Are the chicken days for Philly’s ‘Chicken Man’ over?
Alexander Tominsky is competing in his first eating competition. And he’s ready for all the beef.
Alexander “The Chicken Man” Tominsky is Philly’s top poultry gorger.
He scoffed down 40 rotisserie chickens over a 40-day period back in 2022, becoming a viral sensation. Viewers flocked to see him take down his 40th bird at “that abandoned pier near Walmart” behind the Columbus Boulevard Giant store.
It does appear, though, that in spite of all that fame and a public spat with New York City internet personality Anthony Po, Tominsky’s chicken-eating days are behind him. The local folk hero is taking on a new challenge and trading in the spit-roasted chicken for Hatfield beef hot dogs in his first eating competition.
» READ MORE: Considering the Chicken Man
On June 28, Tominsky will make his competitive eating debut at the Second Annual Hot Dog Eating Invitational at the Uki Club, competing against eight other eaters. The first invite-only contest was held last year.
When organizer Kody Snyder reached out to Tominsky back in 2022 when he was still planning the contest, Snyder swore he would never do a public eating competition. “He was hard to pin down,” Snyder said.
After one of the contest’s top eaters was forced to exit this year’s competition, Synder scrambled to find a worthy replacement. Like a headless chicken, if we may add.
He made a last-ditch effort and called Tominsky who, surprisingly, accepted the invitation, despite loathing the taste of ballpark franks. “He came back and said hot dogs are one of his least favorite foods, but he’s willing to do the competition,” Snyder said.
Billed as “The Rotisserie Chicken Guy,” Tominsky will be shoulder to shoulder with amateur eaters like Kellar “America’s Sweetheart” Moore, Spanky the Pig, Soren “Barbers Taking Action” Roi, and others.
Danny D’Vertola of the 4333 Collective, the team of concert organizers promoting the event, said Tominsky’s entry will make it a “tough” battle. “He’s kind of a wild card,” he said. “I know that he can eat a lot of chicken, but I don’t know if he can do a lot of hot dogs.”
» READ MORE: Philly’s ‘Chicken Man’ to NYC rip-off: Fight me
4333 Collective founder Jayce Williams said Tominsky could make it interesting based on pure will alone.
“Every contestant is pretty eccentric,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you can eat a whole chicken. It’s about how crazy are you. How many hot dogs can you scoff down?”
While Snyder is a fan of competitive eating champion Joey Chestnut, he’s taken notes from the world of independent and professional wrestling.
The punk musician, who has grown bored of traditional concerts, wants to bring back the glory days of Philly’s Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion and combine the chaotic elements of the sport with the city’s pop and hardcore scene.
» READ MORE: ‘The Chicken Man’ Alex Tominsky’s guide to his favorite chicken in Philly
“I love characters. I love theatrics. I love the drama. I love a crowd with signs and craziness. And this year, we’re definitely leaning into that even more,” Snyder said.
The hot dogs, Snyder said, will be varied, including one with SpaghettiOs drizzled on top. With a line up of punk musicians on the side.
Acts such as Philly’s RASKOL, WHO SAYS, Q, and Ballistix will hit the stage. Pierce Jordan from Soul Glo will DJ throughout the night.
At the time of publishing, Tominsky did not respond to requests for comments.
The Second Annual Hot Dog Eating Invitational is 7 p.m., June 28, at the Uki Club, 847 N. Franklin St., Philadelphia. Tickets are $26.18 and available at dice.fm.