Joey Chestnut at Super Bowl LIX | Ep #81

Summary

Podcast Summary: Joey Chestnut at Super Bowl LIX | Ep #81

The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Release Date: February 13, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode #81 of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the focus shifts from the usual sports narratives to the world of competitive eating, featuring one of its most iconic figures, Joey Chestnut. Hosted by Covino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio, the episode delves deep into Joey’s journey, strategies, and the evolution of competitive eating as a sport.

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Joey Chestnut’s Journey into Competitive Eating

Covino and Rich welcome Joey Chestnut, a celebrated name in competitive eating, setting the stage for an insightful discussion about his rise to fame.

Joey Chestnut shares his early experiences, revealing, “[02:55] I was always the fastest eater in the family. My mom would actually get mad, and so when I went away to college, I was kind of ashamed of it.”

Joey elaborates on overcoming this shame, explaining how college introduced him to competitive eating: “[02:55] ...my friends in the dorms, they're like, oh, my God, Joe, we can eat. And then eventually, I got signed up to a contest a couple years later, and I was like, all right, I'll do it. And I fell in love with it.”

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Training and Strategies for Competitive Eating

Rich probes into Joey’s training regimen, particularly his approach to eating bagels—a staple in competitive eating contests.

Joey Chestnut details his preparation: “[06:00] Like all eating contests, I had to do practice with bagels. I tried to... I found some New York style bagels... just practice and the jaws usually get stronger.”

Discussing mental strategies, Joey draws parallels between competitive eating and football, emphasizing the importance of resilience and mental toughness: “[06:33] ...knowing that I'm gonna feel like garbage for three days. Then I was like, all right, it's not about eating for fun. It's about eating just to do whatever it takes.”

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Managing Public Life and Recognition

Navigating fame comes with its challenges. Joey discusses how being recognized impacts his daily life.

Rich asks, “[08:07] ...is that annoying? Like, do you notice that?”

Joey Chestnut responds candidly: “[08:25] It's weird, but then they tell me, oh, I've been watching you since I was a kid. I was like, damn right.”

Joey also touches on how others perceive his eating habits in public settings, highlighting both admiration and curiosity from onlookers.

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Relationships and Personal Life

Joey opens up about balancing his competitive eating with personal relationships, particularly with his fiancée.

Joey Chestnut humorously notes, “[03:38] ...with my fiance now, she's awesome. We order three entrees all the time we go out, so it's not that weird.”

He emphasizes respect and honesty in sharing meals, ensuring that his eating habits don’t negatively impact those around him.

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The Evolution of Competitive Eating

Rich inquires about Joey’s perspective on the future of competitive eating, especially in relation to other sports.

Joey Chestnut envisions a vibrant future: “[11:42] ...the biggest thing is fourth of July. It's America. ...we love hot dogs, we love fireworks. And we're going to push it to the limit.”

He also discusses the physical demands of the sport, likening his commitment to that of professional athletes like Tom Brady, aiming to stay at the top even into his mid-40s.

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Joey Chestnut’s Advice for Aspiring Eaters

Towards the end of the episode, Joey offers valuable advice for those looking to enter the world of competitive eating.

Joey Chestnut emphasizes self-awareness and preparation: “[14:28] ...figuring out your body... keep a food journal, how you're feeling and knowing that you don't actually have to feel good to do good.”

He encourages aspiring eaters to embrace their unique abilities and develop strategies that align with their physical and mental strengths.

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with a mutual appreciation between the hosts and Joey, highlighting his influence on the sport and his role as a competitive eater.

Rich concludes, “[15:15] ...Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Gretzky, Ali and Joey Chestnut.”

Joey Chestnut responds with enthusiasm about future competitions, leaving listeners anticipating his next big challenge.

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Notable Quotes

• Joey Chestnut on Overcoming Shame: “[02:55] I was always the fastest eater in the family. My mom would actually get mad, and so when I went away to college, I was kind of ashamed of it.”

• On Training for Bagels: “[06:00] Like all eating contests, I had to do practice with bagels. I tried to... I found some New York style bagels... just practice and the jaws usually get stronger.”

• On Mental Toughness: “[06:33] ...knowing that I'm gonna feel like garbage for three days. Then I was like, all right, it's not about eating for fun. It's about eating just to do whatever it takes.”

