Diamond Jim Brady: Huge Consumption or Large Myths?

[Daniel Rogov]

Common knowledge has had it for many years that Diamond Jim Brady could eat any other eight men under the proverbial table. It has been said that 36 oysters, half a dozen lobsters, 12 crabs, a whole roast beef and a kilo or more of sweets as dessert were perfectly normal for him.

Truth or fiction? A fascinating article by David Kamp in today's New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/31/dining/31diam.html

A good way to start the new year with a smile.

Best
Rogov

[Jenise]

Delightful article. Never knew the story but as a child, my parents' favorite restaurant where we dined often was one of those naively fasioned 'Continental Cuisine' throwbacks to American fine dining, and they served three sizes of prime rib of which the largest was called the Diamond Jim Brady cut. I always wanted to order one just to see how big it would be.

[Shel T]

Lawry's, the prime rib resto in L.A. for the last 70+ years also has a Diamond Jim Brady cut and it's a biggie, no never ordered it, but Lawry's is also the host annually for the "Beef Bowl", the 2 teams appearing in the Rose Bowl on New Year's day, so presumably lots and lots of DJB cuts being consumed!
If the article said what he actually weighed, I missed it but got his stomach allegedly 6 times larger than normal. So two questions re that factoid, did he 'train' his tummy to expand and did he have to travel around with a commode permanently attached to his nether regions!

[Daniel Rogov]

I cannot, of course, vouch for the stomach or consumption abilities of Diamond Jim Brady but there have been other eaters, including some well known gourmands, with such capacities. Many of those stories have been well documented. The second volume of my Rogues, Writers and Whores will contain several stories about those good people.

Best
Rogov

[Jenise]

I cannot, of course, vouch for the stomach or consumption abilities of Diamond Jim Brady but there have been other eaters, including some well known gourmands, with such capacities. Many of those stories have been well documented. The second volume of my Rogues, Writers and Whores will contain several stories about those good people.

Best
Rogov

I have actually met such a person. He is the good friend of someone who was once a friend of mine and is well known among the Bipin Desai set who roams the country, and the world, for great meals. It was not uncommon for him to order three or four entrees and all five desserts on offer (except the ones which were primarily fresh fruit, of course), at least when he was among people he felt comfortable with. I have no knowledge of other occasions. That he was a gourmand--knowledgeable about food & wine and particular about high quality--was without debate, but that his appetite was gluttonous was also without debate. I'm not a good judge of these things but he surely weighed between four and five hundred pounds, and he was not a tall man.