.
00:51:40I silently wept because something was lost.
00:51:43We had lost something.
00:51:45We had a hero and he was no longer invulnerable.
00:51:50I wept.
00:51:59And a little closer to you, it's out of the frame, man.
00:52:04Nice.
00:52:05Nice.
00:52:06Can I ask you how much you've earned last year?
00:52:10Last year.
00:52:12I'm almost embarrassed that I make so much to eat.
00:52:15But last year I was in the six figures.
00:52:18I made over 100,000 for eating.
00:52:22Nice.
00:52:28And I was not going to trust it.
00:52:40I was living with the Japanese sports agency.
00:52:48I was always in the first place in Japan.
00:52:48I was in the Japanese sports agency that I was in Japan.
00:52:50It was in the first place where I was in Japan.
00:52:51Then I started to get out of Japan.
00:52:52That's what I was doing.
00:52:53I was in Japan.
00:52:58These are all different things you can go on to get out of here.
00:53:08I'm going to have to sell you on the exclusive rights.
00:53:11I'm going to take out a little bit of a contract.
00:53:17I'm going to have to go on TV.
00:53:18I'm going to have to sell you on a contract.
00:53:23That's why I didn't want to go to this stage, so I didn't want to go to this stage.
00:53:50???
00:54:05The difference between last year's rules and this year's rules are a instead of 12 minutes
00:54:10they're only doing 10. There are also putting a limit on the amount of cups you can use instead of
00:54:14unlimited
00:54:15amount of cups to dunk buns in we're limited to 6.
00:54:18We found material that showed in the early years the contest was 10 minutes and not 12.
00:54:25And to honor that tradition, the actual beginning tradition of the contest, we changed it to 10 minutes.
00:54:33The eaters said, listen, this is a bad idea.
00:54:36I thought this sucks.
00:54:38I wish George had been able to take an extra step to think about these people
00:54:47and how much they were training as athletes, the time and energy they're putting into the sport
00:54:50and what it meant to change the rules by two minutes, you know, to an athlete, that's huge.
00:54:55They're complaining that the water was too warm or too cold, they wanted more cups, this, that, the other thing.
00:55:01They didn't have time to prepare.
00:55:03Okay, that is not the focus. That is an absolute distraction.
00:55:08The focus is the contest and those guys have always had a fair contest.
00:55:25We were pushing each other to limits that neither one of us initially thought we were going to go to.
00:55:30You are the one!
00:55:32You are the one!
00:55:33You are the one!
00:55:34You are the one!
00:55:40Oh!
00:55:42Oh my good gracious, this may be trouble.
00:55:47Yeah, I need an official call.
00:55:50Ladies and gentlemen, at the end of our 10-minute regulation, we have come to an absolute, complete tie
00:55:59between go to Ashley and Joey.
00:56:02The International Federation of Competitive Eating is prepared for anything.
00:56:06Apparently, we hadn't anticipated a tie.
00:56:10That period of time felt like about two hours.
00:56:14For me, it was perhaps the most dramatic moment in the sport.
00:56:17Ladies and gentlemen, bring up five more.
00:56:20I've got to one team who's going over now.
00:56:28Yeah, I had a feeling he just made it up because he said, uh, he says,
00:56:31all right, give me five hot dog heat off.
00:56:33I was like, what?
00:56:33He's like, you want to eat ten hot dogs?
00:56:35And I was like, no.
00:56:38First one done with five hot dogs and buns.
00:56:41The first ever over time.
00:56:43Count it down with me.
00:56:44First one to get five done.
00:56:46You know.
00:56:47Put it in your mouth.
00:56:49The mouth is clean.
00:56:50You know.
00:56:51It's easier than five and now I'm looking, you know.
00:56:55So, it was quick thinking.
00:57:01And then they also said whoever has them cleared the fastest.
00:57:06I don't know how they fully enforced that one.
00:57:09You call it special.
00:57:16They wanted a clear, clean mouth.
00:57:18But I raised my hand before I was done.
00:57:20And Kobayashi saw me raise my hand.
00:57:22And I think he slowed down.
00:57:33Before they declared me the winner, I had a plan.
00:57:41I think I lost because I wasn't quick enough in the rematch
00:57:45for the five hot dogs.
00:57:47Tell him congratulations for us.
00:57:51Will we see him again?
00:57:54Of course.
00:57:55I would just like to ask Kobayashi if there's anything to say.
00:57:59I love you.
00:58:04Everybody love him!
00:58:09We had a great rivalry.
00:58:11There was nothing like it.
00:58:14Two greatest at the time going head-to-head.
00:58:21Joey Chestnut consumed 93!
00:58:26And Joey Chestnut from Australia!
00:58:31Joey!
