There was so much cheering and I just got too excited, said Kobayashi, speaking through his interpreter, Maggie James. The eater insists he didnt show up at the competition intending to upstage the other competitive eate...

There was so much cheering and I just got too excited, said Kobayashi, speaking through his interpreter, Maggie James. The eater insists he didnt show up at the competition intending to upstage the other competitive eaters, like arch rival Joey Jaws Chestnut -- who took home his fourth Nathans Mustard Belt by downing 54 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. There were no plans for that, Kobayashi said. Instead, Kobayashi says he decided to watch the hot dog contest because he wanted to cheer on his fellow eaters and because he feels a special attachment to the event he revolutionized in 2001 when he doubled the existing record by downing 50 hot dogs. But when this years contest ended, Kobayashi says he went from a spectator to criminal suspect when the crowd started chanting, Let him eat. They started yelling and chanting for me, so I got excited and before I knew it I found myself on the stage, Kobayashi said. In my head I was thinking, Wow, with all the fans cheering maybe theyre going to let me eat now. But they caught me in one second.

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