One of the staples of July 4th – the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island – is still happening this year …but it will be a little different. Instead of an outdoor event, the contest will take place indoors – without an audience. 12-time Nathan's champion Joey Chestnut is bummed that there won’t be a crowd – but he isn’t worried about the new conditions. In fact, he thinks it might make things easier.
"There's a little bit of a bonus 'cause we're gonna be eating in air conditioning and there are less eaters, so they're making less hot dogs so they might taste better," Joey toldTMZ. "There's a good chance that we might have better conditions for a world record and I'ma be pushing for it."
How many hot dogs would that be?The record is 74, but Joey thinks 77 is possible. "If I'm feeling it, if I'm in the perfect rhythm, 77 is doable," he said.