Spirits were high and the competition fierce at the third annual Z-Burger eating competition in Tenleytown July 1.
Sixteen men competed in the contest, including two AU students. First-year College of Arts and Sciences graduate student Jay “The Gor Monster” Gorman took fourth place in the contest, winning $600 in cash and prizes.
Gorman said this was his third Z-Burger eating competition, but the first time he placed. Gorman came in fourth last year with 17 hamburgers, just narrowly missing the prizes handed out to the top three winners.
He wasn't going to come this year, but when he heard Z Burger was expanding the winners' circle from three to five, he decided to compete. He said that if Z- Burger has a top 5 winners’ circle again next year he might compete again.
But for now, Gorman is satisfied with the outcome of the tournament.
“I’d say I met my goals,” Gorman said. “I’m happy.”
The other AU student in the competition, who identified himself only as “Dan Dan Revolution,” declined to be interviewed by The Eagle. Dan ultimately did not place in the top 5 in the contest.
However, his friend Nick Sanders, a junior in the School of International Service, voiced his support for Dan before the competition started.
"I think he's going to eat himself sick and probably not win, but it will be worth it for the story,” he said.
Canadian contender Peter “Furious Pete” Czerinski of Toronto, Canada won the Grand Prize of $1,750 cash and $750 in Z-Burger prizes after eating a total of 17 and a half burgers. However, the competition was close for the now four-time defending Z-Burger champion, who defended his title in an eat-off with Dale “Mouth of the South” Boone.
Controversy erupted amidst the carnage of mangled burgers and spilled beverages, as “Furious Pete” accused “Mouth of the South” of cheating by not fully consuming his fourteen burgers.
“Look at all that!” “Furious Pete” said, plunging his hands into “Mouth of the South’s” drinking cups and extracting handfuls of hamburger meat.
“You don’t do that!” Pete said, “That’s cheating, man.”
The disagreement nearly broke into a fight before “Furious Pete” walked away. Inside Z Burger, he told Z Burger Owner Peter Tabibian that he was sorry he had “caused a scene.” However “Furious Pete” insisted that “Mouth of the South” had not won the competition.
“He put more than half a burger into a cup that’s filled with liquid you can’t see through,” he said. “He was breaking up the burgers inside the juice. That’s cheating.”
“Mouth of the South” remained firm that he had not cheated and said, “It’s the first time he’s ever lost, and I see what a sore loser he’s turned out to be.”
Outside, the debate resumed over how to settle the dispute. Finally, the pair of contestants agreed to battle it out in an eat-off for first place.
The crowd began chanting, “Eat off! Eat off! Eat off!” as the men took their places for the final challenge. They had two minutes to eat as many burgers as they could, and “Furious Pete” gained the advantage by chowing down four burgers in the allotted time, which brought him to his winning total of 17 and a half.
Meanwhile, projected fourth place winner David “Tiger Wings and Things” Brunelli was informed that he was disqualified for throwing up.
Although Brunelli said he did not throw up, his spotter allegedly said that she saw him vomit into his cup, then drink it again to conceal the mistake. Tabibian said this was not the first time Brunelli has used such a maneuver in an eating competition.
“Furious Pete” was all smiles when he accepted his trophy and award of $2500 in cash and Z-Burger prizes. “Mouth of the South” was also cheerful as he accepted his $1250 award. He promised to return next year to secure a victory for “America.”
“Furious Pete” drove from Toronto to participate in the Z-Burger contest. For the third year in a row, our northern neighbor has won the Z-Burger Independence Day weekend eating competition.
Tabibian said that this year’s contest went well, despite the unexpected drama. “Each year it gets bigger and better,” he said.
Afterwards, “Furious Pete” said that it was an interesting contest. “I think it’s going to get worse and worse each year, but in a good way,” he said.
