Hot dog speed eaters weigh in for NYC contest

(CBS/AP) NEW YORK Ready, set, eat!

Some world-champion speed eaters attended a weigh-in Tuesday in the run-up to New York's annual July Fourth hot dog contest.

Defending champions Joey Chestnut and Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas weigh 210 and 100 pounds, respectively. In last year's competition, Chestnut ate 62 dogs. Thomas ate 40.

A display table held two platters of neatly stacked hot dogs and buns, along with two ornate champion belts — pink for her, mustard yellow for him.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg officiated at the City Hall Park ceremony. After rattling off countless puns, including "dog fight," the mayor threw caution to the wind.

He asked: "Who wrote this?" That sentence ended with a naughty word.

As competitive eaters get ready for one of the biggest contests of the year, Bloomberg, an advocate for eating healthy, said there's nothing wrong with the occasional fast food meal, CBS New York reports.

"I like fast food like everybody else. It's great. It tastes great. But if you want to stay and live longer, it's not a good recipe," he said. "Having it occasionally is fine. If you want to eat 65 hot dogs in ten minutes, that's even fine. Just don't do it more than once a year and you won't have a problem."

The main event is Wednesday in Coney Island.

The Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest has been a city tradition for 97 years.