# Man v. Food



## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I just started watching this show last week. So far I like it a lot. Every show the host goes to a different city, visits a couple restaurants and samples the local legendary food dishes. No hoity-toity, Michelin Guide restaurants. Just normal, casual places. He's not a competitive eater but if the restaurant has a wall of fame for eating x-number of volcanic hot wings or something like that, he gives it a shot. The episodes from New Orleans and Memphis made my mouth water. Seafood and Ribs. That's how we know God loves us.


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## MikeMar (Jan 7, 2005)

I saw the chili hotdog one (and some other stuff on there)

That was rough!!!! 

The show makes me feel full, good thing to watch BEFORE dinner to lose weight


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## Saturn_V (Jun 2, 2007)

Didn't know what a Scoville unit was until I saw Man v. Food. Watching him hit those Quaker Steak hot wings was agony. I hope he had some ice cream afterwards.

"c'mon ice cream!"


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

I was just going to start a thread about this show, but found this one and am going to use it instead!

I love this show. I think they're doing Springfield, IL this week, so I'll actually perhaps get to try the restaurants he's doing (I think we've been to one, where, allegedly, they created the corn dog.)

I really like Adam Richman, too.

Anyone else watching these days?


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## Bob_Newhart (Jul 14, 2004)

I watch it from time to time. Thank goodness for Tivo so I can zip through the silly bits and the numerous commercials. I usually get through an episode in 10 minutes or so. I'm going to try to match his raw oyster challenge this weekend because I'm buying a sack of them them while we sit outside and watch College football.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

I have not seen that episode, and I'm not sure I want to. I find raw oysters to be just about the grossest things in the world.


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## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

Totally watching. In a week he's got an episode where he filmed in Boise. He ate the Triple Habanero Pie from my favorite local pizza joint (a mile from my house), as well as, I think, a Big Judd's Burger challenge. The triple hab wasn't the challenge, so I've heard.

Here is some inside info and pics from him at Flying Pie pizza.
http://flyingpie.com/manvsfood.html

I've watched from the very first ep and seen 'em all. He manages most of the hot food challengs, it is the huge quantity challenges that are usually the toughest.


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## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

Love the series. They are now on Netflix and you can stream them.


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

What's the over/under on his heart attack?

I like the show too, but feel bad for the guy. This diet can't be good for his health (but it makes fun TV)


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I forgot about this show wven though I started this thread. There was rerun after rerun over the summer so I stopped watching. Now it's back on my radar. Now all I have to do is remember to dvr it.


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## LifeIsABeach (Feb 28, 2001)

cheesesteak said:


> I forgot about this show wven though I started this thread. There was rerun after rerun over the summer so I stopped watching. Now it's back on my radar. Now all I have to do is remember to dvr it.


Do it ASAP! They recently showed an episode filmed in Philly so you may be able to still catch it. I thought the episode and challanges in the Philly episode were fairly lame, but still cool to see your city on the show. Won't say anything more since it may be considered a spoiler.


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## flyers088 (Apr 19, 2005)

IMO it looks like he can do the heat challenges but has real difficulty with the quantity challenges.


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## felixmartyr (Oct 5, 2009)

I liked it too.But hardly get time to watch every episodes.


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## Magister (Oct 17, 2004)

I like watching it for Cities that I visit so I can know of new places to eat. Some of the hot food stuff is just stupid. Horrible tasting just for a stunt. 

There were a few of the HUGE items that would be fun to order as a family. I need to go to his website and see all the places he has visited. I do appreciate that he isn't cocky or 'all knowing'. He seems to enjoy this time on the show. I don't think he has eaten anything that I wouldn't be willing to try. Well, except for the stunt hot-food crap. Those are just silly. I love hot food, but the OMG super hot crap just wouldn't taste good. I don't eat food to perform a stunt, I want to stay fat the old fashion way!!!


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

I liked the episode where he went to the 4:20 sandwich shop. All the stoners rooting him on cracked me up. 

(they didn't give any hint at the 4:20 meaning in the show which was (IMO) chicken of them)


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

flyers088 said:


> IMO it looks like he can do the heat challenges but has real difficulty with the quantity challenges.


There are some people that can handle hot food better than others. I had a friend that could eat the hot Thai chili peppers with no problem. Me... Well lets just say I won't be eating any of them any time soon.

I love the show and it is repeated so many times I can miss an ep and just catch it at a later date.


