Meet the judges for Nathan’s Famous 4th of July hot dog eating contest

Sarah and Victor Mercado have been asked to judge a Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, they told PIX11 News. (PIX11 News)

CONEY ISLAND, Brooklyn (PIX11) – Just before hot dog eating contestant Patrick Bertolleti devoured 58 hot dogs in just 10 minutes, the unsung heroes of the Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest made a very serious, hot dog-inspired vow.

Raising their right hands to the sky over Coney Island, the judges, dressed in black-and-white striped T-shirts and red caps, repeated:

“I solemnly swear that I will abide by the statutes and regulations of the International Competition Eating Federation as set forth in sections 32-BX through 42-BY. So help me God, amen.”

After being sworn in, the judges took their seats. Some stood in front of the eaters’ table, while others stood behind the eaters, all carefully counting the number of smashed hot dogs. It’s a great job with a few not-so-great hazards.

“I was worried I’d get into the splash zone and lose count. It looks like there’s some really tough competition out there,” said Sarah Mercado, who served as a judge for the first time this year with her husband.

After ten minutes, the judges checked to see if there was any sausage residue left in the hot dog dipping cups that some of the contestants were using.

Many of the rookie judges shared Mercado’s nervous excitement. As the event approached, the group received an email with instructions. Each judge was assigned food for the men and women and a task, such as counting dogs or turning over scorecards.

Newcomer to the jury, Nicole Blackman, who came from Chicago, also found herself in the splash zone.

“It’s so cool, so graphic. You watch people shove wet sausages in their mouths and they fall on their faces and on you,” Blackman said. “It’s really gross, but you have to be careful and it’s really cool.”

Liam Gayron, a judge who was sitting on the court for the first time and overseeing the cases of Mary Bowers and Max Stanford, also found himself in a compromising position.

“I’m glad I got to see it with my own eyes,” Gayron said. “It was crazy to see it up close. I was getting little droplets of saliva, I was glad I had a brimmed hat to block the saliva.”

For Mika Sudo’s champion judge, James Cordon, her victory was something to behold. In the men’s competition, he watched Geoffrey Esper.

“She was focused on business,” James Cordon said. “We watched last year’s competition last night, we watched the judges… We were very nervous.”

Cordon and his wife, Samantha Cordon, “lost their minds” when they saw the judges’ booths at the charity benefit concert and were the only ones to bid. Other judges were asked to join the competition.

“It’s just one of those really stupid Fourth of July things,” James Cordon said.

For Long Island native Alex Rosenthal, who used to watch Julie Goldberg and Derek “Heavy D” Hendrickson eat hot dogs, a hot dog eating contest is a perfect slice of New York.

“I like the ecosystem here, it’s one of the most human events. If I can be a part of that structure, I’ll be a part of it anytime,” Rosenthal said.