BREAKING: Joey Chestnut Has Been BANNED From The 4th Of July Hot Dog Eating Contest

Kena Betancur. Getty Images.

NY Post - Joey Chestnut, perennial winner of the annual July 4th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Competition, is out of this year’s beef barf over a deal he made to represent a different wiener brand, The Post has learned.

And not just any brand, but Impossible Foods, which recently launched a vegan frankfurter impostor made from plants.

A source said Chestnut was paid $200,000 to appear in the Nathan’s contest last year, and was offered a $1.2 million, four-year contract going forward.  

MLE said in a statement: “We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.

“MLE and Nathan’s went to great lengths to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival, unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day.

WOW. 

That's all I can really think right now.

WOW.

I am floored by this news. The 4th of July is about America and everything that makes it great- beer, food, fireworks, the beach, and watching Joey Chestnut devour a sickening amount of hot dogs. And just like that, we won't get to see the King of Eating do what he was put on Earth to do, all because of money. God dang money!

You see, Joey signed a deal with Impossible Foods, the brand that makes vegan burgers and dogs. That's right, VEGAN! Guess all money is green.

So Nathan's had to draw their line somewhere, and can you blame them? How can the face of competitive eating show up to your event promoting a rival? And not just any rival, a VEGAN rival?! Have we no shame!!!???

It seems like an unstoppable force vs an immovable object. Does the hot dog contest need Joey, or does Joey need the hot dog contest? You may not like my answer but….the hot dog contest will go on. The NBA survived without Jordan. The NHL survived without Gretzky. And the hot dog contest, while it's wildly unfortunate and will never quite be the same, will go on without Chestnut.

I don't blame him. He has to get his money. But the American hero was seemingly walking all over Major League Eating. And while he is bigger than the the league, if they let him get away with promoting vegan hot dogs, what's next? 

Obviously this was not an easy decision for MLE and the hot dog eating contest. They know how important Joey and the contest is to the fabric of society. But if you stand for nothing, you fall for anything. It's truly a sad day in the USA. Hopefully both sides can come together and work something out before it's too late.