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## uncdrew (Aug 6, 2002)

jradosh said:


> What's the over/under on his heart attack?
> 
> I like the show too, but feel bad for the guy. This diet can't be good for his health (but it makes fun TV)


It's probably no worse than most Americans, and he has plenty of "off air" meals where he can eat healthy if he chooses.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

jradosh said:


> What's the over/under on his heart attack?
> 
> I like the show too, but feel bad for the guy. This diet can't be good for his health (but it makes fun TV)


Wikipedia actually says that he spends a lot of time on the treadmill to work off those bigger meals. In fact, he also fasts the day before those big meals and drinks no caffeine.


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

flyers088 said:


> IMO it looks like he can do the heat challenges but has real difficulty with the quantity challenges.


Well...


Spoiler



Adam not only did the Big Texan Steak Ranch (Amarillo) 72-ounce steak challenge, but he did it in half of the time allowed (30 minutes out of 60).



As for comparing him to a real competitive eater, there is a "cameo appearance" by Joey Chestnut in the San Jose episode where Joey eats a five-pound burrito in under two minutes.

However, one line seems to sum up the entire series, from the start of the Vegas episode (not an exact quote): "Las Vegas is home to restaurants run by some of the best celebrity chefs in the world, and I'm not going to go into any of them.")
(Where would you rather be on a Wednesday night in Vegas - eating a $52 10-ounce New York steak at Wolfgang Puck's CUT at the Palazzo, or at the $16 sirloin buffet at the Orleans?)

-- Don


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## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

Adam is more of a normal joe than a real competitive eater. Part of the charm.

I too, can eat things of ridiculous hotness (actually I do that every day). There's no way I could down the volume of some of the stuff Adam eats.

Anyway, based on the friends I've talked to that met Adam, he is just a cool, genuine, friendly guy. Someone you could kick back, watch football, and have a few beers with.

I found his show entertaining before I knew that, but being reinforced by other cool, genuine people I know makes him seem just nicer.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

justen_m said:


> Adam is more of a normal joe than a real competitive eater. Part of the charm.
> 
> I too, can eat things of ridiculous hotness (actually I do that every day). There's no way I could down the volume of some of the stuff Adam eats.
> 
> ...


And his Twitter feed bears this out, too. Lately, he's done a lot of posting about his pet causes and such.


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## MikeMar (Jan 7, 2005)

Here you go, good article about him

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=angevine/090930

he eats SUPER healthy all other time to make up for it


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

That article reminds me. I had to laugh at the lady on the Springfield, IL episode who was SO adamant that Horseshoes are a Springfield thing.

They're so not.  While I've never seen them outside central Illinois, they're huge here. You can get them anywhere, although none look as good as the ones from D'arcy's Pint.


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## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

That Don Guy said:


> However, one line seems to sum up the entire series, from the start of the Vegas episode (not an exact quote): "Las Vegas is home to restaurants run by some of the best celebrity chefs in the world, and I'm not going to go into any of them.")
> (Where would you rather be on a Wednesday night in Vegas - eating a $52 10-ounce New York steak at Wolfgang Puck's CUT at the Palazzo, or at the $16 sirloin buffet at the Orleans?)
> 
> -- Don


CUT.

I hear great things about it.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

The is a story in the news about him visiting a local restaurant and doing something.

I would just tell you what it is, but I know how the spoiler folk are here, even with "Man vs. Food."

So here is the link (don't look at the URL itself if you are concerned about Man vs. Food spoilers.)


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## latrobe7 (May 1, 2005)

Is that really a spoiler if it was on live TV last night? 

I like the show, but that live special was lame!


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## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

I like this show because I like Adam. I like to eat, but I am not into gigantic huge portions of food. If a reataurant's claim to fame is "huge portions", I'm probably not too interested in going there.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

Yeah, I love Adam Richman. He's a good guy.


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## Bob_Newhart (Jul 14, 2004)

Spoiler



Cool. He joined the other nearly 40,000 people who have done it. :up:


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## logic88 (Jun 7, 2001)

latrobe7 said:


> Is that really a spoiler if it was on live TV last night?
> 
> I like the show, but that live special was lame!


Didn't even bother to watch it.



Spoiler



He had already conquered the 64 oz Big Texan so how was this in any way a challenge for him?


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## latrobe7 (May 1, 2005)

logic88 said:


> Didn't even bother to watch it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Spoiler



Exactly. It was no challenge at all; I think they picked something easy just to guarantee success on live TV.


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## Magister (Oct 17, 2004)

Bob_Newhart said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Cool. He joined the other nearly 40,000 people who have done it. :up:


Sometimes you want to standout amoungst the crowd.


