Enjoy a day of frank conversation, hearty debate, and an impressive lineup of panels and performance organized by dynamic artist duo Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw for their public art commission Hot Dog in the City. Food historians, competitive eaters, street vendors, sausage makers, authors, activists, and artists draw unexpected parallels between the history of the hot dog and capitalism, consumption, and politics of the American dream.

The critical issues unpacked from just beneath the skin of this unassuming sausage will include street vending and the American immigrant experience; food sovereignty; the patriarchy of meat-eating; gender bias in competitive eating; and more.

Intro Remarks by Jean Cooney, Times Square Arts Program Director

Act 1: History of the Hot Dog & Other Myths 
A candid, comedic, broad-strokes retelling of the contested histories of the hot dog
Speaker: Jamie Loftus, Author of Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs

Act 2: Street Vending & the American Dream 
The contemporary politics of street vending, the immigrant experience, and the pursuit of the American Dream
Panelists:
Krishnendu Ray, PhD, Professor of Food Studies, New York University
Mohamed Attia, Managing Director, Street Vendor Project

Interlude: The Great Condiment Debate 
A condiment-themed debate presented by the high schoolers of the American Debate League

Act 3: Food Futures & Empowered Eating 
Cultivating equity, access, and sovereignty on the frontlines of the food apartheid
Panelists:
Tracie McMillan, Author of The White Bonus and The American Way of Eating
Ora Wise, Organizational Development and Partnerships Director at FIG NYC

Act 4: The Wiener Takes All! 
Champion chewers and cultural critics dissect the uninhibited engorgement and skillful sport of competitive eating
Panelists:
Adrienne Rose Bitar, PhD, Cultural Critic on Food, Health and Competitive Eating, Author of Diet and the Disease of Civilization
Crazy Legs Conti, Major League Eating Competitive Eater
Miki Sudo, Major League Eating Competitive Eater
Marnie Shure, Food and Pop Culture Writer

Act 5: The Sexual Politics of Meat 
A vegan-feminist perspective on the consumptive violence, meat eating and contemporary culture
Speaker: Carol J. Adams, activist and author of The Sexual Politics of Meat

Act 6: How the Sausage Got Made 
Hot Dog in the City artists discuss their approach to producing their latest public art commission
Speakers:
Jen Catron, Artist, Hot Dog in the City
Paul Outlaw, Artist, Hot Dog in the City
Jean Cooney, Director, Times Square Arts
Jamie Loftus, Author of Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs

Act 3: Food Futures & Empowered Eating with Tracie McMillan & Ora Wise

Listen to artists share intimate details and stories as they work with Times Square Arts to feature their work in NYC’s most iconic public space.

This audio episode is a production by Times Square Alliance to promote and celebrate Times Square Arts programs.

Creators: Sasha Lamb, Hannah Lee, Billy Richling, Thomas Hutton
Writer: Billy Richling and Sasha Lamb
Host: Hannah Lee
Sound production & editing: Billy Richling, Hannah Lee, Thomas Hutton

In Conversation with Aman Mojadidi about 'Once Upon a Place'

Times Square Arts collaborates with contemporary artists to experiment and engage with one of the world's most iconic urban places.

Act 3: Food Futures & Empowered Eating with Tracie McMillan & Ora Wise

Times Square Arts

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