Scandal! Kobayashi Removed From Hot Dog Wall Of Fame!

Kobayashi and a light snack.

The epic battle of wills between Major League Eating and major league eater Takeru Kobayashi has not cooled since the hot-dog eater went to jail last July 4. Hidden by the League's announcement of a new ladies-only hot dog eating contest was the fact that Kobayashi, a six-time world champion, has been removed from the league's "Wall of Fame." Worse, he's been replaced by no less than Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, who has never won the competition (but has eaten a terrifying 41 dogs and buns in ten minutes).

The bigwigs at MLE don't think this is a big deal at all, though. George Shea, the executive director of Major League Eating, told the Brooklyn Paper that “This is not Mt. Rushmore. This is not a museum. This is not a Hall of Fame.” And anyway, they've taken people off the wall before. Last year they removed Ed “The Maspeth Monster” Krachie, Mike “The Scholar” Devito, “Hungry” Charles Hardy, Eric “Badlands” Booker and Amos Wengler, the “Bard” of Coney Island, claiming that none of them "had fame anymore."

Kobayashi, you'll recall, got into this pickle when he refused to sign a contract with the league that wouldn't allow him to compete in non-league events. Despite the support of the people, the league refused to back down. After last year's contest Kobayashi forced his way onto the stage, a stunt which landed him in jail for a night. The case was eventually dismissed and Kobayashi walked away with six months ~~probation~~ adjournment in contemplation of dismissal. Last November he failed in his attempt to beat the world record for pizza eating.

But wait! There is still hope for Kobayashi fans! Apparently the MLE has reached out to Kobayashi to kiss and make up, but so far the very hungry little man is not interested.

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By Garth Johnston in Food on April 21, 2011 4:42 PM

Comments [rss]

marco_esquandolas

Did he gamble on competitive eating? That is the worst thing a person can do.

mhann24

No, he wouldn't sign a contract that would have made it impossible for him to compete in events not sanctioned by Major League Eating. Competing exclusively in MLE events is not practical for Kobayashi, who lives in Japan and makes his living as a year-round competitive eater.

justthinkin

Talk about biting the hands that feeds you. Would anyone outside of New York even know about this stupid contest of it hadn't been for Kobayashi? "None of them has fame anymore". And either does this conspicuous display of American consumption

angry_pickle

I agree. WTF cared about Nathan's hotdog competition before Kobayashi arrived to demolish the Americans year after year?

Peanut_Butter

I can't hear Kobayashi's name and not think Star Trek.

Mike Pants

It's 50/50 for me between that and Usual Suspects.

jibbly

Usual Suspects for me. It was just the name of the ceramic mug company! That son of a bitch!

jibbly

I will never forget that he went toe to toe with a fucking grizzly bear on a Fox special 10 years ago. He'll always be the champ in my book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Peanut_Butter

LMAO love the play-by-play...

Peanut_Butter

Nathan's ain't all that son...HebNat's where my money's at yo.

Guest

those poor hot dogs look scared...

DD2520

I think you were corrected on this on the original story as well, but he did not receive probation. He received an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal. So charges were eventually dropped entirely after a brief period without further incident, whereas probation implies a plea or conviction.