In a surprising turn of events, Joey Chestnut, the 16-time victor of the renowned Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hotdog-eating contest, may not be competing at this year’s event due to a recently signed deal with a competitor brand. However, hot dog enthusiasts have no cause for dismay. Netflix, the premier streaming service, wasted no time in setting the stage for a new hot dog-eating competition featuring Chestnut himself and Takeru Kobayashi, Chestnut’s well-known adversary from the Nathan’s competitions.
The forthcoming live Netflix special is slated for September 2 and boasts the provocative title, “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef.” The competition shall showcase the two champions consuming all-beef hot dogs – a probable nod towards speculation that Chestnut’s brand deal is with Impossible Foods, renowned for their plant-based hot dogs.
Major League Eating, the organization responsible for the Nathan’s contest, revealed that Chestnut’s departure was due to an “exclusivity” issue. According to George Shea, an event organizer for Major League Eating, Chestnut decided to gracefully bow out of the competition he had dominated since 2005. Shea expressed the organization’s fondness for Chestnut, noting, “He made the choice.”
However, Chestnut took to social media to rebuff this claim, stating that the decision was rather forced upon him by Nathan’s and Major League Eating itself. He professed that this choice would bereave fans of their beloved annual tradition.
Even in the absence of any formal acknowledgment from Impossible Foods about their relationship with Chestnut, the hot dog-eating champion claimed that the plant-based foods giant had been supportive of his decision to compete in other contests.
In reaction to Netflix’s prompt response to create a new arena for the hot dog-eating competition, Shea commented that the streaming giant was attempting to reconstitute the original spirit of the Nathan’s contest – a feat impossible according to him.
NYC Mayor, Eric Adams, chimed in on the controversy, playfully chiding Nathan’s and Major League Eating for being “weenies” about Chestnut’s participation. He urged them to “squash the beef” and re-invite the reigning champion for another spectacular 4th of July showdown in Coney Island.
In a press release by Netflix, a confident and enthusiastic Chestnut stated he was excited to introduce competitive hot dog-eating to the platform. He acknowledged Kobayashi as his most formidable adversary and expressed his anticipation towards reviving their long-standing rivalry for a global audience to see.
Despite rumors of his retirement, Kobayashi echoed Chestnut’s sentiments in the Netflix release and professed his resolve to face his rival one last time before concluding his career.
Netflix’s forthcoming live hot dog-eating event is a significant milestone in its recent propulsion into live TV, underlining the company’s commitment to diversifying its content with more sporting events, including the telecast of Christmas Day NFL games starting this year and WWE’s “Raw” in 2025.
