Page 14 - IAV Digital Magazine #597

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Netflix To Air ‘Ultimate’ Hotdog Eating Contest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZf_zavuoM
By Kenton Alexander
New York (AFP) – US competitive eating legend Joey Chestnut will face off against a fierce rival in a hot dog eating contest, in the latest event to be aired live on Netflix, the streamer said Wednesday
The announce-
ment comes a day after the eso- teric world of speed eating contests was rocked by news that Chestnut had been banned from a popular New York event sponsored by fast-food compa- ny Nathan’s.
Improbably, hot dog hero Chestnut was banished from
that competition after endorsing a plant-based meat company, but immediately promised his fans via social media that “you’ll see me eat again soon!!”
It now emerges he will go head to head on Netflix with Japan’s Takeru Kobayashi, a for- mer world record
holder who won the same New York event six times in a row before he was beaten by Chestnut in 2007.
“A rivalry simmer- ing for 15 years. CHESTNUT VS. KOBAYASHI: UNFINISHED BEEF — the ulti- mate hot dog eat- ing competition — will air LIVE on Netflix,
Monday, September 2,” wrote the stream- er.
Chestnut, 40, is the top-ranked competitive eater in the world, according to Major League Eating. He has won the Nathan’s contest on July 4 — which draws thousands of fans each year — a total of 16 times, including in 2021, when he set a world record by eating 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 min- utes.
“Through all of my years in com- petitive eating, Kobayashi stands out as my fiercest rival,” said Chestnut, quoted in a Netflix press release.
Kobayashi, 46, will come out of semi-retirement
for the show- down.
“Retiring for me will only happen after I take him down one last time,” said Kobayashi, in the same statement.
Netflix has been cautiously mov- ing into the live events space in recent years, including a Chris Rock comedy special and a celebrity golf tournament.
The streaming giant will broad- cast two National Football League games next sea- son for the first time, as well as a boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul in November.
It will also start streaming profes- sional wrestling from next year.
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