Another choice tidbit from a recent World Magazine: a feature on Takeru Kobayashi, the reigning world hotdog-eating champion. I bet his parents are proud.

Though only 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 145 pounds, Mr. Kobayashi can eat more than 20 pounds of food in a single sitting. If I understand it right, he’s only lost to a grizzly bear.

The rising star in the mass-food-consumption category is one Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas. She earned her nickname by defeating larger, hungrier men. In July, she scarfed 37 hot dogs in 12 minutes. The pictures are amazing, but not to be reprinted for my sensitive readership. Here are some of her other eating records (though not all at the same sitting):

• 8.4 pounds of baked beans in 2 minutes, 47 seconds
• 11 pounds of cheesecake in 9 minutes
• 80 chicken nuggets in 5 minutes
• 65 hard-boiled eggs in 6 minutes, 40 seconds
• 4 pounds, 14.25 ounces of fruitcake in 10 minutes
• 43 soft tacos in 11 minutes
• 8.31 pounds of Vienna sausage in 10 minutes

I’m not going to name names, but I suspect that there are some of you who could top this.

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