Hot Dog Eating Contests: Awesome Sport or Just Plain Disgusting

Every year on the 4th of July on Coney Island, is the famous Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.  It seems to be a big huge deal.  For me I find it absolutely disgusting.

I was watching the news on Friday (July 5th) and they showed a clip of the guy who won, breaking his record and shoving (literally) hot dogs down his throat.  This guy, Joey Chestnut ate 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes. The woman's competition was won by Sonya Thomas, who ate 36 3/4 hot dogs.

Watching this happen is just horrific.

How do these people keep from choking. It's like watching someone scarf their meal down because they haven't eaten in forever.

It just makes my stomach turn.

What do they do when they walk off the stage? Puke in a trashcan? Who would want to eat a hot dog after doing or watching this contest?

So is this a sport or just plain disgusting?