A lot of hot dogs were consumed over Memorial Day weekend, but that's just the beginning. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans will eat more than seven billion frankfurters between now and Labor Day (818 per second). That's shocking -- I mean the notion of a National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. Seven billion is surprising too, although less so if you consider that some 155 million will be downed during the Fourth of July weekend alone (the doggiest holiday of the year). We average about 60 hot dogs each per year. That's pretty piggy.
So rather than look with scorn upon the following famous folk for stuffing their face with franks, we should think of these photos as a mirror of sorts.
5. Betty White
A nine-year-old eating a frankfurter is cute. A 90-year-old eating a frankfurter is usually anything but -- unless it's everybody's favorite elderly person. I mean it's still not a pretty picture, but it could be much worse.
Fun frank fact: The esteemed National Hot Dog & Sausage Council defines the interior of hot dogs as "specially selected meat trimmings."
4. Beyoncé and Jay-Z
Not everyone gets their plate of franks held for them by Jay-Z, but not everyone is Beyoncé. She isn't eating the dog in what may be deemed a conventional manner, but who cares?
Fun frank fact: Los Angeles residents ate more hot dogs than any other city; San Antonio/Corpus Christi, Texas came in second. Miami did not make the top ten.
3. The Leaders of the Free World
Wait -- I thought we already did Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Oh, right, this is about the other leaders, Barack Obama and David Cameron. The latter appears to favor a more aggressive, two-handed approach towards eating his hot dog, while No-Drama Obama goes with one.
Fun frank fact: It is estimated that 20.5 million hot dogs will be served at Major League Baseball parks in 2012.
2. Jack Nicholson
Boy those Hollywood stars sure are glamorous!
Fun frank fact: If you're in Portugal and want a hot dog, it's called cachorro quente; in Swedish it's korv, or varmkorv; if in Norway or Denmark, try asking for a grillpolser in Czech its park v rohliku.
1. Fidel Castro
Granted, this is a very old photo; nowadays he probably eats his franks in pureed form. But this has nothing to do with age or politics; Fidel is simply more famous than anyone else on this list, so he's our number one celebrity hot-dogger. Plus he always has been something of a wiener.
Fun frank fact: The Council wisely recommends this sensible rule of thumb: "Use mustard on your hot dog after the age of 18."
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
