Joey Chestnut wins the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating contest with a total of 69 hot dogs and buns at Coney Island, Thursday, July 4, 2013, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
(CNSNews.com) – The man behind the nation’s first soda ban described the Coney Island hot dog-eating contest as “one of the greatest sporting events of the year.”
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg attended the annual event on July 4, where he watched the winner, Joey Chestnut, scarf down 69 hot dogs.
“This year, in a thrilling grand finale, I’ve decided to set my own record,” Bloomberg told the crowd.
“That is right, ladies and gentlemen, right here on this stage I’m going to perform a feat as stomach-churning as anything Joey Chestnut or the Black Widow has ever accomplished. I’m talking about the record for the greatest number of hot dog puns ever delivered in one sentence.”
“Now I know some of you may find this very distasteful, but the press eats it up,” Bloomberg joked. “Okay, are you ready? Here’s the sentence, and I’ll pause so you can get the wisdom of the words. Starting now:
“Let’s be frank, tomorrow on a dog day afternoon, in a tradition New Yorkers relish, and certainly not for the thin skinned, we’ll see if anyone can catch up to Joey and the Black Widow cut the mustard, without landing in hot water, or getting grilled by the judges or embroiled in a scandal and steam the competition, roast their rivals, everyone’s buns and be declared best in show, top dog and Wiener of the contest.”
“There you have it, folks,” he said. “15 hot dog puns in one sentence, a new world record.”
“Talk about going on a roll,” the mayor added. “You’ll never see that happen again, at least you’ll hope you won’t.”
Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas won the woman’s competition, eating 36 and 3/4 hot dogs, in the 98th annual competition.
Bloomberg is widely known for pushing regulations aimed at the health of New Yorkers, including a “National Salt Reduction Initiative.”
In September 2012, the City Board of Health passed Bloomberg’s proposed ban on sodas over 16 ounces. A court struck down the ban in March, one day before it was set to take effect.
After the ruling, Bloomberg said it would be “irresponsible” not to ban large sodas.
“With so many people contracting diabetes and heart disease, with so many children who are overweight and obese, with so many poor neighborhoods suffering the worst of this epidemic . . . it would be irresponsible not to,” he said.
“People are dying every day,” Bloomberg said. “This is not a joke.”
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