Why did the chicken cross the RSDH porch?

Strewn about campus one day were mysterious, nebulous posters in black and white that merely said “Watch me eat an entire rotisserie chicken” with a date and location written below. Whispers of students curiously discussing who could have put up these posters and about the legitimacy of the event filled the air over the next few days. Intrigue, mania, and a bit of morbid curiosity grabbed hold of the student body. On the day of the event, a crowd of nearly 400 students gathered at the listed location—some being excused from scheduled classes by their professors—to finally find out what those posters were actually talking about.

And there he was, on Friday, November 8th, in front of Russell Sage Dining Hall awaiting the entire rotisserie chicken. At precisely 2:30, two men in suits, presumably the bodyguards of the chicken eater, arrived with the delectable feast. The two bodyguards flanked either side of the purple-clothed dining table, and the headlining act donned a turkey leg hat to signify the beginning of his stunt. The student, Joseph Lin ’27, began methodically breaking down the chicken, putting piece after piece in his mouth with little pause. Short breaks were only taken to down a few sips of water; one of the bodyguards made sure he always had a bottle nearby. The crowd watched intently, unable to look away from such an admirable yet outlandish spectacle.

To everyone’s surprise, there was not one but two students consuming an entire rotisserie chicken in front of RSDH. The other student, a freshman named Ramsey Francis, was unaffiliated with those who put up the poster and got on the bus to Walmart only an hour before the event, unsure if she was going to make it back in time. Though she did not finish the whole chicken before the crowd dispersed, she made substantial progress while holding the chicken between her two bare hands.

As the crowd stood rapt on the sidelines, some students started handing out flyers that revealed the real motivations behind this event. It wasn’t just a student wanting to showcase their ability to eat an entire rotisserie chicken in under fifteen minutes. This stunt was actually hosted by Phi Gamma Delta in order to bring awareness and attention to a charity event. FIJI is raising money for the Regional Food Bank, which is an organization that helps families in northeast New York stay fed. They believed watching someone eat was a great way to inspire their peers to donate to ensure that others can eat as well. When asked why they chose to promote a fraternity event without ever mentioning the name “FIJI,” Lin replied, “This was more about the event than the actual organization behind it.” Their coyness in advertising worked out, and they raised $117 for the food bank just from the stunt. You can donate to the Regional Food Bank on their website here.

The entire event felt representative of the college spirit. A bunch of young adults getting together to watch their peers do something ridiculous and even foolish to those outside of the campus with such joy and pride for what they were witnessing. The audience was clearly hyped and felt a strong sense of camaraderie with one another. They started a wave and all chanted phrases such as “Finish it” and “USA” as Lin’s last bite of chicken came nearer and nearer. Lin’s final address to the crowd, simply put as “I love America,” drew the biggest cheer of the afternoon and perfectly concluded this iconic event. The posters led the student body to an event one could best describe as performance art.