Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Food

Video: Bloomberg Binges On Hot Dog Puns During Speech, Asks "Who Wrote This Sh*t?"


By

Alycia Kravitz

Published Jul 3, 2012

Modified Jul 3, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

via nycmayorsoffice

View all 6


By

Alycia Kravitz

Published Jul 3, 2012

Modified Jul 3, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

What better way to celebrate America's freedom than by blowing things up and stuffing our faces full of processed meat and funfetti cupcakes? The pinnacle of competitive eating contests, Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest, is held every Independence Day on Coney Island, and today Mayor Bloomberg presided over the official weigh-in ceremony. Time for an awkward speech—he starts getting pun-indigestion around 2:30 and the s-bomb comes at 2:45!

Mayor Bloomberg at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Weigh-In from Gothamist on Vimeo.

While all of the contestants were presented, only two were officially weighed: the five-time hot dog-eating world champion Joey Chestnut and the women's record holder Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas. Chestnut, who clocked in at 210 pounds, is aiming to break his own world record of 68 hot dogs and buns in ten minutes, while Thomas, who weighs a mere 100 pounds, will seek to add to her already impressive collection of world records.

The weigh-in was followed by a pseudo-dramatic stare-down between Chestnut and Thomas, and the ceremony closed with Bloomberg eating a Nathan's hot dog himself (we suspect he may have preferred a BLT). Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Women's Championship will take place tomorrow at 11:30 a.m., followed by the Men's Championship at noon. If you can't make it to the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island to watch it in person, you can also watch competitors stuff food in the mouth holes live on ESPN3.

Tagged

joey chestnut

july 4th

mayor bloomberg

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

original


Alycia Kravitz

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE food

10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.

By

Robert Sietsema

Published Sep 12, 2026


Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.

Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.

By

Sonia Rao

Food

Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.

Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.

By

Sonia Rao


5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's

By

Hannah Frishberg

Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian

By

Robert Sietsema

Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?

By

Caroline Shin


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .