Joey Chestnut

"IT'S ALMOST SURREAL to me that he is part of our stupid wing-eating contest," said Sportsradio 94 WIP's Angelo Cataldi about Japanese eating machine Takeru Kobayashi 's participation in Wing Bowl XX on Feb. 3 at Wells Fargo Center. Kobayashi, a longtime champion of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, had been Cataldi's white whale. "For the last 10 years I've wanted Kobayashi in the event," Cataldi said yesterday. Cataldi saw Kobayashi inhale Twinkies on the " Wendy Williams Show" but does question his endurance.

The predicted ice pellets never pelted. So the coast was clear for the early birds entering the Wachovia Center. And after Round One, the leader with a perhaps unprecedented 112 wings was a man from Clifton Heights. Suddenly, Wing Bowl 15, billed as "Philadelphia vs. the World," tantalized with a prospect as glittery as a Wingette's hair: Somebody local - "Gentleman Jerry" Coughlan - just might win. Incredibly, Philadelphia's Khalil Masso ("The Beast From the Northeast")

Lost in all the celebrity-marriage comings and goings last week was the news that SideShow friend Tonya Harding has given wedded bliss another try. We all remember how No. 1 turned out for the former champion figure skater, what with some of hubby's groomsmen taking an unhealthy interest in the career of Tonya rival Nancy Kerrigan . (Plus there was that videotape, back before that sort of thing became a good career move.) And it's hard to believe that 10 years have passed since Tonya was arrested - and later spent three days in jail - for punching and throwing a hubcap at her boyfriend at the time.

Choke on this, Joey Chestnut. Wing Bowl, Philadelphia's annual gluttonfest, the biggest celebration of heavage and cleavage since Rome's gladiator smackdowns, "the biggest annual promotion in radio in America," will be a local-amateurs-only event once again, WIP (610 AM) sports yakker Angelo Cataldi proclaimed this morning. "No pros! We kicked them all out!" he bellowed. That means you, Chestnut, winner the last three years, and other recent champs Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas (2004 winner)

Two chow-down showdowns later this month will feature world-class hot-dog eaters. Assuming the word class applies to hot-dog eating. On June 26 in West Chester and on June 28 in Camden, competitions will be held to determine qualifiers for that legendary annual event at Coney Island, the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Last year at Coney Island, Joey Chestnut, two-time winner of Philadelphia's Wing Bowl, inhaled 66 franks - and buns - in 12 minutes, setting a new world record while taking the crown from six-time champ Takeru Kobayashi.

THE WING BOWL is about "laying aside pretense and looking into the soul of a man," says George Shea , the president of the International Federation of Competitive Eating. The IFOCE grants a provisional sanction to the Wing Bowl, but does not oversee the event and is not involved with its judging. Shea says that five-time champion Bill "El Wingador" Simmons "is the purest wing eater I've ever seen. He has complete comfort with the wing, but El Wingador competing against [Joey] Chestnut is like Don Rickles playing golf against Tiger Woods.

Pat "from Moonachie" Philbin snarfed 22-1/2 hot dogs in 10 minutes yesterday in West Chester to qualify for the legendary Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, held yearly on Coney Island. Sounds impressive, but Royersford's Bob Shoudt ate 38 at the May 24 Philadelphia qualifier. And both are many burps shy of the world's record 66 devoured by last year's champ, Joey Chestnut, who's also won Wing Bowl twice. "My goal is to become the oldest eater to ever eat their age in hot dogs," Shoudt said this morning.

Takeru Kobayashi, the six-time champion of the annual Fourth of July hot-dog eating contest in New York, might be sidelined for next week's event because of an arthritic jaw. Last year, the 165-pounder from Japan won his sixth straight Yellow Mustard Belt in Coney Island in Brooklyn by devouring a then-world record 53 3/4 frankfurters in 12 minutes. That mark was smashed this month by Joey Chestnut, who gobbled up 59 1/2 hot dogs and buns in Tempe, Ariz., in a qualifying event for Coney Island.

JAPANESE eating machine Takeru Kobayashi will not take part in the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, according to Major League Eating, which means that Royersford's Bob "Notorious B.O.B. " Shoudt has his sights set squarely on reigning champ Joey Chestnut . Kobayashi, who held the coveted Mustard Yellow Belt from 2001 to 2006, was unseated by Chestnut, a three-time winner of 610 WIP's Wing Bowl in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Competitive-eating sources say Kobayashi may have backed out due to fear of losing again to Chestnut, but Chestnut isn't so sure.

Tearful Oprah: 'I'm so sorry' Oprah Winfrey, distraught over allegations of abuse at the school she sponsors in South Africa, broke down in tears on Sunday and sought forgiveness from parents, according to a report by the South African Web site News24.com. "I've disappointed you. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Winfrey told parents jammed into a tent on the school grounds for an emergency meeting. A matron at the school has been accused of fondling one girl. Other students were alleged to have been physically abused.

