‘Absolute legend.’ Man who ate 40 chickens in 40 days gains celebrity status in Philly
At what point does eating chicken transcend from an enjoyable experience to “torture?” It only takes a few weeks, according to Alexander Tominsky.
In the end, though, the misery was worth it and Tominsky rose to legendary status within his Philadelphia community — all for eating 40 rotisserie chickens in 40 days, according to the New York Times.
But why? Tominsky has his reasons, no matter how small — but fame was not one.
Tominsky documented his journey on Twitter and started posting daily updates starting on his 11th day of eating chicken. At first, he planned to eat 30 chickens in 30 days but extended the challenge once he reached his initial target .
Even by day 11, Tominsky was becoming less enthusiastic about eating his daily meal.
“I no longer enjoy eating the chicken,” he wrote on Twitter. “I enjoy most the fact that I am doing the right thing. It’s what we all need in my honest opinion. This is for us.”
Tominsky told the New York Times he embarked on his chicken-eating challenge because he felt that the world is in pain and he wanted to do something to make people smile.
“Sounds weird…but I just felt like I was doing this for a very important reason,” he told the NYT.
Resounding support
The more chicken Tominsky ate, day after day, the more life seemed to drain from his eyes, photos show.
By the end of October, though, hundreds of people were following his journey and dozens would comment in support on his photos.
“You got this, I support you to the end,” one person said.
“This is stunning, keep it up,” another urged.
After a certain point, it physically started to hurt, Tominsky told the Times. The high sodium would cause stomach cramping and bloating, and the chicken was often the only meal of his day.
“Not all heroes eat a diverse diet,” someone joked.
The home stretch
On the day that Tominsky ate his final and 40th chicken, the sky was overcast. He wore a white tank top that seemed to hang off his frame and what appeared to be more than 100 people gathered to watch his final meal of the challenge.
“Come watch me eat an entire rotisserie chicken,” Tominsky advertised on flyer in the community. “November 6 will be the 40th consecutive day that I have eaten an entire rotisserie chicken. This is not a party.”
The flyer added that he would eat the final chicken on “that abandoned pier near Walmart,” and, despite such vague directions, locals clearly knew where to find him.
On the drafty pier, Tominsky sat a small table draped in a white cloth and two water bottles. A red carpet was pinned down by bricks leading to the table. The ground wasn’t clean and soon, neither were his hands.
After stomaching the chicken — wings, breasts, thighs and legs — the crowd erupted into cheers and celebrated with Tominsky.
Now, his Twitter bio is a tribute the 40-day trial that led him to Philly fame — and the fact it’s finally in the past.
“I ate chicken.”
This story was originally published November 7, 2022 at 4:05 PM with the headline "‘Absolute legend.’ Man who ate 40 chickens in 40 days gains celebrity status in Philly."
