So, around the Fourth of July, we see an influx in the news about food-eating contests. They take place all year long, as it has become quite a sport with a bunch of avid fans. Not to mention the enthusiastic participants. But, every year, on July 4th, approximately 35,000 fans convene in Coney Island to watch Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in person. Millions more watch the event on ESPN.
For the life of me, I don’t know why.
Yes, it happened again this year, and the “favorite horse in the race,” Joey Chesnut, won the contest devouring a whopping 63 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. It was nowhere near the record he set last year, stuffing down 76 hot dogs and buns in the same amount of time.
If you ask me, eating contests are a terrible American tradition. Again, I’ll say it. I just don’t get it. To me? In my spirit of things? Eating is a privilege. It is a gift. Eating should not be taken for granted, because, as our parents used to tell us on a regular basis, “There is a child starving in Africa right now.” They weren’t lying.
People are suffering, all over the world, because they don’t have enough food to live. To survive. Yes. People are starving to death.
So, here we sit in America holding Food Eating Contests where people gluttonously stuff their faces for ten minutes with hot dogs, pies, pancakes, pizza, whole turkeys, and the likes. People gather, cheer, and bet cold, hard cash on a winner. Fans clamor for autographs from the contestants. Yes. ‘Mericans rally around this piggishness. And that may be an insulting remark to pigs because even they don’t behave this disrespectfully, and they certainly are not gluttons.
I’ll say it again. Eating is a privilege. A gift. Believe me. We would notice if it wasn’t there.
I have no comprehension of what the draw might be to watching sweaty contestants stuff their cheeks with an enormous amount of weenies and buns. But people eat this up. No pun intended. I think it is gross.
Another troubling thing happened in this most recent competition on July 4, 2022. As the hot dog eaters pushed their limits, an animal rights activist ran on the stage holding a sign. That was it. He didn’t threaten anyone. He moved to center stage to show his sign. Albeit, he was trespassing. Breaking the rules.
Joey Chestnut immediately put a choke hold on the young man, jerked his neck, and thrust him on the ground, all the while jamming food into his mouth. It was aggressive, violent, and worrisome. At least by my estimation.
It all seems convoluted to me. From start to finish. Like so many other dreadful behaviors in our society, I wish this one would go away.
Today, as with every day, I give thanks for the food I get to eat. I give thanks to every person who allowed me to have this gift. From the person who first planted the seed, to the harvesters, the processors at the food-making factory, the truck drivers, the grocery store workers. All the way to the people who thought enough to legislate rules that make sure our food is safe to eat. It goes on and on.
I’m thankful for every bit. And bite.
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“There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
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“1 billion people in the world are chronically hungry. 1 billion people are overweight.”
― Mark Bittman, Food Matters
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“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien
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Food. It glorious. It. Food.
