Nathan’s loss is Zeds Dead‘s gain after their record label, Deadbeats, invited competitive eating legend Joey Chestnut to relish a new challenge.
Chestnut won’t compete in this year’s Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest after its organizers, Major League Eating, banned him for working with a rival brand, Impossible Foods. Chestnut, who is prevalently considered the greatest professional eater in history, has won the famed Fourth of July competition every year since 2016.
Chestnut holds an astounding 56 records, including scarfing down 76 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs and Buns in just 10 minutes on July 4th, 2021. That record, however, won’t soon be broken by “Jaws.”
“I love competing in that event, I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title,” Chestnut said in a statement. “To set the record straight, I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathan’s and they are looking to change the rules from past years as it relates to other partners I can work with. This is apparently the basis on which I’m being banned, and it doesn’t impact the July 4th contest. Sadly, this is the decision Nathan’s and Major League Eating are making and it will deprive the great fans of the holiday’s usual joy and entertainment.”
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Deadbeats has now extended an invitation to join the label’s hot dog-eating contest at the 2024 edition of their “Backyard Jamboree” festival experience, which is scheduled for July 4th in Denver. The beloved dubstep label annually organizes the competition as part of the event’s festivities at Civic Center Park.
“You are cordially invited to gobble any and as many glizzies you want at the Deadbeats Backyard Jamboree on July 4th in Denver where we host the biggest hot dog eating competition west of the Mississippi,” the label wrote on X.
The chances of Chestnut joining Deadbeats’ contest are unfortunately dubious considering his high demand and lofty appearance fee. He was paid $200,000 to appear in the 2023 Nathan’s contest and was offered a four-year, $1.2 million contract going forward, the New York Post reported.
Your odds are much better. The team at EDM.com recently joined forces with Deadbeats and Zeds Dead to launch a special giveaway for a spot in their hot dog-eating competition, which you can enter here.