Every year, Nathan’s Famous hosts its annual Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest. But this year, New Yorkers are invited to embrace a new tradition: a cross-species eating competition!
On Friday three large elephants, currently starring in Ringling Bros.’s Coney Island Boom-A-Ring, will go up against three brave humans in a six-minute hot-dog bun eating contest. The trio of people, Juliet Lee (43), Gravy Brown (30) and Tim “Eater X” Janus (32), sound up to the challenge, but the elephants, Bunny (42), Susie (46) and Minnie (48), who weigh nine tons collectively, don’t seem too concerned. The beasts gobble upward of 200 pounds of food every day!
If nothing else, this event should prove to be a great teaching tool: You can show your kids firsthand the difference between human and pachyderm eating styles, thus giving new meaning to the refrain, “Don’t behave like a wild animal!” On second thought, if Team Human has any chance of winning, they’ll have to throw all dining etiquette to the wind.
Cross-Species Eating Competition: Elephants vs. Humans Fri Jul 3 at 11am. Coney Island, corner of Surf and Stillwell Aves (ringling.com/coneyisland). Free.
