The last time we saw “Damaging” Doug Canavin was just days after last year’s Wing Bowl, and the big man was nursing a bruised ego following a disappointing early exit from the event. The ten-time contestant of the annual 94.1 WIP buffalo wing eating contest was mulling the notion of retirement from the world of competitive eating.
This flirtation with walking away proved to be short lived, though, and the lure of eating elbow-to-elbow with history’s most prolific eater, Japanese sensation Takeru Kobayashi drew Doug back in.
“He’s like the Babe Ruth of eating,” Doug says of Kobayashi, the owner of a handful of Guinness World Records and a warehouse full of trophies.
The competition will not be limited to Kobayashi; this year’s Wing Bowl will see the return of Philadelphia’s Bill “El Wingador” Simmons, perpetual threats Joey Chestnut and Jonathan “Super” Squibb, and a colorful cast of eaters all with $20,000 and a shiny new 2012 Camaro on the line.
With a prize purse so appealing, it is hardly surprising that Wing Bowl has courted such top international talent. In sharp contrast to the contest’s humble beginnings (the first event played to an audience of a dozen spectators at a hotel), the event attracts huge crowds of over 20,000 at the Wells Fargo Center.
While this shift in scale is undeniably positive for organizers, many feel that the event has lost its original sense of purpose.
“I’m just a fat guy that called a radio station on a bet. I’m an amateur, and originally that was who this event was for,” Doug said. “The bigger it got, the more the amateur, local guys got squeezed out.”
“I think it would be more appealing if you had all the local neighborhoods represented,” Doug said. That way you would actually have a rooting interest.”
One Last Shot
Doug’s path to Wing Bowl is in no way guaranteed. His late decision to enter means that he missed the opportunity to earn a ticket through an eating stunt.
There remains a final “wing-off” qualifier later this week, and it’s win or go home. Despite the stakes, Doug’s swagger remains firmly intact.
Asked if he’s worried, Doug laughs. “Nobody beats me in ten minutes,” he said, referring to the ten minute sprints involved in the wing-off. “It doesn’t matter who else is there, they can bring in Chestnut and Kobayashi and I’ll win.”
Calling All Eaters
Want to see Damaging Doug in action before the Wing Bowl? He’ll be putting on a wing eating clinic this Thursday in Fishtown at The Nut Hut (1873 Frankford Ave.) at 8PM.
If you’re feeling adventurous – and hungry – order up some wings and see if you can keep up. If you can beat him, your wings are on the house. This writer intends to take up the challenge, check back next week to see how it turns out.
Folks will do some insane things to get into the Wing Bowl, and Damaging Doug is no exception. The following are a few of the eating stunts he completed to enter past Wing Bowls.
- 12-pack of Guinness under a minute.
- Racing a 12 man SWAT team through sandwiches.
- A 10lb, 10oz sandwich.
- 10 Big Macs, 10 orders of French fries, and 184 ounces of Hi-C.
- Gallon of warm milk.
- “Nobody has done the things that I have done for this event. Nobody.” – Damaging Doug.
Challenge Damaging Doug and channel your inner Kobayashi in an open wing-eating competition at The Nut Hut (1873 Frankford Ave.) Thursday (1/16) at 8PM.
