James Moore (@QuarkSpin on Twitter) sent us the official rules for the SpaceUp MoonPie Eating Contest. According to James: “In order for this to be an officially sanctioned Space Tweep MoonPie eating contest, the Fabio Rules must be adhered to.”
The rules were amended in January 2012 and certified by Mike Fabio himself. They are as follows:
Fabio Rules for MoonPie Eating Contest (MEC)
- The contest will consist of the consumption (as quickly as possible) by each contestant of one double-decker MoonPie (NO SUBSTITUTIONS) and one RC Cola (or a carbonated cola product of the contestants choosing). The flavor of the double-decker MoonPie chosen by the contestant is only limited by the offerings available at the time.
- The contest will start with an unopened double-decker MoonPie and an unopened cola placed on a table in front of each contestant. The on-site MEC coordinator will determine if the contest will be held standing or sitting. The MoonPie and cola must remain unopened until the start of the contest.
- The MEC coordinator(s) will employ one or more judges and a timekeeper to assure that the contest is conducted in a fair manner.
- Once the signal is given for the contest to begin, the contestant(s) will open the double-decker MoonPie wrapper and the cola and begin consumption. The contest will continue until either all contestants have completed their consumption activities or they concede. (Concession and subsequent shame will be indicated by the contestant backing away from the table and waving their arms overhead in a crossing motion. This is known as “Pulling a Blair“.)
- The contestants can consume the double-decker MoonPie and cola in any order they choose, including both at the same time.
- The winner will be determined as follows: The first contestant to finish both consuming the entire double-decker MoonPie AND drinking the entire cola will be declared the winner. The contestant will indicate that the cola has been completely consumed by turning the cola can upside down and placing it on the table. The MEC judge(s) will determine if the MoonPie has been completely consumed.
- The timekeeper will report and note the time that the first contestant finishes to determine if it is a new MEC record.
- The winner of the MEC will be given the opportunity to make a public statement. The loser(s) will be expected to clean up the mess.
- In case of a tie, the on-site MEC coordinator has the option of implementing the sudden-death rule, which is the timed consumption of a second double-decker MoonPie with no drink involved.
- If the sudden death rule is invoked and produces no clear winner, then the winner will be determined by the MEC coordinator through the use of one of the following:
- a coin toss
- rolling a regulation d20 die (highest number wins)
- Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock (best two out of three, counting “one, two, three, GO!” each time)
- Any variances granted to these rules are at the discretion of the on-site MEC coordinator and must be made known to (and agreed to by) all participants. Variations, however will serve to invalidate any time records set and will not be officially recognized by the sanctioning body.
Have fun!