Competitive Eating-What Everybody Asks

Isn't competitive eating disgusting?

Competitive eating is not disgusting, I think that if it was disgusting, it wouldn't be becoming as popular as it is. ESPN is covering it, there having contests, you know, all over the USA, it's international, Japan, there's stuff in Europe, South America. I personally have flown nationwide doing this stuff, so, for it to be disgusting then they wouldn't be blowing up, so.

Do people vomit at competitive eating contests?

There is plenty of vomiting. It really depends on the food and the length of the contest. It is usually armatures that puke because it is something that they really are not used to and I think a lot of these people are like “I can eat you know like fifty hotdogs in no time.” But they quickly realize that they can not and even with some of the pros if they are not familiar with it enough they end up puking to. So most contests do have puking in it.

What is the point of a competitive eating contest?

To eat as much as you can! The point of a competitive eating contest is to get that title, to win the prize, to make a statement and do something that no one else has done. If there's a contest that you don't set the record in, I'm sure you've done a good job and you've done a personal best, but the idea is to just eat as much as possible and to make a name.

Are all competitive eaters obese?

The best Competitive Eaters so far are the ones that are usually physically fit. Have a good diet, exercise, train well, train smart. There are some great legendary Competitive Eaters, Cookie Jarvis, Bad Lanes Booker. Don Lermens, legendary, we all know who Don Lermens is. If you don't Google him. And those are some bigger guys but they all have great records and even smaller guys like Pat Kobeashi, Joey Chestnut, great records, thin guys. Tim Janis, they are doing well. I don't think you have to be obese to be a Competitive Eater.

How do competitive eaters keep from getting fat?

I think competitive eaters keep from getting fat by watching what they eat, exercising regularly. If you continuously ate like this on a daily basis to train you're going to put on weight. It's common sense unless you have a great metabolism. You just have to train smart or you may not even use food to train. So depending on your training methods, and how often you do contests, you're able to manage your weight just fine, no problem.

In the age of the obesity epidemic, do eating contests send the wrong message?

I don't think eating contests send the wrong message. I believe that there is a concern with the whole weight epidemic and things like that. But I don't feel that having some athletes get on stage and eat their hearts out and try to sell at something that we deem as sport is sending the wrong message. You have to train and you have to train smart for this contest and I think people quickly realize that you can't go to McDonald's and eat 20 cheeseburgers everyday to get better in a hamburger contest and keep your weight down. It is common sense you can't do that.

Is competitive eating dangerous to your health?

I get a physical every year. My doctor says that I'm doing fine, and I think that for my fitness level and taking my vitamins and eating right and exercising regularly, I have a good, clean bill of health. For someone that is overweight, someone that doesn't exercise regularly, and doesn't watch what they eat, they may not have the same outcome with their physical, if they actually get a physical. So, I'm not sure if it is dangerous for your health. It depends on the person.