In 1996, Joe Cahn left his job operating a cooking school in New Orleans to become America’s top tailgater. The self-proclaimed “Commissioner of Tailgating” visits between 40 and 50 college and pro football stadiums a year, including Eagles games. In an interview with Chow, he talked about the most unusual tailgates he had even seen:
“Anywhere from bear or even leg of lion that I’ve had when Minnesota was playing the Detroit Lions. Of course, it wasn’t a hunted lion (which would be illegal), it was an old lion that had died on a wildlife preserve. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t awful. You run across basically everything, whether it’s different types of soups or different baked goods, or whole pigs or Cuban pigs down in Miami. I’ve seen fresh, whole king salmon on the grill in Seattle. In Miami I ran into an Orthodox rabbi who does kosher tailgating.”
Cohn likes tailgate parties because “in the parking lot, we talk to everybody… The only stranger in the parking lot is that person we haven’t said hello to yet.” Good philosophy.
Preparty Hardy: Making friends with the “Commissioner of Tailgating” [Chow]
Tailgating America [Official Site]