"IT'S ALMOST SURREAL to me that he is part of our stupid wing-eating contest," said Sportsradio 94 WIP's Angelo Cataldi about Japanese eating machine Takeru Kobayashi 's participation in Wing Bowl XX on Feb. 3 at Wells Fargo Center. Kobayashi, a longtime champion of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, had been Cataldi's white whale. "For the last 10 years I've wanted Kobayashi in the event," Cataldi said yesterday. Cataldi saw Kobayashi inhale Twinkies on the " Wendy Williams Show" but does question his endurance.

FIVE-TIME Wing Bowl champ Bill "El Wingador" Simmons revealed yesterday on 610 WIP that he will return to Wing Bowl 19 on Feb. 4 at the Wells Fargo Center. Wingador, 49, announced his retirement from competitive eating minutes after losing Wing Bowl 16 to Joey Chestnut . The South Jersey resident told WIP's Angelo Cataldi last week that "he ate two pizza steaks and two pizzas and realized he was still hungry and his hunger extended to the glory of victory. " Wingador says his 4-year-old son, Sean , inspired his return.

Lost in all the celebrity-marriage comings and goings last week was the news that SideShow friend Tonya Harding has given wedded bliss another try. We all remember how No. 1 turned out for the former champion figure skater, what with some of hubby's groomsmen taking an unhealthy interest in the career of Tonya rival Nancy Kerrigan . (Plus there was that videotape, back before that sort of thing became a good career move.) And it's hard to believe that 10 years have passed since Tonya was arrested - and later spent three days in jail - for punching and throwing a hubcap at her boyfriend at the time.

JAPANESE eating machine Takeru Kobayashi will not take part in the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, according to Major League Eating, which means that Royersford's Bob "Notorious B.O.B. " Shoudt has his sights set squarely on reigning champ Joey Chestnut . Kobayashi, who held the coveted Mustard Yellow Belt from 2001 to 2006, was unseated by Chestnut, a three-time winner of 610 WIP's Wing Bowl in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Competitive-eating sources say Kobayashi may have backed out due to fear of losing again to Chestnut, but Chestnut isn't so sure.

Choke on this, Joey Chestnut. Wing Bowl, Philadelphia's annual gluttonfest, the biggest celebration of heavage and cleavage since Rome's gladiator smackdowns, "the biggest annual promotion in radio in America," will be a local-amateurs-only event once again, WIP (610 AM) sports yakker Angelo Cataldi proclaimed this morning. "No pros! We kicked them all out!" he bellowed. That means you, Chestnut, winner the last three years, and other recent champs Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas (2004 winner)

Pat "from Moonachie" Philbin snarfed 22-1/2 hot dogs in 10 minutes yesterday in West Chester to qualify for the legendary Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, held yearly on Coney Island. Sounds impressive, but Royersford's Bob Shoudt ate 38 at the May 24 Philadelphia qualifier. And both are many burps shy of the world's record 66 devoured by last year's champ, Joey Chestnut, who's also won Wing Bowl twice. "My goal is to become the oldest eater to ever eat their age in hot dogs," Shoudt said this morning.

Two chow-down showdowns later this month will feature world-class hot-dog eaters. Assuming the word class applies to hot-dog eating. On June 26 in West Chester and on June 28 in Camden, competitions will be held to determine qualifiers for that legendary annual event at Coney Island, the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Last year at Coney Island, Joey Chestnut, two-time winner of Philadelphia's Wing Bowl, inhaled 66 franks - and buns - in 12 minutes, setting a new world record while taking the crown from six-time champ Takeru Kobayashi.

THE WING BOWL is about "laying aside pretense and looking into the soul of a man," says George Shea , the president of the International Federation of Competitive Eating. The IFOCE grants a provisional sanction to the Wing Bowl, but does not oversee the event and is not involved with its judging. Shea says that five-time champion Bill "El Wingador" Simmons "is the purest wing eater I've ever seen. He has complete comfort with the wing, but El Wingador competing against [Joey] Chestnut is like Don Rickles playing golf against Tiger Woods.

Tearful Oprah: 'I'm so sorry' Oprah Winfrey, distraught over allegations of abuse at the school she sponsors in South Africa, broke down in tears on Sunday and sought forgiveness from parents, according to a report by the South African Web site News24.com. "I've disappointed you. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Winfrey told parents jammed into a tent on the school grounds for an emergency meeting. A matron at the school has been accused of fondling one girl. Other students were alleged to have been physically abused.

In a gut-busting showdown that combined drama, daring and indigestion, two-time Wing Bowl champ Joey Chestnut emerged yesterday as the world's hot dog-eating champion, knocking off Japanese eating machine Takeru Kobayashi in a rousing-yet-repulsive triumph. Chestnut, 23, the great red-white-and-blue hope of the annual Fourth of July competition, broke his own world record by inhaling 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes - a staggering one every 10.9 seconds - before a screaming Coney Island crowd.