With patriotic flair and a nod to tradition, the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is set to celebrate America’s 250th birthday this Saturday. This eventful competition, with its star-studded lineup, promises its usual spectacle of speed and appetite.

Earlier this year, Nathan’s Famous was acquired by the packaged meat giant Smithfield Foods, signaling a new chapter for the historic hot dog brand that sponsors the illustrious contest.

Adding further intrigue to this year’s festivities, reigning champion and record-holder Joey Chestnut faced legal challenges. He made headlines when he was accused of slapping a man at a bar in Indiana, a charge to which he pleaded guilty in April, accepting a misdemeanor battery conviction.

Nevertheless, the sizzling showdown continues unabated. Both Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo are poised to defend their titles in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, as the spotlight returns to the competition itself.

Participants are tasked with the daunting challenge of devouring as many hot dogs and buns as they can within a ten-minute timeframe. Many opt to soak the hot dogs in water beforehand—a strategic move that assists in swift consumption.

Sudo is an 11-time winner and holds the women’s record of 51 dogs.

Chestnut has taken the so-called Mustard Belt 17 times and notched the men’s record: 76 franks.

He’s still on probation in the battery case but is allowed to travel outside Indiana.

His lawyer has said that what happened in the bar was a misunderstanding and that Chestnut accepted responsibility for his actions.

Hot dog contest organizer Major League Eating, which oversees the Nathan’s Famous contest, said the criminal case didn’t affect Chestnut’s eligibility for the competition.

The event, which dates to 1972, is held in front of the original Nathan’s Famous’ restaurant in New York’s Coney Island.

A tragic case in Ontario, Canada, has seen an 11-year-old boy succumb to rabies, as detailed in a recent article in a medical journal published on Monday.

The report from the Canadian Medical Association Journal refrains from disclosing the identities of the child and his family but reveals he was admitted to a hospital weeks after an incident involving a bat.

According to the journal, the family recounted a disturbing incident that occurred during their stay at a cottage in northern Ontario. Nineteen days prior to the onset of symptoms, the boy was startled awake by a bat perched on his nose and mouth. Reacting swiftly, he brushed the bat away. His father managed to capture the animal in a cooking pot before releasing it outdoors.

The journal noted that the boy showed no visible wounds on his face, and his parents believed the bat behaved normally, leading them to forego seeking medical advice at the time.

The boy was ultimately admitted to a hospital 20 days after the encounter with the bat, when his parents brought him to an emergency room. He was first sent home but then brought back the following morning and admitted to the hospital.

Doctors noted that the boy’s condition “rapidly worsened” by the evening, but he spent more than two weeks in the hospital before dying.

“By day 5 of admission, his brainstem reflexes were absent. Life-sustaining therapies were withdrawn on day 17 of admission, and he died peacefully with his family at his bedside,” the journal article said.

Doctors who authored the article warned that any direct human contact with a bat, even in the absence of a visible bite or scratch, should be discussed with public health authorities.

Rabies is almost always fatal in humans if not treated quickly with postexposure prophylaxis, or PEP. The treatment is nearly always successful if administered promptly after exposure.

The deep sense of hurt experienced by Blake Lively has come to light after being omitted from the guest list for Taylor Swift’s wedding.

Once inseparable, Lively shared such a close bond with Swift that she chose the singer as the godmother for all three of the daughters she has with her husband, Ryan Reynolds.

However, this seemingly unbreakable friendship suffered a setback after Swift found herself inadvertently caught up in Lively’s legal dispute with Justin Baldoni.

Swift tied the knot with Travis Kelce this past Friday in a star-studded ceremony at Madison Square Garden. The event, officiated by Adam Sandler, featured musical performances by Stevie Nicks, Paul McCartney, and Swift herself, alongside a host of celebrity guests.

A source has revealed exclusively to the Daily Mail that Lively is furious over the exclusion, severely damaging any hope of reconciliation between the former friends in the future.

Lively is ‘sad and a little bit p***ed. No, a lot p***ed,’ said the insider. ‘That friendship was over before but if there was hope, it’s gone. They’ll never be friends again.’

The Daily Mail has contacted Lively and Swift’s representatives for comment. 

The Gossip Girl star ‘wanted to go,’ the source noted. ‘It feels bad to be excluded like that. She had sort of hoped that despite everything, their history was enough that they’d be included, but that’s not the way it went.’

Stars galore flocked to the wedding, where a fairytale castle inspired by Swift’s Love Story music video was reportedly erected inside Madison Square Garden.

Road closures around the venue plunged Manhattan traffic into chaos and impeded travel out of Penn Station just as New Yorkers attempted to leave town ahead of Fourth of July weekend.

Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper, as well as Selena Gomez, Lena Dunham, Hugh Grant, Steven Spielberg, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Tom Brady, Jessica Chastain, Ed Sheeran, The Chainsmokers, Chris Rock, Jessica Alba, Danny Ramirez, Paul Mescal, Gracie Abrams and several of Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs teammates like Patrick Mahomes were on hand for the blowout extravaganza.

Even Karlie Kloss, long rumored to have fallen out with Swift, managed to snag an invitation along with her husband Joshua Kushner. 

Not so Lively, who was seen hundreds of miles away from Madison Square Garden on Thursday, the day a smaller event was held there.

Lively and Reynolds were seen that day supporting their daughter Betty, six, as she competed in a horse show at a farm in Lake Placid, New York, according to TMZ.

A  dressed-down Lively was a far cry from the glamour of Swift’s functions, cutting a casual figure in a navy tank top and denim shorts at her daughter’s event. 

