Takeru ('Tsunami') Kobayashi, World Hot Dog Eating Champion, Goes on the Disabled List

Forget Paris Hilton on Larry King tonight (9 p.m. ET in case you're unable to do so) or the iPhone two days hence — this matters.

Just in, the news that the six-time champion (above, hoisting the Yellow Mustard Belt) of the annual Fourth of July hot dog eating contest at New York's Coney Island is hors de combat.

This past Monday on his blog the 160-pound Kobayashi wrote, "My jaw refused to fight anymore."

The defending champion currently is being treated for arthritis in his temporomandibular joint, which has left him in such diminished condition that his jaw opening is currently no wider than one fingertip.

He added, "I was continuing my training and bearing with the pain and finally I destroyed my jaw."

The toll taken by training at a world-class level for many years was just too much.

But don't take my word for it: read his blog for yourself.

Nice logo.

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This just in, posted three hours ago on Tsunami's blog:

Oh, sorry — I forgot your Japanese is rusty.

Here's the translation — gaijin:

"I would like to thank everyone who provided me with all kinds of useful information these past few days. Thanks to everyone's support, I am able to aggressively pursue treatment for my condition. The Nathan's International Hot Dog Eating Contest is a competition that I love. And I intend to do everything I can to treat this condition in what little time I have and to focus on the tournament. I look forward to facing my fellow competitors on July 4th!"