Eric Booker

{{Short description|American competitive eater and rapper|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

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| image = Eric Booker 2010 (cropped).jpg

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| caption = Booker at the 2010 Nathan's Hot Dog Contest

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| nickname = BadlandsChugs, Badlands Booker

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| birth_place = Queens, New York, U.S.

| education =

| occupation = Competitive eater

| years_active = 1997–present

| height = 6 feet 5 inches

| weight = 400

pounds{{Cite web|url=https://majorleagueeating.com/eaters/14/|title=Eric "Badlands" Booker|website=majorleagueeating.com|publisher=Major League Eating|access-date=2 October 2021|archive-date=April 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421192625/https://majorleagueeating.com/eaters/14/|url-status=live}}

| spouse = Regina Booker

| module = {{Infobox YouTube personality

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| channel_handle = BadlandsChugs

| years_active = 2012–present

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| subscribers = 3.6 million

| views = 413 million

| network = Fox/FS1

| associated_acts =

| silver_button = yes

| silver_year = 2018

| gold_button = yes

| gold_year = 2019

| stats_update = March 12, 2024

}}

Eric James "Badlands" Booker, also known by his online pseudonym BadlandsChugs, is an American competitive eater, rapper, and YouTuber. He holds seven Major League Eating recognized world records,{{cite web |title=Eric "Badlands" Booker |url=https://majorleagueeating.com/eaters/14 |website=majorleagueeating.com |publisher=International Federation of Competitive Eating, Inc. |access-date=8 July 2022 |archive-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020235512/https://majorleagueeating.com/eaters/14/ |url-status=live }} three Guinness World Records,{{Cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2022/6/youtuber-chugs-litre-of-mountain-dew-in-6-8-sec-to-break-record-708210|title=YouTuber chugs litre of Mountain Dew in 6.8 sec to break record|access-date=October 12, 2022|archive-date=October 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012003846/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2022/6/youtuber-chugs-litre-of-mountain-dew-in-6-8-sec-to-break-record-708210|url-status=live}} is a four-time Nathan's Lemonade Chugging Contest champion, and competed in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest every year from 1997 to 2018.{{cite web |last1=Stein |first1=Sam |last2=Cherkis |first2=Jason |title=One Very Large Man's 18-Year Quest For Hot Dog Eating Glory |url=https://huffpost.netblogpro.com/entry/nathans-hotdog-contest_n_7713460 |website=huffpost.netblogpro.com |date=July 2, 2015 |publisher=BuzzFeed, Inc. |access-date=8 July 2022 |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708173255/https://huffpost.netblogpro.com/entry/nathans-hotdog-contest_n_7713460 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Results from The 2018 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest |url=https://majorleagueeating.com/articles/1002/ |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=majorleagueeating.com |language=en |archive-date=October 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026085303/https://majorleagueeating.com/articles/1002/ |url-status=live }}

Biography

By 20, Booker began training his chug skills and training to compete in food championships. Booker lives on Long Island. Booker is 6 ft {{frac|5|1|4}} in (1.96 m) tall and weighs {{convert|400|lb|abbr=on}}.

Competitive eating career

Booker trains for competitions by trying to stretch his stomach and develop jaw strength. He eats large amounts of fruit and vegetables and drinks gallons of water in a sitting position in order to stretch his stomach and chews over twenty pieces of gum at a time to build jaw strength.{{cite web |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2002527620_eating29m.html |title=The Seattle Times: Food & wine: Eating champs to chow down at Everett wingding |accessdate=February 27, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110410224756/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2002527620_eating29m.html |archivedate=April 10, 2011 }} Eating champs to chow down at Everett wingding by Brian Alexander He maintains that competitive eating is a healthy sport and has lost weight since he began competing.[http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/08/04/features/story2.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100809015100/http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/08/04/features/story2.html|date=August 9, 2010}} The Totally Earnest Eater by Pat Gee As of 2022, he is ranked 27th by the IFOCE.{{Cite web|url=https://majorleagueeating.com/eaters/|title=Rankings|website=majorleagueeating.com|access-date=July 21, 2019|archive-date=July 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710142416/https://majorleagueeating.com/eaters/|url-status=live}} Booker is also known for his YouTube channel, BadlandsChugs, in which he primarily performs soda chugging challenges, including Mountain Dew, Sprite, Gatorade, and milk.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIvMEZips_QKqajfXGY_C5Q|title=BadlandsChugs - YouTube|website=www.youtube.com|access-date=October 20, 2019|archive-date=October 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030063006/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIvMEZips_QKqajfXGY_C5Q|url-status=live}} In 2019, over the span of a year, his YouTube channel amassed over 3 million subscribers.

