Joey Chestnut Downs a Record 182 Wings

Forbes ^ | 2-2-2007

[Cagey]

Professional competitive eater Joey Chestnut devoured a record 182 chicken wings Friday to win his second consecutive Wing Bowl, a gut-busting annual event that draws thousands of revelers to the city's sports complex in the pre-dawn hours.

Chestnut, surrounded by buxom "Wingettes," had a crown adorned with tiny rubber chickens placed atop his head as his winning total was announced. He also won a 2007 Suzuki (other-otc: SZKMF.PK - news - people ) Grand Vitara for out-eating his competitors - including a pair of pros who also advanced to the finals.

"I love to eat," said Chestnut, 23, of San Jose, Calif. "Today I was swallowing wings, swallowing bones, whatever it took."

Begun in 1993 by sports talk station WIP-AM and broadcast live during the station's morning show, Wing Bowl has grown into a massive event drawing a large, beer-soaked crowd and barely-dressed strippers to the Wachovia (nyse: WB - news - people ) Center.

This year's event pitted 15 locals against five professionals. The top local finisher was "Gentleman Jerry" Coughlan, who finished fourth with 167 wings. He also came away with a new car.

"It's all about Philly," said the event's commissioner, former Philadelphia 76ers president Pat Croce. "Where else at six o'clock in the morning will you get 20,000 drunk guys?"

[Cagey]

Doug Les Petocle of Valley Forge, Pa. pauses for a moment during the WIP Wing Bowl 15 eating contest in Philadelphia, Friday, Feb. 2, 2007. Professional competitive eater Joey Chestnut devoured a record 182 chicken wings to win his second consecutive Wing Bowl, a gut-busting annual event that draws thousands of revelers to the city's sports complex in the pre-dawn

[Cagey]

The Winner.

[NittanyLion]

They were giving a Donovan McNabb jersey to anyone who vomited during the contest.

[randog]

Mild, hot, or nitro?

[Petronski]

I did not eat that many last year. And I love wings.

[Cagey]

I was at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, the place that "invented" Buffalo Wings, with my son one time and he thought he could handle their "Suicidal" wings. He ate them, but I had to laugh at the agony written all over his face.

[steveo]

"The Winner"

So what did he get for dessert?

[SAJ]

Just make sure you have some buttermilk on hand, even plain old pats of butter will do, and you can handle all the ''suicide'' wings you want, no problem. Whole milk is ok, but won't help as much. You want something with max fat. Why?

Capsaicin and oleoresin capsicum, the two 'hot' chemicals in hot peppers, are readily soluble in fat. Only mildly soluble in alcohol and insoluble in water.

Happy Winging!

[A knight without armor]

"Today I was swallowing wings, swallowing bones, whatever it took."


I don't like the sound of that. Fun is fun but it is downright dangerous to gobble bones like that. They should definitely use boneless wings.

I never had a "hot wing" before I came to Atlanta but it was love at first bite. Now even the pizza places deliver them.