Champion joins ‘The Amazing Race’
Joey Chestnut to show he can do more than just eat
World champion competitive eater Joey Chestnut can chomp down a lot of hot dogs very, very quickly. But how fast can he make it around the globe?
We’re about to find out when “The Amazing Race” kicks off its 30th season Wednesday night on CBS.
Chestnut, a San Jose resident, is one of the contestants on this edition of the popular reality competition. He’s joining forces with longtime friend and fellow competitive eater, Tim Janus, as they take on a field made up of people who have excelled in their professions.
“I’m more than a guy who can eat hot dogs,” insists Chestnut, who holds 43 world eating records covering an array of food items. He once gobbled down 141 hard-boiled eggs in one sitting.
Chestnut, 33, and Janus, 41, will face off against, among others, retired NBA All-Stars, an Indy 500 winner, nationally ranked debaters, X Games champions and former “Big Brother” houseguests.
“Amazing Race” host Phil Keoghan calls it the show’s “most competitive” cast ever.
“It’s a cast like we’ve never had before,” he says. “They’re the best of the best. These people are used to winning.”
In a brief introductory video on the CBS website, Chestnut and Janus, who have labeled themselves “Team Chomp,” certainly sound like they’ve got something to prove. They point out that they’re both “smart guys” who have traveled the world to compete in international eating contests and have had to work through various predicaments along the way.
Asked what he hopes to accomplish by running the race (other than winning $1 million), Chestnut replied, “Showing myself and the world that competitive eaters are the best at solving problems and have a blast beating people.”
And what’s the accomplishment he’s most proud of?
“I win everything that I try.”
In Wednesday’s season opener, the teams begin their adventure in Washington Square Park in New York City and immediately travel to their first destination, Iceland, where they must traverse a massive canyon high above the Geitargljufur River.
Over the course of the season, teams will travel to 10 countries, 21 cities and over 29,000 miles in the quest to cross the finish line first.