TV

'ITYSL' creator, comedian Tim Robinson could have written and starred as Joey Chestnut in the Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Published on July 5, 2023

The memeable world of Netflix‘s I Think You Should Leave got more juice thanks to competitive eater Joey Chestnut. Screenshots of Chestnut chowing down on hot dogs lean into a sketch creator and comedian Tim Robinson would have written.

The hot dog theme reigns supreme on ITYSL. From Robinson dressed as a hot dog who crashed the hot dog mobile into a store to Robinson choking on a hot dog he was slyly eating inside his shirt sleeve, there is no “unseeing” Chestnut’s July 4th foodfest as a ITYSL sketch.

‘Tim Robinson gotta do a Joey Chestnut sketch’

ITYSL fans tweeted how “Tim Robinson gotta do a Joey Chestnut sketch.” Another fan tweeted a photo of Chestnut winning the July 4th, 2023 Hot Dog Eating Contest: “I can’t believe Tim Robinson didn’t invent Joey Chestnut,” the fan wrote.

Someone posted a Giphy of Robinson dressed in the hot dog costume. They wrote, “You cannot convince me that Joey Chestnut isn’t a real-life ITYSL character. That’s just Tim Robinson.” Another person wrote, “You can’t skip lunch” referring to Robinson’s sketch where he almost chokes to death on a hot dog.

Tim Robinson reacts to the hot dog costume sketch becoming a weird political statement

The Joey Chestnut comparison isn’t the first time a sketch Robinson wrote went viral on social media. In 2021 Robinson appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers and addressed how the hot dog costume sketch became a political statement.

In ITYSL Season 1, Robinson crashes the hot dog mobile into a store while wearing a hot dog costume. The entire sketch was an “outraged” hot dog Robinson wondering “Who did this?” He asks everyone in the store if they saw who crashed the mobile as he openly steals items.

Meyers pointed out that the meme from the sketch became a political statement, comparing a hot dog-clad Robinson to shady politicians. Robinson was amused with the evolution, sharing that the meme itself doesn’t really fit when it came to a comparison.

“Out of context that doesn’t mean anything,” Robinson laughed. “If you see that, you’re just like, ‘I have no clue what any of this is.’ It doesn’t make any sense.”

The 2023 Hot Dog Eating Contest reads like a ‘ITYSL’ sketch

As though Robinson had a hand in the drama leading up to the Hot Dog Eating Contest, Chestnut almost didn’t compete on July 4th because the contest was almost canceled. Thunderstorms threatened the contest site, leaving competitors unsure if the show would go on.

The contest was ultimately held and Chestnut retained his winning title for the 16th time. He inhaled 62 hot dogs and even his reaction to winning the contest could have been out of ITYSL.

“They told us it was canceled,” Chestnut said (via CNN). “We weren’t sure we were gonna eat today. I’m just happy. It’s the 4th of July, I got to eat some hot dogs and get a win.”

He added, “I feel great. I’ve got leftover room, so I’ll be having some beers later.”

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