Kobayashi downs record 337 wings at Pa. Wing Bowl

[Fuji Vice]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Competitive-eating champ Takeru Kobayashi (tah-kah-roo koh-bee-yah-shee) conquered Philadelphia's annual gustatory gorge-fest by eating 337 chicken wings in a half-hour before a crowd of nearly 20,000 at Wing Bowl XX.

The Japanese phenom demolished the record of 255 set last year by Jonathan "Super" Squibb.

The Friday morning extravaganza drew thousands to the Wells Fargo Center before sunrise to watch competitors stuff themselves with chicken wings.

Kobayashi claimed a $20,000 cash prize for his victory. It was the six-time Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest champ's first time competing at Wing Bowl, though he consumed a cheesesteak in 24 seconds as part of an eating exhibition last year.

Squibb had been trying to win his fourth consecutive Wing Bowl crown, but the Berlin, N.J., man finished a distant second with 271 wings.

$20,000 to gorge yourself for a half hour sounds good and all, if it wasn't so despicable. I seriously don't know what to say other than eating contests are just another example of why the world ending wouldn't necessarily be such a bad thing.

 

[Lover Boy]

How the hell can anyone eat that many chicken wings? I would be sick.

 

[Fuji Vice]

How the hell can anyone eat that many chicken wings? I would be sick.

He's a "professional eater". It is sick, but people actually do it for a living.

 

[Lover Boy]

How do you like train? Do you just eat? He must be really fat.

 

[Fuji Vice]

How do you like train? Do you just eat? He must be really fat.

It's a question of metabolism and the way your body breaks the food down. And this is what he looks like, I'd hardly call him fat...