Coney Island Celebrates Independence With 88th Annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog eating Contest
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I don't know about you, but when I think of the Fourth of July I think of indigestion. So what would the Fourth be without Coney Island hot dog eating contests and the rarefied world of competitive eating? That is a rarified world. This is the Super Bowl, the World Series, all in a single bun. The competitors in today's 88th Annual Nathan's Famous event are getting ready to chow down. And Michael Okwu is joining us there from New York's Coney Island -- Michael, you look like a guy who doesn't eat a lot of hot dogs.</s>MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, I like that indigestion thing, Miles. In fact, I've been thinking about it all morning. I've been drinking lots of water and not going anywhere near hot dogs here. I wanted to show you this plank here they've built. It's a platform. It's going to be about a 30 foot long table here, about 20 contestants from around the world -- that's right, around the world -- are actually going to be competing for this prize. And what's at stake here? International bragging rights. Also, perhaps, international burping rights, Miles. And I'm joined now from one of those expert international eaters, Dale Boone. Does this man look psyched or what?</s>DALE BOONE, CONTESTANT: Yee-haw, from Atlanta. I'll tell you, I am psyched today. I'm proud to represent the City of Atlanta, my city. Love you.</s>OKWU: Dale, you were ranked number eighth in the world. Now, I think a lot of people are going to be surprised to even hear that there's an international ranking for this. First of all, is that right? Are you ranked eight?</s>BOONE: I'm ranked eight in the world. I was a rookie last year when we started at this contest and over the one year's time, I'm ranked eighth now.</s>OKWU: How does somebody get to be an international competitive eater?</s>BOONE: Well, is started out at one of the local contests in Atlanta.</s>OKWU: Yes, was that AAA or something? AAA ball?</s>BOONE: No, well, a local contest is like a beginner.</s>OKWU: That's a joke, Dale. But it's a local contest, basically, right? And you compete locally against people and whoever eats the most moves on?</s>BOONE: And what it is it's like people myself, we have some other rookies, too, that have come out of the woodworks that are able to have such talents. So we take those talents and throughout the year we train them and train them into specifics to what we are today.</s>OKWU: Can we talk about Takeru Kobayashi? He is the champion here. He's won it for the last two years. He's from Japan. He weighs about half of what you weigh, I'm sure. How much do you weigh?</s>BOONE: 301.</s>OKWU: 301. He weighs about 145 pounds and he put away 50 plus hot dogs last year in, what is it, 12 minutes? Can you come anywhere close to that?</s>BOONE: I'm coming to half of that this year, and that's a lot -- saying a lot concerning when I was a rookie I downed about 15, 16 hot dogs. And now I'm about half of that. So each year we're increasing.</s>OKWU: Very quickly, the last question for you, what is your style today? What is, what's the game plan?</s>BOONE: My style is the Japanese method, just like Kobayashi. And I want you to keep a close eye and see who's hot dog for hot dog for him in the first five minutes. After the five minutes, I may lose a little but we'll keep up with Kobayashi in the first five minutes.</s>OKWU: OK. I'll be watching for you. And I like your hat, by the way.</s>BOONE: All right. I want to say hi to my family.</s>OKWU: I hope it brings you good luck. We'll be here watching, of course, Miles. The competition starts at noon and the guy to beat, again, is from Japan, eating more than 50 hot dogs in less than 12 minutes -- Miles.</s>O'BRIEN: I've got to say, Mike, I'm getting a little misty. I'm so proud of my home city, you and Dale. I thought he was going to try the Sherman approach, but he's going for Japanese. We'll see how he does it. And Michael Okwu, we thank you for your excellent hot dogging out there.</s>OKWU: Why, thank you, sir. Nathan's Famous Hot Dog eating Contest>