At the 2021 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, Booker won a lemonade drinking contest, drinking a gallon of lemonade in under 40 seconds.{{cite web |title=Eric 'Badlands' Booker wins inaugural Nathan's chug contest |url=https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/31761752 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=24 December 2021 |archive-date=December 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224071247/https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/31761752 |url-status=live }} He captured his second lemonade chugging contest title in 2022,{{cite news |title=Eric "Badlands" Booker won the Nathan's lemonade chug and celebrated with a massive burp |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2022/07/eric-badlands-booker-nathans-lemonade-chug-record-burp |last=Darney |first=Caroline |work=USA Today |access-date=5 July 2022 |archive-date=March 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313203341/https://ftw.usatoday.com/2022/07/eric-badlands-booker-nathans-lemonade-chug-record-burp |url-status=live }} and repeated in 2023, setting a record of 23.08 seconds.{{Cite web |last=Chayes |first=Matthew |date=July 4, 2023 |title=Nathan's hot dog eating contest: Joey Chestnut wins again; Long Island's Eric 'Badlands' Booker sets lemonade-chugging record |url=https://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/nathans-hot-dog-contest-lemonade-xnbz1d57 |access-date=15 July 2023 |website=Newsday |language=en |agency=Associated Press |archive-date=July 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715135956/https://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/nathans-hot-dog-contest-lemonade-xnbz1d57 |url-status=live }} In 2024, he continued his lemonade-chugging winning streak, breaking his 2023 record with a time of 21 seconds.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-04 |title=Eric 'Badlands' Booker set a new record in the Nathan's lemonade chug and roared into the microphone |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2024/07/eric-badlands-booker-lemonade-chug-record-nathans-hot-dog-contest-2024 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=For The Win |language=en-US}}

=Accomplishments=

Some of Booker's accomplishments include:

Burritos: 15 BurritoVille burritos/ 8 minutesInternational Federation of Competitive Eating, Eater Profiles: Eric Booker. Copyright 2004. {{cite web |url=http://www.ifoce.com/eaters.php?action=detail&sn=14 |title=International Federation of Competitive Eating - IFOCE |accessdate=December 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226021729/http://www.ifoce.com/eaters.php?action=detail&sn=14 |archivedate=December 26, 2008 }}
Candy bars: Two Pounds Chocolate Candy Bars / 6 minutes
Cannoli: 16.5 cannoli in six minutes / 2004Amy's Robot (blog) Robot-on-the-Spot: The World Cheesecake Eating Championship. [http://amysrobot.com/archives/2004/09/robotonthespot_the_world_chees.php] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071118151655/http://amysrobot.com/archives/2004/09/robotonthespot_the_world_chees.php|date=November 18, 2007}}
Corned Beef Hash: 4 pounds of hash / 1 minute 58 seconds
Cheesecake (Mini): 50 Mini-Cheesecakes / 6 minutes
Doughnuts: 49 glazed doughnuts / 8 minutes
Hamentaschen: 50 Hamentaschen / 6 minutes
Matzo Ball (Ben's Deli): 21 baseball-sized (half-pound) matzo balls / 5 minutes, 25 seconds / 2003The Jewish Advocate; April 2005: by Nogg, Ozzie. Matzah ball-eating contest proves mother was right; Eric Booker cleans his plate, eats 21 matzah balls in five minutes. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5090/is_/ai_n18506795]
Matzo Balls (Ruthie & Gussie's): 30 matzo balls / 5 minutes, 25 seconds{{cite web |title=Ruthie & Gussie/Empire Kosher Matzo Ball Contest |url=https://majorleagueeating.com/contests/18 |website=majorleagueeating.com |access-date=12 February 2024 |language=en}}
Raw Onions: 8.5 ounces Maui Onions (three onions)/ Whalers Village / 1 minute/ August 8, 2004
Peas: 9.5 one-pound bowls / 12 minutes
Pumpkin pies: {{frac|4|3|8}} Entenmann's Pumpkin Pies / 12 Minutes/ November 22, 2004
Lemonade: Nathan's Famous chug contest / 1 gallon lemonade / 21 seconds / July 4, 2024{{Cite web |last=Darney |first=Caroline |date=2024-07-04 |title=Eric 'Badlands' Booker set a new record in the Nathan's lemonade chug and roared into the microphone |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2024/07/eric-badlands-booker-lemonade-chug-record-nathans-hot-dog-contest-2024 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=For The Win|publisher=USA Today |language=en-US}}
In May 2021, he set the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to drink two litres of soda (18.45 seconds).{{Cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/655871-fastest-time-to-drink-two-litres-of-soda|title=Fastest time to drink two litres of soda|access-date=September 9, 2021|archive-date=September 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909202023/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/655871-fastest-time-to-drink-two-litres-of-soda|url-status=live}}
In June 2022, he set two more Guinness World Records, drinking 1 liter of soda in 6.8 seconds and 1 liter of tomato sauce in 1 minute and 18 seconds.

Music career

Since 2004, Booker has performed and recorded competitive eating themed hip-hop as Badlands Booker, and he frequently performs selections from his albums at competitions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/selden-man-goes-to-the-dogs-and-buns-1.2067973|title=Selden's 'Badlands' aims for Nathan's title|website=Newsday|access-date=October 20, 2019|archive-date=October 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020235457/https://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/selden-man-goes-to-the-dogs-and-buns-1.2067973|url-status=live}} Besides his own nine albums, Booker has also made guest appearances on albums by Jendor and Loser's Lounge.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=November 6, 2020|title=Badlands Booker|url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/4crc58hMWEnZ9aBuxTGSeB|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004153250/https://open.spotify.com/artist/4crc58hMWEnZ9aBuxTGSeB|archive-date=October 4, 2020|access-date=November 6, 2020|website=Spotify}} Much of the music used on his YouTube channel is created by himself and his son Brandon Booker (OKHIPHOP).

class="wikitable"

|+Discography

!Title

!Year

Hungry & Focused

|2004

Hungry & Focused II: The Ingestion Engine

|2005

Hungry & Focused III: The Reframing

|2006

Hungry & Focused IV: Fork, Knife & Mic

|2007