After winning Philadelphia's SportsRadio 94WIP's Wing Bowl in January 1999, competitive eater Bill "El Wingador" Simmons became an overnight celebrity and helped inspire food-obsessed gluttons across the nation.

However, despite winning four more Wing Bowl championships, and participating in numerous television commercials and public appearances across the country, there was much more going on behind the scenes in the life of this six-foot-five, larger-than-life character than what appeared on his plate.

Personal setbacks soon forced Simmons down a devastating and destructive...