What could be more patriotic on this Fourth of July weekend than eating yourself stupid?
ESPN broadens its interpretation of the wide, wide world of sports by covering the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest live from Coney Island at 10 a.m. Monday.
Last year, Takeru Kobayashi set a world record by consuming 53 1/2 hot dogs, with buns, in 12 minutes. He defends his title.
Sadly, Paul Page, once the voice of the Indianapolis 500, does the play-by-play.
Other weekend highlights:
Friday
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, is an underrated film about a couple having their painful relationship erased from their minds (6 p.m., HBO).
Columnists Diane Carman and David Harsanyi of The Denver Post and Chuck Green of the Pueblo Chieftain join host Greg Dobbs on “Colorado State of Mind” to discuss the “Downing Street Memo” and missing children (7:30 p.m., KRMA-Channel 6).
Saturday
Based on a series of children’s books by Jon Scieszka, “Time Warp Trio” makes its debut with a story about a magic book with too much power (1:30 p.m., KUSA-Channel 9).
Paul McCartney, U2 and Coldplay among the participants in “Live 8,” a series of worldwide concerts for African debt relief. AOL will stream six of the eight concerts live online (6 p.m., KMGH-Channel 7).
Sunday
“Saving Private Ryan,” starring Tom Hanks, is a stirring World War II tale of heroism and death after the D-Day landing at Normandy (6 p.m., TNT).
Linda Ellerbee visits with children in the West Bank and Gaza Strip who are affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (6:30 p.m., Nickelodeon).
Monday
Patriotism bustin’ out all over for the holiday at “A Capitol Fourth,” featuring Gloria and Emilio Estefan, the Beach Boys, the O’Jays and others from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol (8 p.m., Channel 6).
The 32nd-annual Fourth of July concert on Boston’s Charles River concludes with the traditional fireworks display. Keith Lockhart conducts the Boston Pops (9 p.m., KCNC-Channel 4).
Around the dial
Home & Garden TV coming to Colorado in mid-July for the first time to tape an episode of “Landscapers’ Challenge” … Producer Lisa Olken, whose “La Historia,” the first half of her two-part “La Raza de Colorado” documentary won rave reviews, looking for photographs and film footage of Chicano activists in the 1960s and ’70s for the second part, “El Movimiento.” Reach her at lisa_olken@krma.pbs.org. … Etown taping bluegrass legend Doc Watson and Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards at 8 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder. Ticket info at 303-440-7666. … Quotable: “Gluttony is not a secret vice.” – Orson Welles
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