• On Public Recognition: “[08:25] It's weird, but then they tell me, oh, I've been watching you since I was a kid. I was like, damn right.”

• Advice to Aspiring Eaters: “[14:28] ...figuring out your body... keep a food journal, how you're feeling and knowing that you don't actually have to feel good to do good.”

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Final Thoughts

This episode provides an in-depth look into Joey Chestnut's life, offering listeners a blend of personal anecdotes, professional insights, and motivational advice. Whether you're a fan of competitive eating or simply intrigued by unique sports narratives, Joey's story is both inspiring and enlightening.

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Note: All quotes are attributed with timestamps from the transcript provided.

Transcript

[Peter Schrager]

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[Covino]

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[Rich]

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[Joey Chestnut]

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[Covino]

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[Rich]

Hey, we are Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio, and we're joined by competitive eating icon. You like that?

[Joey Chestnut]

Icon. I mean, icon.

[Rich]

Let's welcome Joey Chestnut.

[Joey Chestnut]

Oh, good to be on with you guys.

[Rich]

What's up, man?

[Joey Chestnut]

I'm just a goofy dude that likes to eat.

Ah, you know what?

[Rich]

We've interviewed you so many times throughout the years. You're such a legend. I'm not even sure we ever got the story of how you got into it. Is it because you love to eat? Did you have a natural knack for it growing up?

[Joey Chestnut]

I was always the fastest eater in the family. My mom would actually get mad, and so when I went away to college, I was kind of ashamed of it. All right, I eat normal, pretend like I'm like everybody else, but every once in a while, I'd let it out. And like, my friends in the dorms, they're like, oh, my God, Joe, we can eat. And then eventually, I got signed up to a contest a couple years later, and I was like, all right, I'll do it. And I fell in love with it. It was like, all right, I don't have to be ashamed of it. I'm like, lean into it, dude. I just went in, and, yeah, people are just yelling at me to eat, and I'm going to put them down.

[Rich]

That means Rich. You kind of have a natural knack for this, Rich.

[Joey Chestnut]

I finish before everyone else noticeably, purposely have to slow down when I eat.

Oh, yeah. So, like, with my fiance now, she's awesome. We order three entrees all the time we go out, so it's not that weird. So we say we're sharing one, but really it just ends up being mine.

You know, it's funny you would say that. I'm a big advocate of splitting food. And these guys are making fun with.

[Rich]

His buddies, though, not with his wife. His buddies, his friends.

[Joey Chestnut]

No. Yeah, I'll steal food if it's not stealing. I'm really. I'm just making sure it's safe. Like, if the food makes him sick, I want. I want to be sick, too.

[Rich]

Yeah, good.

[Joey Chestnut]

It's like, no, no, it was definitely the food that made him sick because I got sick, too.

[Rich]

You know what's annoying about it? Not you, Joe. You're a great guy. You're a professional. He's just an annoying friend.

[Joey Chestnut]

True.

[Rich]

He's eyeing up my food the whole time, and I'm like, dude, wait until I'm like, get your nose out of my plate.

[Joey Chestnut]

You shouldn't be neglecting your food. If it's there, you should. Joey, don't stare at it. Eat it, Joey.

I feel this guy. I will sometimes encourage my wife to order something I know she won't finish so that I know I'll get a little taste.

I know exactly what you mean.

He knows. By the way, I know how Covino is a guy that always says the four major sports, football, baseball, basketball, and eating. Because I feel like we talk about you a lot. You had a big year. You got that Netflix money this year. How was that?

Oh, Netflix was awesome. I mean, beyond the money, it was really just going against my old rival.

How crazy was that?

Dude, Kobayashi was dodging me for years. And it really sucks that, like, I couldn't go with the 4th of July this year. Major League eating was not happy that I was doing the Netflix thing. But hopefully we can figure it out for this year.

And I'm not just kissing your ass without you in it. It really was sort of weak. I mean, you felt that way. You had to feel that way. Like, are you going to hope to come back next year?

I hope we can figure it out. It's, it was weird because they, they did some weird things. But, you know, I'm. I'm hoping that they. I don't have, I don't have hurt feelings for long, so.

[Rich]

Yeah, but you know what? You know, then it's the return of Joey.