Her blonde hair was swept into a haphazard updo that was secured with a claw clip. Meanwhile Reynolds wore a white t-shirt, a tan hat and khaki pants.

‘Madison Square Garden holds more than 20,000 people. If Blake isn’t there, nobody can blame a lack of space,’ a source previously told the Daily Mail.

‘The guest list is so massive that Blake’s absence becomes impossible to ignore. People will notice immediately.’

‘Taylor could invite practically everyone she’s ever known. That’s why Blake not getting an invite would speak volumes.’

‘This isn’t about logistics or capacity. If Blake is left off the list, it’s personal.’

‘The bigger the wedding gets, the worse this looks for Blake,’ the source continued.

‘There will be movie stars, athletes, politicians, and music royalty in that arena,’ a source said.

‘When Blake isn’t among them, that becomes one of the biggest stories of the night and Taylor knows it.’

The apparent snub carries an extra sting given that Swift is the beloved godmother to the couple’s daughters: James, 11, Inez, nine, and Betty. The pair also share three-year-old son Olin. 

Swift and Kelce have brought midtown Manhattan to a standstill with night one of their wedding bonanza.

Reported bridesmaid Selena Gomez was spotted dressed to the nines in an elegant black gown as she arrived at the arena early Thursday evening to celebrate her best friend’s wedding.

Supermodel Gigi Hadid, another reported bridesmaid, headed to the venue accompanied by her boyfriend Bradley Cooper and Swift’s close friend Ashley Avignone.

Jack Antonoff, Swift’s longtime music collaborator, was also seen leaving the Bowery Hotel in a dapper suit as he got into a private car. 

While Lively’s bitter lawsuit against Baldoni was settled earlier this year, it appears it wasn’t enough to secure her a coveted spot on Swift’s guest list. 

Swift’s reported fallout with the actress happened after she was subpoenaed in the her lawsuit against Baldoni, before the subpoena was later withdrawn.

Swift, whose hit song My Tears Ricochet was featured on the soundtrack of Baldoni’s 2024 film It Ends With Us – where he starred alongside Lively – was pulled into the rollercoaster saga last year when Baldoni filed a $400 million countersuit accusing Lively and her husband of defamation. The suit was later thrown out.

Explosives text messages from Baldoni’s complaint revealed Lively had referred to the superstar singer and her husband as ‘my dragons’ in a bid to intimidate him over the ill-fated flick.

In January, a source told DailyMail.com: ‘Her friends also think that Blake’s “I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have dragons” text to Justin was uncool and unnecessary because she was essentially used as an intimidation tactic. She was referred to as some kind of pet or possession.’

Since then, Swift has reportedly been trying to distance herself from the scandal as well as her friendship with Lively.

Those efforts have included icing Lively out of her inner circle while Kelce unfollowed Reynolds on Instagram.

Swift and Lively have been friends for a decade, with the pair celebrating milestones together and the singer even name dropping Lively’s children in her music.

DEAR ABBY: I’ve been married to my husband for a decade, during which I’ve seen him grapple with depression and anxiety. I’ve endeavored to be a steadfast support for him throughout these struggles.

Though my husband has attempted therapy multiple times, he has a pattern of abandoning it just when it begins to delve into meaningful areas for growth. He frequently claims that no one can truly understand his experiences, and this mindset affects nearly every facet of his life—his sleep, diet, and how he constantly tries to control me. Furthermore, he spends an excessive amount of time working out, often up to five hours daily.

His reluctance to face these challenges also spills over into his job and overall enjoyment of life. Despite taking frequent leave from work to supposedly get rest, it isn’t rest he seeks but other distractions. When I urge him to maintain a regular work routine, he becomes angry. His employer has started noticing his frequent absences, yet he blames them, feeling targeted rather than acknowledging his own part in the situation. Excuses are abundant, but acceptance of responsibility is not.

This situation has significantly strained our marriage and his bond with our two children, who miss having their father present. As a counselor, I recognize narcissistic traits in his behavior, though I still hold deep love for him. He has not always behaved this way, and I’m torn. While I don’t wish to give up on him, I’m uncertain of how to proceed. I cannot endure this indefinitely and must ensure our children live fulfilling lives. Seeking advice, I feel a bit like a single parent in New Mexico. — LIKE A SINGLE PARENT IN NEW MEXICO

DEAR SINGLE PARENT: Given your professional insight as a counselor, you likely understand that someone cannot be helped if they persistently refuse it. Your children’s well-being must become the priority. Offer your husband a clear ultimatum: seek help and commit to the therapeutic process, or you will need to leave with the children. The current environment you describe is unhealthy not only for them but also for yourself.

P.S. As I’m sure you are aware, some counselors have therapists. Please consider enlisting some emotional support for yourself as you make your way through this.

DEAR ABBY: I have a friend whom I love and enjoy being with. However, when we spend extended periods of time together, such as a few days on a trip, it doesn’t work well because of our personalities and belief systems. She is not aware of the struggles I have when spending more than a few hours with her and regularly invites me to go on trips with her. I have put her off a few times without telling her the truth. Is there a polite way to tell her that I’d rather not go on a trip with her? — BRIEFLY IN DELAWARE

DEAR BRIEFLY: Tell your friend that you love her and enjoy being with her, but that if it involves leaving home for any length of time it makes you “anxious.” You do not have to explain any further. You may, however, have to refrain from telling her about any travel you do with other, more compatible friends.

DEAR READERS: Happy 250th birthday to the USA! Let’s all enjoy a safe and happy Fourth of July! 

P.S. Wishing a Happy Heavenly Birthday to you, Mom! — LOVE, ABBY

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.