00:58:46With five and three quarters Pinson's in six minutes,
00:58:51the Pizza Hut Pinson Challenge winner...
00:58:57He's back!
00:58:59He's back! He's back!
00:59:28KABYASHI
00:59:28Kobayashi was just trying to go out there
00:59:30and do his best and inspire people
00:59:32and have a good time and people made him.
01:00:00It was so painful.
01:00:01I thought I could not do it anymore.
01:00:10It should not be able to support you.
01:00:14That's what I'm saying.
01:00:16I don't think it's going to be a feeling like this.
01:00:46I started to realize that the previous years weren't just me being lucky.
01:00:53He was not that, he was not nearly unbeatable.
01:00:59He was human, very human, very human.
01:01:22I have always used pro-American rhetoric and the belt as a national prize from the day the belt was
01:01:30made.
01:01:31You think I want Kobayashi to win six years in a row, necessarily?
01:01:35Like, if he wins, he wins, but that's not great for the narrative.
01:01:38The issue is, as someone who's competing in this from an international basis,
01:01:43you have to understand that there's an American hero and you can be a hero in the same exact way.
01:01:49But you can't be an American hero because you weren't American.
01:02:24George and Kobayashi were on a collision course because of Kobe's vision for the sport was totally different than George's.
01:02:41People started asking questions about him not competing.
01:02:46What Kobayashi wanted to do was have the ability to establish eating contests
01:02:52and compete in eating contests that weren't MLE eating contests, which he has the right to do, okay?
01:03:00But why would we put him on the 4th of July stage and make him the champion of the world
01:03:05so then he could go do a non-MLE contest or a non-Nathans contest?
01:03:10Why would we do that? And that was the crux of it.
01:03:13It was with the lawyers. And then everybody went further into their corner.
01:03:31The big news is that six-time champion Kobayashi will not compete today.
01:03:37How is it that you tell your story?
01:03:39We went through save something or like free...
01:03:42We were like, no, it's not save the Dolphins. You know, it's like, no, but it is free Mandela.
01:03:47You know, and we all came up with free. We're like, it's free.
01:04:02We're like, no, it's free.
01:04:22We felt the contest was going to go on with or without Kobayashi.
01:04:26I'm not sure he did.
01:04:331, 2, 3, 2, 1, go!
01:04:381, 2, 3, 3, 2, 1, go!
01:04:45Big Gasol had the big hopes of acting.
01:04:47I was able to fight against Club.
01:04:53Maybe she wanted to play with me.
01:04:57And I thought it would have been a little incident.
01:05:02I thought I had a feeling that I wanted to eat a little bit.
01:05:14I heard that I wanted to eat a little bit.
01:05:19I heard that I wanted to eat a little bit.
01:05:21I turned around and all I see was Kobe.
01:05:27Farther away than I could get in my graphs, sprinting up the stage.
01:05:32And I see him shaking hands with fans on the corner of the stage.
01:05:35And suddenly, I see somebody doing this motioning.
01:05:40Free Kobe!
01:05:43Come on!
01:05:51I didn't think I wanted to go on stage.
01:06:01I wanted to go on stage.
01:06:10Do yourself a favor. Check out the freak show, the side show, check out the wonder wheel.
01:06:17I don't want to go down here, so I don't want to go down here.
01:06:30So the police had to get him for trespass. They took him away.
01:06:45Once he got arrested, I called him crazy a couple of times.
01:06:49I looked at him walking away as weakness, but it's not purely weakness or being scared.
01:06:57It's a little bit of strength.
01:07:03I'm amazed that he was able to walk away.
01:07:21I felt like this was probably not happening.
01:07:26When I went home to my house, I looked at my house.
01:07:31When I went home to my house, I looked at my house.
01:07:38I looked at my house.
01:07:42When I went home to my house, I felt like I was happy.
01:07:48I felt like I was happy.
01:07:49I felt like I was a food fight.
01:07:53I felt like I was a food fight.
01:08:04I felt a good man in my house.
01:08:06I felt like I wasn't going home to me.
01:08:10I felt like I was happy to be with my family.
01:08:14I felt like I was from my house.
01:08:15I felt like I was feeling like this was a food fight.
01:08:19I felt like I was happily happy.
01:08:31Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey!
01:08:46Now Joey shines in the spotlight.
01:08:49He likes talking to people.
01:08:52Yeah, and I think that was probably his most difficult thing to overcome.
01:08:55When you meet people, you say what you do.
01:08:58And I'm a competitive eater.
01:09:00And it took me a long time to say that.
01:09:03It took me years and years, even after I was the champion.
01:09:08I'm embarrassed about how much thought I put into it.
01:09:10No. This is your life. This is your livelihood now.
