Best Hot Dog Live Blog

I'm watching the Hot Dog championship on ESPN. Why? A combination of curiosity, wanting to see the American win, and happening to be home and remembering that it's happening today.

Impressions so far:

• First ad of the first commercial break: Heinz ketchup. Come on! This doesn't help.
• Did the camera just cut away as a contestant held up a sign revealing the rumored #1 spoiler of Harry Potter #7? That's what I saw, at least.
• I do not care so much about Harry, but I do like hearing Harry spoilers.
• I would love it if it Kobayashi were faking his injury.
• Footage of the American holding back tears after getting second place last year make me excited for him. You realize he already broke Kobayashi's record by 5 1/2 hot dogs, right?
• Once I ate 4 hotdogs.
• Seeing the crowd at Coney Island on TV right now, it erases any notion I ever hade of wanting to watch this thing in person
  
• Ok, the American is named "Joey Chestnut", ok, I won't forget that again.
• All right, I've already muted this show to watch videos about the iPhone on my computer. When does this really start, anyway?
• Wait! There's a Project Runway 3 marathon on Bravo right now! It's the dog episode right now! My first episode ever. Oh man. There's Alison! It's Bradley's birthday!
• Back on ESPN they're announcing the eaters. This first guy holds teh world pork n beans eating record.
• Just switched over to Bravo. Oh, Uli. There you are.
• "The Undisputed Pigs Feet Eating Champion of the World!"
  
• Seriously, listening to all these Eating CVs, it's ridiculous. Don't do it if you're worried you've never done anything with your life.
• Oh Snap! There's the Harry Potter poster again! Eater X, you're a troublemaker.
• I'm getting hungry. Are lots of restaurants closed on July? I want Saigon Grill. That's what I eat now.
• There's these ads for the Espy's with Jimmy Kimmel and LeBron James and they're funny. LeBron:"We don't win superbowls." Jimmy: "Not with that attitude."
• Oh! The dogs have taken to the runway!
• Oh! The hotog race has started!
• I have to watch this for 12 minutes?
• The announcer just said "It is so on right now!"
• And now he said: "Kobayashi is bringing it!"
• Chestnut just ate 20 in two minutes.
• I like this guy.
• This one guy is wearing a sweatband that says "Joe Delaney", who, if you forgot, was a pro football player that died trying to rescue 3 boys from drowning in 1983.
  
• Chestnut is still leading after 6 minutes, buy Kobayashi is hanging in there. Oh man. I'm getting nervous!
• Meanwhile, Keith is in trouble with the judges for not making a costume for his dog.
• "A singular instance of valor" That's what they're calling Kobayashi's performance.
• With 3:20 minutes left, Chestnut has broken the Nathan's record.
• I think Chestnut was counting on leaving Kobayashi in the dust with a strong start, but dude has stayed steady and it's neck and neck now with 2:30 left.
• Come on, you American.
• 60 dogs! Chestnut breaks his World Record!
• Oh, this is ugly. This is painful.
• It's neck to neck.
• 62/61, Chestnuct. Come on!
• Photo finish? What do the judges say? They're looking at the tape.
• Another commercial break. Another shot of disgusting ketchup on hotdog action.
• I've been reading more about this Joe Delaney. It's really a sad story.
• The announcement...
  
• USA! USA! USA! 66/63! USA! USA!
• Dude, he broke the Nathan's Record by 13 hotdogs!
• USA!
• USA!