[Joey Chestnut]

I mean, this is America. You got to have the best person there. Yeah, it's a big if it's on tv. You got to have the best.

[Rich]

Hey, we got a question from one of our listeners. Mercer, man in Pittsburgh, who's an amateur eater, has a question for you. Joey Chestnut here. How did you train to eat bagels? 15 and eight minutes. Was that it? 15 minutes, he says, because it doesn't seem like a lot. But they're so tough to chew. Your jaw tires fast. They're so dense. And there's always the danger of the choking hazard of eating bagels. How do you train for something like that?

[Joey Chestnut]

Like all eating contests, I had to do practice with bagels. I tried to. So my first year. Yeah, I didn't know what kind of bagels there were. This year was a lot easier to practice with. I found some New York style bagels. They were the kind of. It's like really dense on the inside, but there's like almost a crispy shell on the outside. It's like a. It's a real New York bagel. But just practice and the jaws usually get stronger.

[Rich]

We always see the physical strategy when you're competing. Tell us about the mental strategy. And you know, the moments where your body's saying no, but you're still pushing through.

[Joey Chestnut]

Yeah. It's weird because, like, I've always, like, like you. There's a lot of big eaters, fast eaters out there. But that, that's fun. I go in knowing, like, you got to be like a football player. They know that they're gonna be injured even if they're not really. They're gonna feel like garbage for days after. After a game. I, I, once I started realizing, all right, I have to go in. Really, as in accepting that I'm gonna feel like garbage for three days. Then I was like, all right, it's not about eating for fun. It's about eating just to do whatever it takes. And it's gonna. And I was able to push harder.

Joey, are people ever offended if you turn down food? Oh, because imagine. Imagine someone's like, try my wife's pie. Or. And you're like, oh, no, thanks. That's like.

[Rich]

This weekend's about the five layer dip. Yeah. Lots of super bowl food.

[Joey Chestnut]

If you say, no, thank you, that's like, man. Okay, Joey.

A lot of times I'm like, super late. Some people are like, oh, like, do the restaurants want to kick you out? Like, no. Usually the. Usually the chef comes. Comes and brings over, like, their. Their favorite thing that they're proud of.

Yeah.

And most of the time it's really good. And they're super happy. Actually eat it. Because they're used to people, like, just taking one bite and wasting the food. But they're super happy. But once in a while, they bring out something that's a little bit funky or just a little bit different. That this doesn't agree. It's very rare. I'm not a picky eater, but I just feel like, yeah, I feel like, oh, my God, I'll force it down. I don't want to make anybody feel bad because, you know, I'm a terrible cook. And having anybody.

Oh, you know what? I actually wrote that. Look at cooking skills. You eat a lot. So no skills in the kitchen.

Actually, I'm terrible, dude. It's just a great eater. It's pathetic. So I have respect for anybody who actually can cook.

[Rich]

Joey, I'm not sure we ever asked you this, man. When you're out and about at a restaurant, people recognize you anyway. They've been watching you for years. They know you're the guy, but they're also watching to see how you eat. Is that annoying? Like, do you notice that? Like, oh, let's see how fast he finishes. Like, you can't even go out in public and just enjoy a nice meal without people wondering.

[Joey Chestnut]

It's. I mean, it's not that bad of a gig.

[Rich]

It's not.

[Joey Chestnut]

I was saying, when you really take a bigger look, right?

I heard, like, remember, like, Charles Barkley getting people. The people, like, yelling at him in bars and you get in fights, people commenting about my eating. It's not a big deal.

[Rich]

You're a big eater. Are you a big guzzler? Like, can you throw some back? Does that quantify for you being a big chicken?

[Wilmer Valderrama]

Really?

[Rich]

No. I mean, can you really drink a lot too, or no?

[Joey Chestnut]

Yeah, yeah, it can go down.

[Rich]

Really?

[Joey Chestnut]

Yeah. One time I did something for Pat McAfee before he was this Pat McAfee. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He had. He lined up 12 pints of beer and I. And I ranked him in, like 70 seconds.

Damn. I gotta ask, of all the things that I know the different categories, is there one that you're like, that's gross. I'll sit this one out.

Oh, yeah. Bull testicles, dude. So, yeah, it was a casino contest.

[Rich]

You mean they're not delicious?