01:09:16This is how you make the money.
01:09:17It's not anything to be embarrassed about at all.
01:09:20This is how you pay your bills.
01:09:21You should pay it.
01:09:23It's your craft, man.
01:09:28Maybe I lacked a little bit of empathy.
01:09:32I can understand his frustration a lot more than now.
01:09:37Because of the way Major League Dean handled the situation with him, I was able to get my deals changed.
01:09:49It's kind of sad that he made my arguments a little bit easier.
01:09:56I didn't expect the rivalry to end the way it did.
01:10:00We did make each other better.
01:10:04After a decade of victory, Joey is the gold standard for hot dog eating in that he has his own
01:10:10condiment line.
01:10:11I'm producing a mustard and a couple of condiments.
01:10:15An amazing spicy mustard.
01:10:24Joey's greatest gift is his ability to dream.
01:10:28I think, you know, in life and in sports, we limit ourselves because we look at something.
01:10:34We look at the best of something and we say, well, that guy's the best.
01:10:36You know, there's only one best.
01:10:38How can I be the best?
01:10:39And we limit ourselves.
01:10:40And Joey didn't do that.
01:10:42He's a champion.
01:10:43He's an amazing eater.
01:10:43He's probably the greatest eater in the history of mankind.
01:10:45And I won't even say mankind.
01:10:47I would say in the history of the animal kingdom.
01:10:52Joey, congratulations on your 11th mustard belt in these hot, humid conditions.
01:10:57How'd you get it done today?
01:10:58Oh, my God.
01:10:58I found a vicious rhythm.
01:11:0074 hot dogs.
01:11:02Oh, man.
01:11:02I murdered it.
01:11:05Joey Chester!
01:11:15Hi. Can I have two classic ones?
01:11:18Okay.
01:11:19And one is McEntee.
01:11:21And what's your name?
01:11:23Uh,ๅฐๆ.
01:11:24What?
01:11:25Are you like?
01:11:27Group of femmes going up to kazoo.
01:11:32Remember to learn what country์ ๆญก่ฟ you're putting us together.
01:11:36Why do you keep us off from the country and Hoffman?
01:11:37It's really important to embrace why does it laugh well on hฦกn significance from Japan.
01:11:42Let's have no ๋ฌธ์ for why we don't do any damage to Japan-san.
01:11:45You don't need, yeah, but you don't need to organisations that are required.
01:11:47You still need to ัะดะฐั base for words.
01:12:07We're just here to tell you that he still eats, he still eats every year as a competitor, but he
01:12:12also eats here today for you.
01:12:18Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!
01:12:33Go! Go! Go! Go!
01:12:40When I was thinking about what I was thinking, I couldn't reach it.
01:12:48I was thinking more serious about what I was thinking.
01:13:10What happened was he thought that he was the darling of America.
01:13:13That America loved him more than they loved anybody else.
01:13:17And then Joey came along and it became evident that they loved Joey more.
01:13:21And that broke his heart. And I believe that's why he quit.
01:13:26So when you said that Kobe had a broken heart,
01:13:30I think you were right, but I think for the wrong reason.
01:13:34I think it may have been you.
01:13:41Well, if that's the case, I would feel horrible.
01:13:44And if that is the case, I would have to say,
01:13:50you have to come to me with that, right?
01:13:52You have to come to me and say, you make me feel lousy.
01:13:55And I would say, I will never make you feel lousy again.
01:13:58That would be the answer. It would be a very quick comment.
01:14:01I apologize. I will never make you feel bad again.
01:14:05Done. Who was it who described Kobayashi
01:14:09as a man with the flesh of an archangel?
01:14:14Who was it who did that?
01:14:16You know, his bowel coiled like a serpent ready to strike.
01:14:19You know, like, there was no one in his life
01:14:22who ever built him up like that other than me.
01:14:26And if he came back tomorrow, do you know what I would say?
01:14:29I would say, people have mocked him.
01:14:32And I would go. That's where I would go.
01:14:33And they drove him down.
01:14:34And that's where I would go.
01:14:35And then I would say, but he is back.
01:14:37And he is a warrior.
01:14:38And I would figure out something elegant to say.
01:14:40And there would be no one
01:14:42who ever gave a better introduction than Kobayashi
01:14:44than I.
01:14:45Like a flop.
01:15:03And there would be no one who said that this was wrong.
01:15:06And it was wrong and easy.
01:15:07And so I think that he worked out with me when he had to control himself.
01:15:31ๅใใฆใใจๆใๆใใชใใใใจใใใใจใใใซใทใผใซๆปใฃใฆๆฅใฆใใใจๆใใ ใใใใฎ
01:15:35ไปใฏใใใ่ช็ฑใจๆใฃใฆใใ
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