How many Wing Bowls has the Norseman contested in? Cyndy: This is Bruce's first in terms of being a contestant. I think he came last year, maybe the year before. Maryellen: [My Husband] has been coming for about 4 years as a spectator. And then one by one the friends started adding in anyone who was willing to get up at 4 in the morning to get a seat. How did the Norseman get into the Wing Bowl? Cyndy: You have to do an eating stunt on the air. What was the Norseman's stunt? Cyndy: He ate something poor immigrant Norwegians lived on called lutefisk. It is Cod fish that has been soaked in lye so that it just turns to mush. It starts out really hard so you can keep it forever, it's salted and dry. Then to reconstitute it you soak it in lye. It smells. He ate 2 and a half pounds of lutefisk and 6 cod tongues in 6 minutes. Maryellen: Not only do cod have tongues but they have cheeks which are served in Newfoundland. Actually they are good. They are like scallops and they deep fry them. They're pretty tasty. Has he been training? Cyndy: Every weekend he would eat 50 big chicken wings and drink a gallon of water in a limited period of time. Normally I leave the house when he is doing this. What are his odds? Cyndy: His odds are very low. I think he's next to last. Maryellen: 35-1. He's a long shot. But the Norseman accepts the challenge? Cyndy: He said he would win or go to Valhalla. I hope he doesn't mean that. Maryellen: Yeah otherwise we have to burn him in the boat. Who is the Norseman's biggest competitor? Cyndy: I don't think he knows the other competitors. Well he likes Coon Dog. Coon Dog I guess threw up last year... But there are a lot of really big eaters. [The Norseman] actually joined the International Competitive Eaters Society. What does that entail? Cyndy: You just send your money and you get a T-Shirt. So I could potentially join the ICES? Cyndy: Absolutely, you can. How do you get selected as one of the entourage? Cyndy: It was actually pretty competitive to make the cut because they are only allowed ten people and most of the people involved are members of our gourmet dinner group. Is there a big party after this? Maryellen: Yeah, win or lose. Cyndy: We got an RV. It's pretty well stocked. Maryellen: We should have a good time eating in the RV. Cyndy: Bruce won't eat anything. He says it's like eating two Thanksgiving dinners. And I've never seen him vomit in my life. Hopefully this won't be the day. Does he need a nap afterwards? Cyndy: Well it does knock him out. Maryellen: Well he's done competitive eating before. He's won contests.
Cyndy: In high school he did a no-hands speed eating pies. Just stick your face in. And about 10 years ago we took our kids out to this Norwegian festival in Iowa. And they had a lutefisk eating contest, and I heard about this and I knew he was gonna go do it. They put the lutefisk on a plate and I knew he was gonna win when everyone else picked up a fork. Because he just picked the bones out and swallowed it all. And my children were just... and I sat down and said, "Oh God he's going to win. I can't believe he's gonna' do this." What are these breastplates made of? Cyndy: These are sieves from the dollar store. I'm very proud of these. Maryellen: These are oven liners that you put under the oven to keep it clean. They are round. Is there a lot of pressure being the wife of the Norseman? Cyndy: (Amidst hysterical laughter) Normally, yes. But about this, not so much. Maryellen: Well there is a lot of pressure because you prepare something and it doesn't work so you walk around with a roll of tape in your pocket so you can fix it. Where's the plug so you can warm up the fog machine that's in the float. Always he's asking "Cyndy, where's the fog? Cyndy, where is the extension cord?" Cyndy: He always needs to know where everything is.
The Norseman won the trophy for Best Entrance/Entourage. So while he may not have taken home the Wing Bowl crown, he did take home an athletic supporter nailed into a small block of wood, and that's just as good.
