This is some hot (dog) drama.
Who would have thought some vegan franks would cause this much uproar on social media?
But I must admit, it's pretty un-American for 16-time hot dog-eating champion Joey Chestnut to be banned from the July 4th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Competition. While I understand we live in an age of brand deals, and it's very ironic for someone who has an agreement with a vegan hot dog company to be shoving glizzies down their throat, not having Chestnut as a contestant does not feel right.
News broke today that the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest has banned Joey Chesnut after he and the MLE (Major League Eating) could not agree on terms. A spokesperson for the MLE commented that the brand was heartbroken to hear the news of the partnership with the rival company, Impossible Foods, and tried to accommodate Chestnut and his team but could not come to a compromise with the "American Hero."
"For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different brand over our long-time relationship.Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him at the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. We hope he returns when he is not representing a rival brand.”
The news is heavily impacting fans' hearts, to say the least. Social media quickly erupted with a wide array of emotions surrounding the hot take to ban Chestnut. From confusion about why he would pen the brand deal with a vegan food company after being the face of a meat-eating competition for nearly two decades to hatred towards Nathan's for making this choice, the sounding board of Twitter (now X) is on fire right now.
The overwhelming consensus is that Joey Chestnut is letting us all down by taking the deal with Impossible Foods and leaving the 4th of July competition high and dry.
Check out some of the reactions.
https://twitter.com/StreamtheVote/status/1800615435487821908
https://twitter.com/bejeweledosco/status/1800615491905700227
https://twitter.com/laurmerola/status/1800615603214135300
https://twitter.com/_AaronRyan/status/1800609316908499376
https://twitter.com/MikeAsti11/status/1800615670155182279
https://twitter.com/CombatCr/status/1800616791372099920
https://twitter.com/StreamtheVote/status/1800614754299584783
https://twitter.com/Troydan/status/1800614593544515753
https://twitter.com/jeffkramer327/status/1800616598258004359
https://twitter.com/coldandabsurd/status/1800615458472939898
https://twitter.com/HeyImAJ/status/1800615245863436383
https://twitter.com/DreamcastDini/status/1800614848084283783
https://twitter.com/caramariecooper/status/1800614806795563318