[Joey Chestnut]

I didn't. I didn't do it. But I was like, so the casino was notorious for making bad food, right? And I was like, no, I don't trust them to make them. And the eaters, they told me that they were, like, undercooked and. And like, stretchy, and they were not. Yeah, I'm lucky I didn't do that one.

[Rich]

I mean, I'm glad he didn't either.

[Freddy Rodriguez]

Don't miss real life, amigos. Wilmer Valderrama and Freddie Rodriguez in their new podcast, Dos Amigos. Each episode is a party where the good friends get real with each careers and everything about everything, and you're right there with them.

[Joey Chestnut]

When I discovered acting, I just found my calling.

[Rich]

But a lot of that was just.

[Peter Schrager]

Because I wasn't good at anything else, you know?

[Freddy Rodriguez]

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[Rich]

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[Freddy Rodriguez]

Listen to Dos Amigos as part of the Mike Podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rich]

Joey Chestnut here on the Cavino and Rich Show, Fox Sports Radio. And Joe, you're, as far as I see it, responsible for the popularity of.

[Joey Chestnut]

Competitive, I think, you know, competition. I think the golden era, like me. Kobayashi. Right. That's what really, like, oh, my God, that's true. We always be competitive. Like, like there were contests where he started out ahead and I caught him and I overtook him.

[Rich]

Yeah. Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, Ali Frazier.

[Joey Chestnut]

You need it. You need it.

[Rich]

You need a good rival. That is true.

[Joey Chestnut]

It's. I mean, it's really nice.

[Rich]

Would he give you that credit?

[Joey Chestnut]

Oh, he, I mean, no. He. He might cry. Dude, really crying. Oh, my God. I was like, dude, I feel like I'm abusing him. I didn't even make him crazy. I didn't even say anything mean to him. But he cries like, like that Netflix thing. He had to change. We had to change the rules. He didn't want to dunk, so I had to eat the hot dogs. No dunking. It's. That guy is. He needs. Yeah, I, I still love him. I respect the competition, but he cries a lot. Oh, he cries.

[Rich]

He's a baby. Sports baby.

[Joey Chestnut]

I don't know.

[Rich]

Sports baby. No, what I was going to ask you is I see you as responsible for the popularity of the sport. How do you see it evolving?

[Joey Chestnut]

I think, you know, I think part of the biggest, the biggest thing is fourth of July. It's America. Yeah, it's, you know, you're not. You don't have to apologize for being American. You don't have to apologize for eating 20 hot dogs. It's, it's like, it's the perfect. It's the perfect storm of, of like, yeah, we're loving this thing. We're loving hot dogs, we love fireworks. And we're going to push it to the limit.

We're here with a lot of football players, you know, media row.

[Rich]

Yeah.

[Joey Chestnut]

Joey in the NFL, 30s, 40ish, tops is like, you know, it's time to call quits. Is there a retirement age for competitive eating? Is that something like, you know, golfers could go into their 50s or 60s if they wanted to.

Like, you know what? I keep looking towards Tom Brady. I think he won the Super bowl at 44. Yeah, I'm 40, 41 right now. It'd be really nice to be on top at 44. That'd be really rad. At 45. That'd be unheard of. That'd be nuts. So that'd be really cool. I'm just. And it's taking more work.

I was gonna say, as just nature and life and your body takes over time.

Father time is a jerk. When I was younger, I could do a practice, like, every three or four days. Now it's like seven or eight days to the recovery period. It takes so much longer to recover.

[Rich]

You know what I was going to ask you, Joe? There's so many football teams that take a lot of pride in eating those uncrustables, right? Like, what was the Broncos.

[Joey Chestnut]

The Broncos team. I think it was, like, 700 uncrustables they put back in a week.

[Rich]

Like, they're pounding those. Like, maybe that's an angle for you. How many of those? PBJ?

[Joey Chestnut]

700. For the whole team.

[Rich]

But the whole team.

[Joey Chestnut]

Bush league, right? What's going on there?

[Rich]

I'm wondering how many you could eat again. Peanut butter and jelly with the bread and everything.

[Joey Chestnut]

Like, that's one. I haven't done it yet.

[Rich]

But it's become a big thing because all these young football players now, they grew up eating that. So it's a big thing in the locker room. That might be an angle for you that you could take on an entire team, I'm thinking.

