The Travel Channel’s Adam Richman is not unfamiliar with Memphis’ culinary extremes. For his popular show Man Vs. Food, he took on Kooky Canuck’s Kookamonga burger and sampled Gus’s world-famous spicy fried chicken.
For his latest series, Adam Richman’s Fandemonium, he explores another extreme, that of the “superfan,” those who go to great personal and financial expense “in order to celebrate their passion.”
Fandemonium brings Richman back to Memphis and into the smoky wilds of the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. The episode airs this Sunday, August 4th.
In preview of Sunday’s show, Richman took some time to answer questions from Hungry Memphis.
Hungry Memphis: Adam Richman’s Fandemonium focuses on die-hard fans. Do you have a specific set of criteria that separates the superfan from the enthusiast?
Adam Richman: No, there is no specific set of criteria. I think in trying to make a distinction between enthusiast and superfan we are probably just splitting hairs.
I will say this — The Level of enthusiasm is probably higher in what we call the superfan. I think enthusiast has a broad range of people who fall under that category. Superfans are the ones who spend unbelievable amounts of time, energy, and money year-round — in the good times and the bad — in support of the things they love. They are also the ones who continuously try to top themselves from year-to-year, and, in most cases, the guy in the next lot.