I grabbed a corn dog the other day from AM/PM and the cashier asked if I wanted mustard or ketchup and then when I said no thank you, gave me a look like I had grown a second head.
I like the corn dog. It's not just a sauce conveyance vessel. And I only sometimes eat the stick too.
I'm sure you could make a corn dog analogue that's close enough without cornmeal based batter. Heck, use breakfast sausage, dip in pancake batter, deep fry. Best pigs in a blanket ever. π€€