[Joey Chestnut]

Or like the offensive line, right?

Joey versus the offensive line. No, seriously, Uncrustables contest.

[Rich]

Take on the Denver Broncos. I'd put my money on you, man.

[Joey Chestnut]

That'd be rad.

[Rich]

No, seriously, have you. Have you never tried that?

[Joey Chestnut]

I've done a couple contests, me versus a group of people, but I think Uncrustables, that sounds. It needs to be done right. Add that to the list of records.

[Rich]

Let us promote it. Let's get some money.

[Joey Chestnut]

Something for charity.

[Rich]

Smucker's got some flow. Let's do this.

[Joey Chestnut]

Yeah.

Joey, here at the super bowl, is it funny when people in different sports recognize you? Like, NFL players or, you know, celebrities pass by, like, hey, Joey Chestnut, that's got to be a weird feeling, right?

I mean, it's weird, but then they tell me, oh, I've been watching you since I was a kid. I was like, damn right.

[Rich]

Hey, speaking of the youngsters, man, Joey Chestnut here with Cavino and Rich. Do you have advice for aspiring eaters, like, the young guys out there that are like, you know what? I'm good at this. What sort of advice would you give them?

[Joey Chestnut]

I think it's really. It's figuring out your body because it's not like, you know, these guys play football. They knew five, six years old they were gonna be a professional football player like me. I didn't really think I was gonna be. It wasn't even when I was champion. I didn't think it was gonna be my jobby job.

[Rich]

Right. And you were embarrassed by it instead.

[Joey Chestnut]

Of leaning into it. It was something I like, grew up like, all right, I have to hide it from the world. But a competitive eater, like these days, if they know they're a good eater and they start figuring out their body when they're young, trial and error and learning how to go from absolutely empty to 100% full and then make their body. Yeah, make it go through your body fast. If they can figure out their body, I think that's the biggest thing is keep a food journal, how you're feeling and knowing that you don't actually have to feel good to do good.

[Rich]

And I want the fox sports radio nation to always remember as Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Gretzky, Ali and Joey Chestnut.

[Joey Chestnut]

There he is.

[Rich]

There he is. He's the goat this year.

[Joey Chestnut]

The return, hopefully.

Oh, never know the return. Let's put some pressure on him, dude.

[Rich]

Always a pleasure to have you on.

[Joey Chestnut]

The show, man, for telling you guys.

Yeah. Joey Chestnut.

[Rich]

Cavino Rich, Fox sports radio.

[Joey Chestnut]

Whether you're.

[Maura Ahrensmiele]

Ordering wings for the game, whipping up a seven layer dip, or ordering pizza, there's something about football that makes you want to eat in this football season. Uber eats has the best deals on game day food no matter what you're craving. From two for one pizza. To buy one, get one wings. Uber eats will be dropping new deals each week all season long. Uber eats, the official on demand delivery partner of the NFL. Order now for game day. Terms and conditions apply. See app for details.

[Freddy Rodriguez]

Don't miss real life amigos. Wilmer Valderrama and Freddy Rodriguez in their new podcast dos amigos where they have cand conversations with special guests about anything and everything. Join them in Wilmer's speakeasy for genuine moments, laughter and a toast to good times.

[Rich]

Remember hearing this commercial. Are you between the ages of 14 and 16 years old? Do you think you got it takes to be a TV personality and commercials and, you know, Saturday morning shows?

[Freddy Rodriguez]

Listen to those amigos on the iheartradio app, apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maura Ahrensmiele]

Black history month is here and we're excited to kick off season four. If I didn't know, maybe you didn't either. This season we're ch shining a spotlight on revolutionary women who redefined excellence give grace wisher her flowers. Next time you see the American flag, you just remember a 16 year old black woman helped to make it happen. Listen to I didn't know. Maybe you didn't either from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or simply wherever you get your podcast.

[Rich]

I didn't know.

[Joey Chestnut]

I'm Maura Ahrensmiele, host of the Anxious Achiever on the Show Business leaders and experts unpack the intersection of mental well being, neurodiversity, leadership and career. We offer tools and strategies to enjoy better mental health and find the best way to work for you. Listen to the Anxious achiever on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Wilmer Valderrama]

Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondence and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.