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

logic88 said:


> Didn't even bother to watch it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Spoiler



He only had 20 minutes to do this one. Then again, he did the Big Texan, which was a bigger steak and required side dishes as well, in just under 30...


-- Don


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## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

Wasn't the Big Texan 72oz boneless sirloin? Plus, as mentioned, it included sides. The only difficult part about the Shula's 48oz challenge was the 20 minute sellf-imposed time limit. Besides, the bone itself on the porterhouse was probably over 1/2lb.

From http://www.bigtexan.com/free72rules.html
FREE 72OZ STEAK DINNER RULES
Meal consists of: Shrimp Cocktail, Baked Potato, Salad, with Roll, Butter, and of course the 72 oz. Steak

...The record was broken by Joey Chestnut on March 24, 2008. He ate the entire meal in 8 minutes and 52 seconds...

...The unofficial record for the fastest time belongs to a 500-pound Bengal Tiger owned by Benjamin Heiple of Florida. His meal was limited to the steak only and he dined in the front of the building. The technique was the simplest we've ever seen: sniff, lick, gulp! It took him less than 90 seconds...


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## logic88 (Jun 7, 2001)

justen_m said:


> Wasn't the Big Texan 72oz boneless sirloin? Plus, as mentioned, it included sides. The only difficult part about the Shula's 48oz challenge was the 20 minute sellf-imposed time limit. Besides, the bone itself on the porterhouse was probably over 1/2lb.


Ah, my mistake.

So this challenge was even less impressive. They should have made him eat two of them to make up for it.


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## ewolfr (Feb 12, 2001)

For anyone in San Diego who might want to see the action in person. I got the following in an email from Phil's BBQ near the Sports Arena:



> The Travel Channel's Man V. Food will be filming at Phil's BBQ on Tuesday, February 16 from 5:45 to 7:45 for a future episode featuring Phil's BBQ. Come pay us a visit and see all of the commotion for yourself!


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

Man is getting really fat.


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## omnibus (Sep 25, 2001)

"Oh my goodness"......"Oh my goodness", Adam in exstacy with mouth full.


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## appleye1 (Jan 26, 2002)

The Caliente restaurant they had on the Richmond show last week was in the same space as a dive bar we used to go to when I went to college there. In fact I lived around the corner from it. Glad to see the neighborhood has improved a bit!


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## MikeMar (Jan 7, 2005)

The Boston episode where he is at the BC Deli, I used to live 1/2 mile from there. And my friend the other day said we should try the lesser version of the challenge. Something like 2-3 lbs of burger and 2lbs of fries.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

40,000+ may have done it, but the article does say he was the first to do it in under 20 minutes. So, he's 1 in 40,000 as far as that goes.

I love Man V Food. I discovered the show on Netflix streaming and devoured every episode.  

I was disappointed by his Minnesota episode. He just went to a German restaurant and ate a big bratwurst. I've been to the German place, but only drank in its basement. I've never ate there. I did go to one of the other 3 places he went to and got a Juicy Lucy.


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## swinca (Jun 19, 2003)

I have an issue with the Cleveland episode. I lived there for many years and ate a lot of Polish Boys, and I have never seen one with pork shoulder on it. Hot Sauce Williams was never my favorite place. Maybe they did it just for TV.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

That level 7 hot sushi challenge looked brutal. Adam had to suffer to qualify to get to the point where he had to suffer even more.


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## bryhamm (Jun 30, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> That level 7 hot sushi challenge looked brutal. Adam had to suffer to qualify to get to the point where he had to suffer even more.


Lately (last couple of seasons) he seems to have nailed just about all challenges that are heat related. Last year he even went back and beat a challenge that he had failed at before.

The one's he seems to lose at are the massive quantity ones, or at least those that are around 5+ pounds of food.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

Yeah, the spicy/hot challenges he seems to beat everytime.


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## logic88 (Jun 7, 2001)

Hoffer said:


> 40,000+ may have done it, but the article does say he was the first to do it in under 20 minutes. So, he's 1 in 40,000 as far as that goes.


How many competitive eaters have tried it so far?

The record for a 72 oz steak (with sides) is something like 7 minutes and change. So for a 48 oz steak, I'm guessing 5 minutes is a good time?


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## billypritchard (May 7, 2001)

Hoffer said:


> Yeah, the spicy/hot challenges he seems to beat everytime.


There was one hot wing challenge I remember seeing where he only made it through like two wings. Don't remember the city or restaurant, but they were pure fire apparently. I believe he went right to the freezer in the kitchen.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

With all the hot stuff Adam eats, he must have a proctologist on defcon 1 in every city he goes.


