The Hotdogman's National Hot Dog Month 2012 Tour

June 18, 2012 - PRLog -- June 18, 2012, Natick, MA-

Rob Merlino, a former hot dog vendor turned “ambassador to Hot Dog Nation,” will once again celebrate National Hot Dog Month this July by eating a hot dog a day at 31 different venues. Mr. Merlino publishes the website Hot Dog Stories as well as several other hot dog related websites. His mission is to explore and publicize the multitude of hot dog carts, trailers, and trucks, plus other dining venues that feature the ubiquitous summer food: the hot dog. He will create a video of each visit and plans to write a book and create a 60-90 minute documentary film about the entire experience.

Mr. Merlino ran a hot dog truck for six years. He had two locations during that time, one in Southborough, MA for 4 years and another in Marlborough, MA for two years. Health issues forced the sale of his business in 2010, but he still had a lot of love for hot dogs. So he set out to explore hot dog joints. He visited over 35 different hot dog joints in 2010, 60 in 2011, and has, at the date of this release, visited 15 places in 2012 (with plans to top 2011’s number).

His National Hot Dog Month Tour in 2011 received national media attention. This year’s tour features better video camera equipment, a camera man, corporate sponsors, and a pledge to focus on 80% NEW venues. Official sponsors of this year’s tour include Pearl Franks, Kodak, and Onion Crunch. Merlino states he is looking for more sponsors and he has even set up a crowd funding site at http://www.indiegogo.com/National-Hot-Dog-Month-Tour-2012... to help raise funds for transportation and lodging expenses. “I spent a little over $5,000 on last year’s tour,” says Merlino, “and with the costs involved with producing a documentary added this year, we felt we needed some help.” Contributors to the tour receive recognition and other “perks.”

The idea for the Hot Dog Stories site came to him after appearing on the PBS television show Roadside Stories. “I figured I would take the concept of that show- stopping at the side of the road to hear people’s stories- and apply it to hot dog stands,” says Mr. Merlino. His stories are published once or twice a week from mid April through mid December. He makes videos of his hot dog excursions and publishes them his Youtube channel.

For this year’s tour, Mr. Merlino will look at the role of the hot dog vendor and/or proprietor of the “iconic” hot dog joint as a representation of American Entrepreneurship and Culture. “There’s something about that little cart at the side of the road or that place that’s been around for years that everyone grew up going to that speaks to us,” says Merlino. “The hot dog joint represents what is best about America: hope, independence, and perseverance.”

The original idea to celebrate National Hot Dog Month in a public way was actually a suggestion given to him by one of his story subjects. The particular vendor who gave him the idea wanted him to eat at his trailer for all 31 days in July, 2011! Mr. Merlino will document his epicurean feat on his websites, http://www.HotDogStories.com and http://www.TheHotDogTruck.com. “I figure there are always stories in the news about hot dogs in July due to it being National Hot Dog Month, so I decided it would be a good idea if ‘the Hotdogman’ celebrated with a hot dog a day.” Mr. Merlino confesses to eating at least one hot dog a day every day he operated his hot dog truck. “The average American eats 70 hot dogs a year- I guess I’m above average!”