Joey Chestnut, the renowned competitive eater famous for consuming large quantities of hot dogs, has been sentenced to probation following a physical altercation at a bar. The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge and received 180 days of probation, according to US Weekly.
Incident at Indiana Bar
The charge stems from an incident on March 21 at a bar in Indiana. Chestnut, a 17-time winner of Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, was accused of slapping a man after exchanging handshakes. The victim alleged that Chestnut struck him on the left side of his face. When questioned by police, Chestnut claimed he was "pretty drunk and didn't remember" the event. After viewing surveillance footage, he reportedly admitted he "must have taken offence" to something the victim said.
Court Sentencing and Probation Conditions
Chestnut pleaded guilty to battery resulting in bodily injury and was sentenced on April 20. His probation conditions include a prohibition on owning, possessing, or acquiring firearms unless permitted by his probation officer. He is also barred from consuming or possessing controlled substances without a valid prescription and must submit to random drug and alcohol testing.
Representative's Statement
A representative for Chestnut issued an apology on his behalf, stating, "Joey regrets engaging and the interaction being misinterpreted. He strives to always connect in a fun manner with fans. In this case, some inappropriate things were said that Joey reacted to. He's committed to avoiding being in those situations going forward."
Permission to Compete
With his probation set to end on October 16, Chestnut filed petitions and was granted permission to travel outside Indiana to compete in the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4 at Coney Island in New York City. Chestnut has won the competition 17 times since his debut in 2007, missing only one contest. He was barred from competing in 2024 by Major League Eating due to a sponsorship with Impossible Foods, a plant-based rival to Nathan's. He returned last year, consuming 70 1/2 hot dogs in 10 minutes to reclaim the Yellow Mustard Belt.