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## Bunny:) (Aug 2, 2010)

billypritchard said:


> There was one hot wing challenge I remember seeing where he only made it through like two wings. Don't remember the city or restaurant, but they were pure fire apparently. I believe he went right to the freezer in the kitchen.


Yeah, I saw that one, he stood in the freezer after lol.

I just watched the cheese sandwich one. Oh man, that was too much.lol

And the milk shake ones are undoable.

Great program.


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## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

Bunny:) said:


> Yeah, I saw that one, he stood in the freezer after lol.
> 
> I just watched the cheese sandwich one. Oh man, that was too much.lol
> 
> ...


What milkshake one? Annapolis? Chick and Ruth's Deli? I think that is my favorite episode, having been there and all. Next time I am back, I'm going to round up some friends and give it a shot.


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## BSUGrad (Jan 11, 2004)

justen_m said:


> What milkshake one? Annapolis? Chick and Ruth's Deli? I think that is my favorite episode, having been there and all. Next time I am back, I'm going to round up some friends and give it a shot.


He did a milkshake challenge in St. Louis that he could not finish. He even "returned" some of it!


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

The new season starts tonight ... however the show has been renamed to 'Man Vs Food Nation'. This means that if you have a season pass to 'Man Vs Food', it won't pick this one up. So you need to redo your season pass.

The name change also comes with a format change. Adam isn't the only one doing the challenges. He is going across the Nation and finding other people that love to take on these challenges.


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## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

Thanks for the warning. FWIW, there is also a MvF mini-marathon leading up to the new series, if you missed an old episode. This is a show that repeats (my season pass on an S2DT showed a conflict, and scheduled the 10pm airing instead of the 7pm one).


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

I read that the entire new premise is that he will be coaching others to do the challenges. Not that I'm a big 'eating contest' person (at all), but I think I like the original MvF show better with him doing them. 

That said, how much of that can one normal person do without causing serious health problems?? I can't begrudge the guy maybe wanting to get out of the business of gluttonous eating. I like him too. He is very likeable and witty.


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## VegasVic (Nov 22, 2002)

Yeah this season he's not doing any challenges himself. He did a local radio interview this week and he denied it had anything to do with his health, he just wanted to do something different with the show. But he didn't answer when asked if they would ever go back to the original format and do the challenges himself.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

Just set up my DVR to record. I don't think I'll care that Adam isn't doing the contests. I just like to see the places he goes to and what the eating contest is. I won't care that he isn't doing it.


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## aindik (Jan 23, 2002)

You can tell how old an episode of MvF is by looking at Adam's weight. So, good for him that he found a compromise to continue doing the show.

I divide the show into two parts, the "finding pigout spots" part and the challenge part. I like the first part a lot better anyway.


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## Frylock (Feb 13, 2002)

aindik said:


> You can tell how old an episode of MvF is by looking at Adam's weight. So, good for him that he found a compromise to continue doing the show.
> 
> I divide the show into two parts, the "finding pigout spots" part and the challenge part. I like the first part a lot better anyway.


The problem is some of his "recommendations" are way off. I've been to a few of the places he's recommended. Some are really good. Some are DEFINITELY not good.


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## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

Frylock said:


> The problem is some of his "recommendations" are way off. I've been to a few of the places he's recommended. Some are really good. Some are DEFINITELY not good.


In my world, the places went down hill. Super busy now. Same thing a year later. So what was once our local place... we don't even go there. We've found others.


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## Magister (Oct 17, 2004)

I don't care about the stunt foods in the show at all. Most of the places he goes to for the contests are sports bars it seems. The places earlier in the episodes are the places I generally want to try.


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## Bob_Newhart (Jul 14, 2004)

I like watching the occasional MvF and am so thankful to have Tivo to fast forward through the silly stuff when he's waiting for the food to come out and also the crowd reactions and encouragement and the "drama" when he hits the wall and doesn't think he can take another bite. I never watch the "press conference" at the end. I can usually get through an ep in less than 15 minutes. 

I'll be curious how this new show is. I hope they don't go overboard with him being a rockstar and all, but they probably will.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Is there anyone else who thinks on some of the quantity challenges he goes off-camera at the end and purges it all?


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## Frylock (Feb 13, 2002)

Bob_Newhart said:


> I like watching the occasional MvF and am so thankful to have Tivo to fast forward through the silly stuff when he's waiting for the food to come out and also the crowd reactions and encouragement and the "drama" when he hits the wall and doesn't think he can take another bite. I never watch the "press conference" at the end. I can usually get through an ep in less than 15 minutes.
> 
> I'll be curious how this new show is. I hope they don't go overboard with him being a rockstar and all, but they probably will.


