Assorted Quotes from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

Commentator, reveling:

“You know what we’re seeing, is just a golden age of competitive eating.”

Contrasting American Joey Chestnut and Japanese Takeru Kobayashi:

“A much more physical eater, [Chestnut]’s a workaday guy. He’s a blue-collar eater, he just pounds that food down. It’s more like a ballet when you see Kobayashi.”

On the rivalry between Kobayashi and Chestnut:

“This is Lakers – Celtics!”

Joey Chestnut, on why he didn’t quite reach his goal of 70 HDBs (hot dogs and buns):

“The buns were a little bit slow today.”

Question posed to Joey Chestnut:

“At what point did you say, ‘I think I’ve got a world record in my belly’?”

On Joey Chestnut retaining the championship for America:

“I don’t moisturize and I don’t watch Gossip Girl. But I’m very emotional right now, as an American.”