Page 17 - March & April

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RICHARD SHEA, Major League Eating
So MLE has really taken off — you’re on Spike TV and ESPN now. How did
all of that come about?
My brother and I started the League in 1998 to archive results, maintain
competitive eating’s integrity and to advance the sport safely. Back then,
we were doing about 15 or so events around the U.S. Today we run about
80 contests in the U.S. and many others around the world. Last year,
Major League Eating produced events in Thailand, China, Singapore,
and New Zealand.
What’s the biggest challenge with crawfish? Peeling or eating?
With crawfish, it’s technique first and capacity second. Each year at
French Quarter Fest we see local eaters—the Mackel Brothers, Will from
Dick & Jenny’s—compete right alongside the pros. Ultimately the pro
Gurgitator will win out, but this is one food category that favors the lo-
cals. I sometimes think that the quality and flavor of the Rouses boil is
such that some eaters want to kick back and savor the crawfish. That’s
essentially taking an eye off the ball, but I can’t blame them.
The Black Widow, Crazy Legs ... we get some serious competitors for Rouses.
What’s the attraction?
There are golfers who excel at Augusta, tennis players who favor
Wimbledon. I think these two eaters in particular have a long and storied
love affair with NewOrleans. French Quarter Festival itself is a big draw for
any food lover, and the crowd at the Rouses stage is particularly special. The
eaters are attracted to this very special city and Rouses which is a gracious
sponsor. I should add that Crazy Legs loves Abita Amber on tap. We only
get it in bottles up here in NYC.
That could be part of it!
Sonja has taken Rouses crawfish cup
two years in a row, and now she’s got
the women’s belt for hot dogs. Do you
think there’s a competitive eater out
there who can challenge her?
Sonya is a dominant athlete. Like
Tom Brady and Drew Brees, she
can lose, but it’s a rare occur-
rence. She routinely beats the
men and she’s only really ever been
challenged by one other woman. I
have never seen anyone feed off of
a crowd like Sonya does in New
Orleans. There’s something in
the air at the Rouses stage that
seems to buoy her to victory. So it
seems unlikely that her grip on the
Crawfish Cup will loosen anytime
soon. If it does I honestly think the
title will go to a Louisianan.
Why should people come see the contest?
There’s not enough room for me
to answer this question. Rouses
meets French Quarter Festival
meets Major League Eating. It’s
all just incredibly fun and each year
we seem to create a memorable
event with giveaways, local celebs,
chefs and politicians, and the best
Richard Shea and Sonya “the Black Widow” Thomas
Don’t miss the Rouses World Championship Crawfish Eating Con-
test at this year’s French Quarter Festival, Saturday, April 13th.
LOOK WHO WE ARE TALKING TO
CRAZY LEGS CONTI, Competitive Eater
What’s your strategy for the Rouses Crawfish Eating Contest?
I usually try to get to New Orleans early and get a pound
of crawfish from Rouses, just to work on my manual to oral
dexterity. Then I try not to eat too much of all the great New
Orleans food before the contest. I feel like New Orleans is
my second home - after all there is a Conti street there.
Who are your biggest rivals?
Anytime someone is weaned on a food and it’s their lo-
cal specialty it makes them a formidable opponent. Adrian
“The Rabbit” Morgan is now a New Orleans pastry chef, so
he’s working with food every day. I would say he would be
the guy who wants the title the most. He’s come close the last
two years so he might be the hungriest. He is also a very nice
guy and we shared crawfish techniques last year to see if we
could each break the record.
What do you do when you’re not competing?
When not competiting, I am doing anything to pay the rent
in NYC from window cleaning to bartending, but competing
and traveling the globe for Navy Entertainment (entertain-
ing sailor soldiers with Major League Eating) brings out the
best in me.
crawfish boil in the land. If you have synapses I defy you not to have the
time of your life at the Rouses Crawfish Eating World Championship.
What’s the weirdest eating contest you’ve emceed?
We once did a show for Fox and they insisted we do contests with May-
onnaise and Butter. I found those rather off-putting. But from a pure
emcee perspective, I’d say 1998 on West Pico Blvd in Los Angeles. It was
an Orthodox neighborhood on the Sabbath. There was no crowd, there
was literally nobody on the street. It was just me with a microphone and
the eaters. The DJ even went inside to get out of the sun. We’ve come a
long way since then!
How many years have you reported from Nathan’s?
The contest began in 1916, I got involved in 1997. I have done the ESPN
call since the live broadcast first happened in 2003. It’s their highest rated
show of the day, we beat baseball even, and we get a crowd of 40,000
people. It’s a total blast and truly unique.
Our Crawfish Eating contest is not
to be missed. Prepare to be amazed
at how fast these people actually eat.
Sonya “Black Widow” Thomas has
been known to chew the shells, and
last year, she drank the juice at the
bottom of the pan to help increase the
weight she ate. It was awesome and
disgusting at the same time.
—Ali Rouse
Ali Rouse and Crazy Legs Conti