Let’s be real, when you tune into the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, you expect chaos. You expect ketchup jokes, wild stats, and a man inhaling 70-plus hot dogs like it’s nothing. What you don’t expect is an announcer asking Elon Musk to launch someone to the moon.
But that’s exactly what happened recently. Joey Chestnut returned in full force this year after missing the 2024 contest due to a sponsorship dispute with Major League Eating. The crowd roared. The dogs flew. And Chestnut, in classic fashion, downed 70.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes to snag his 17th title at Coney Island.
Yet somehow, an announcer on ESPN managed to derail the moment with a bizarre comment no one saw coming.
Hot Dog Contest Fans Weren’t Having It
During the ESPN broadcast, “The Sports Reporter” host Jeremy Schaap and Major League Eating president Rich Shea handled commentary duties. But while Chestnut was in his zone, a voice from the booth pitched something straight out of sci-fi.
A broadcaster casually suggested Elon Musk should join the competition next year.
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Fans weren’t amused. Social media lit up almost immediately, with viewers expressing confusion, annoyance, and secondhand embarrassment.
“Watching the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest and the worst part is the commentator’s Elon Musk jokes, surprisingly,” one person commented.
Watching the Nathan's hot dog eating contest and the worst part is the commentator's AI and Elon Musk jokes surprisingly
— ♪I'm wheels♪ (@NapNupX0) July 4, 2025
“Really enjoyed this no fucks announcer saying the craziest shit like I hope Elon Musk buys the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest so he can fly Joey to the Moon when he wins next year as Joey Chesnut casually ate 71 hot dogs in 10 minutes,“ another viewer posted on X.
Really enjoyed this no fucks announcer saying the craziest shit like I hope Elon Musk buys the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest so he can fly Joey to the Moon when he wins next year as Joey Chesnut casually ate 71 hot dogs in 10 minutes #NathansHotDogEatingContest #NathansHotDogs
— Joe Scavella (@MrScavellz) July 4, 2025
Others got more direct. “Now they’re talking about Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos buying the Hot Dog Contest and we simply don’t want that,” one fan tweeted.
well now they’re talking about Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos buying the Hot Dog Contest and we simply don’t want that
— evan romano (@EvanRomano) July 4, 2025
It was a moment that felt out of touch, especially during one of the most anticipated contests in years.
Despite the weird commentary, Chestnut didn’t flinch. He locked in, dominated the stage, and reminded everyone why he’s still the king of competitive eating. The broadcast? A little strange. The champ? Still untouchable.