You mean like giving them a belt with a plate on the front? I appreciate them not trying to kill Adam with the challenges. But the extra theatrics could be dropped from this show.


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## Gomaz2011 (Jun 8, 2011)

Yeah its really interesting I like it a lot.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Gomaz2011 said:


> Yeah its really interesting I like it a lot.


And coming up next, see Adam attack the "Spam Challenge"


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

I watched 2 episodes of Nation last night. I still liked the show just as much even with Adam not doing the challenges.

I did not really like the grilled cheese challenge guy though.



Spoiler



They tell us the guy tried the challenge in the past and only ate half. I guess maybe we can assume the guy being on TV will push him to eat everything. I figured the guy wouldn't make it.



I often think that if I were to win the lottery. I would travel to all these places Adam goes to and eat the food he does.


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

Hank said:


> And coming up next, see Adam attack the "Spam Challenge"


Meanwhile, please try Hank's latest forum tool.


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

Hoffer said:


> I often think that if I were to win the lottery. I would travel to all these places Adam goes to and eat the food he does.


I've only been to one - Eagle's in Boston - and I didn't even consider trying anything larger than the one-pound burger and 1/2-pound fries (although had I known the "Nick Lachey Challenge" was only 1/2-pound of fries along with the 1 1/2-pound burger (it may have been more fries when I was there), I might have gone for that instead).

The problem with some of these challenges is, sometimes they're quite a distance away from the city where the show "takes place" - for example, the San Francisco challenge was in a suburb about 40 miles away.


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## WhiskeyTango (Sep 20, 2006)

I think these food shows need to start finding new restaurants to go to. The same places pop up over and over on different shows. I've seen that Louis Lunch place on at least a half dozen shows.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

WhiskeyTango said:


> I think these food shows need to start finding new restaurants to go to. The same places pop up over and over on different shows. I've seen that Louis Lunch place on at least a half dozen shows.


If you only watch one food show like me, every place he goes to is new.


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## Frylock (Feb 13, 2002)

WhiskeyTango said:


> I think these food shows need to start finding new restaurants to go to. The same places pop up over and over on different shows. I've seen that Louis Lunch place on at least a half dozen shows.


Yeah, anything on the travel channel and/or food network is guaranteed to be repeated/revisited at least half a dozen times across their different shows.


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## midas (Jun 1, 2000)

Well I, for one, don't like the new format. Part of the enjoyment was trying to guess whether Adam could beat the challenge or not. But with someone new taking the challenge each week there's no frame of reference. And really, since I don't know these people, I don't really care if they make it or not.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

midas said:


> Well I, for one, don't like the new format. Part of the enjoyment was trying to guess whether Adam could beat the challenge or not. But with someone new taking the challenge each week there's no frame of reference. And really, since I don't know these people, I don't really care if they make it or not.


A poster observed, spoilerized for the spoiler nazis but probably no reason to



Spoiler



By the 3rd season Adam figured out how to win almost all the "heat" spicy wing challenges. He could win almost any quantity challenge under 5 pounds and would lose almost every quantity challenge 6 pounds or more.



I killed by SP to M v F. The show was fun the first few times I saw it . How many times do we want to see him eat wings so spicy no normal person would even attempt it. Find the first few times.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

lew said:


> I killed by SP to M v F. The show was fun the first few times I saw it . How many times do we want to see him eat wings so spicy no normal person would even attempt it. Find the first few times.


I haven't bothered SP'ing his new show but Adam Richman has a good enough personality that they should be able to create a good show with him as the lead.


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## betts4 (Dec 27, 2005)

lew said:


> A poster observed, spoilerized for the spoiler nazis but probably no reason to
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How?

I watched this show for a couple hours last night while I was cleaning the kitchen. Some of those things were just incredible and unbelievable that anyone would make, let alone eat. Wow.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

betts4 said:


> How?


Drinking milk or a milk based product. It neutralizes the capsasin.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Hank said:


> Drinking milk or a milk based product. It neutralizes the capsasin.


I don't recall him drinking milk during the hot foods contests. Afterwards, yes. During, no.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

I've seen him with some milkshakes on some of the hot challanges.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

Some of the hot challenges do not allow milk to be drank during the challenge. Some of them even made you wait a couple minutes after the hot stuff was finished before they could drink milk.

He definitely used milk when he could, but not every challenge allowed it.

Also, I've drank milk when eating something very spicey. I would hardly say it neutralizes anything. It might help, but it doesn't magically make it easy to eat spicey stuff.


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