Third Inductee Into Benjamin Church Hypocrisy Hall of Shame: Mayor Michael Bloomberg

As noted here earlier this week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed regulations that ban the sale of sodas larger than 16 ounces by restaurants, delis, movie theaters and food carts in the city. According to an article at the Huffington Post: "A document outlining the proposal said it was aimed at fighting an epidemic of obesity, citing public health statistics showing that 58 percent of New York City adults and nearly 40 percent of city public school students are obese or overweight."

The Rest of the Story

Speaking at the weigh-in ceremony for the 2011 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Bloomberg proclaimed: "It is a moment for all New Yorkers and all Americans to celebrate the inalienable rights bestowed on us by our forefathers: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For the contestants assembled here, that includes consuming as many hot dogs as humanly possible."

Mayor Bloomberg's comments praising the blatant over-consumption of hot dogs were not only witnessed by the 400,000 people at the event, but by an ESPN television viewing audience of 1.95 million viewers.

The contest is not just a one-time event, but a series of regional, qualifying hot dog eating contests that leads up to the big championship event: "Nathan's Famous, Inc. has unveiled the official list of cities holding hot dog eating contests to qualify the champions who will compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest. The Nathan's Famous qualifying tour occurs each year in cities across the U.S. and beyond. This year's circuit will begin in Michigan on April 21st and visit 12 other cities before the final event takes place on July 4, 2012 at the Nathan's Famous flagship in Coney Island, NY. Qualifying events will occur at Nathan's Famous retail locations, music festivals, city centers and Major League ballparks. The top male and top female finishers from each qualifier will earn a trip to compete in the ESPN televised finals at the original Nathan's Famous in Coney Island on July Fourth. This year's live ESPN show will air on July 4th at 3PM Eastern immediately following Wimbledon."

The winner of the 2011 hot dog eating contest consumed 62 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes. In the female competition, the winner consumed 50 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.

A single Nathan's hot dog has 297 calories and 18 grams of fat. The bun contains an additional 120 calories. Thus, a single serving delivers 417 calories and 18 grams of fat. This means that the winner of the hot dog eating contest consumed 25,854 calories and 1,116 grams of fat within 10 minutes.

Thus, Mayor Bloomberg participated in a ceremony that glamorized and promoted the over-consumption of already calorie- and fat-laden food to literally millions of people, including about half a million New Yorkers.

And this is the guy who now wants to limit soda consumption to 16 ounces?

For his blatant hypocrisy, I today am inducting Mayor Michael Bloomberg into the Benjamin Church Hypocrisy Hall of Shame.