National Hot Dog Month begins on July 1 and once again, the Hotdogman is eating a hot dog a day at a different venue each day to celebrate!
The official press releases went out today.
Here is the official National Hot Dog month Tour Press release:
Contact: Rob Merlino FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOTDOGMAN TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL HOT DOG
MONTH
Pledges to eat a hot dog a day in July, 2012
May 29, 2012, Natick, MA- Rob
Merlino, a former hot dog vendor turned “ambassador to Hot Dog Nation,” will
celebrate National Hot Dog Month again this July by eating a hot dog a day at
31 different venues. Mr. Merlino publishes the website Hot Dog Stories as well as several
other hot dog related websites. Last summer, he gained national attention for
his month long tour. Once again, his mission is to explore and publicize the
multitude of hot dog carts, trailers, and trucks, plus other dining venues that
feature the ubiquitous summer food: the hot dog. This year, in addition to
producing 31 videos of each visit, Merlino intends to produce a 60-90 minute documentary
style film centered on the event and write a book about it as well. He is
actively seeking sponsorships for this project as of this writing. “There are
many businesses that could benefit from being associated with such an
outrageous stunt,” says Merlino. More information about the book and film
project can be found at http://www.thehotdogtruck.com/2012/02/national-hot-dog-month-2012.html
and http://www.indiegogo.com/National-Hot-Dog-Month-Tour-2012?a=406771
Mr. Merlino ran a hot dog truck for
six years. He had two locations during that time, one in Southborough ,
MA Marlborough ,
MA
The idea for the Hot Dog Stories
site came to him after appearing on the PBS television show Roadside Stories. “I figured I would
take the concept of that show- stopping at the side of the road to hear
people’s stories- and apply it to hot dog stands,” says Mr. Merlino. His
stories are published once or twice a week from mid April through mid December.
He has started making videos of his hot dog excursions and publishes them on
Youtube.
The idea to celebrate National Hot
Dog Month in a public way was actually a suggestion given to him by one of his
story subjects. The particular vendor who gave him the idea wanted him to eat
at his trailer for all 31 days in July! Mr. Merlino will document his epicurean
feat on his website. “I figure there are always stories in the news about hot
dogs in July due to it being National Hot Dog Month, so I decided it would be a
good idea if ‘the Hotdogman’ celebrated with a hot dog a day.” A big part of
Mr. Merlino’s motivation to conduct this tour is to bring smaller businesses, which
might not get any media exposure at all, into the limelight, even if it is only
for one day. He also likes to chronicle established, “iconic” locations. “Hot
Dog Joints are an American phenomena that have not succumbed to the ‘big
boxification’ of the American landscape; the small hot dog cart at the side of
the road and the long standing iconic joint s speak to the independent and
entrepreneurial nature of American culture,” says Merlino. Mr. Merlino confesses
to eating at least one hot dog a day every day he operated his hot dog truck.
“The average American eats 70 hot dogs a year- I guess I’m above average!”
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