Meet the judges of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4th

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

With their right hands raised to the sky above Coney Island, the judges, dressed in black and white striped shirts and red caps, repeated:

Miki Sudo wins Nathan’s Women’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“I solemnly swear to abide by the Constitution and Rules of the International Federation of Competitive Eating as set forth in items 32-BX through 42-BY. So help me God, Amen.”

After being sworn in, the judges took their places. Some stood in front of the table of competitive eaters while others stood behind them, all keeping a careful count of the hot dogs consumed. It’s a wonderful job with some not-so-great dangers.

“I was afraid of getting into the splash zone and losing track. There seems to be a lot at stake in this competition,” said Sarah Mercado, who served as a judge alongside her husband for the first time this year.

After the ten minutes were up, the judges searched the contestants’ hot dog dipping cups for leftover sausages.

Many first-time judges shared Mercado’s nervous excitement. As the event approached, the group received an email with instructions. Each judge was assigned a male and female eater and a task, such as counting sausages or flipping over scorecards.

The first judge, Nicole Blackman, who traveled from Chicago, actually found herself in the Splash Zone.

“It’s so cool, it’s so graphic. You see people shoveling wet hot dogs into their mouths and it drips down their faces and onto you,” Blackman said. “It’s really gross, but you have to be careful and it’s really cool.”

Liam Gayron, a first-time juror who had observed Mary Bowers and Max Stanford, also found himself in a compromising position.

“I’m glad I got to see it in person,” Gayron said. “It was crazy to see it up close. I got little drops of spit on me and was glad I had the brimmed hat to catch the saliva.”

For champion Miki Sudo’s judge, James Cordon, her victory was an unforgettable experience. In the men’s competition, he watched Geoffrey Esper.

“She was totally into it,” said James Cordon. “Last night we watched last year’s competition, watched the judges… We were very nervous.”

Cordon and his wife, Samantha Cordon, “freaked out” when they saw the judging positions at a charity event and were the only ones able to bid. Other judges were asked to enter the competition.

“It’s just one of those very silly, typical Fourth of July things,” said James Cordon.

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

“I like the ecosystem here, it’s one of the most human events there is. If I can participate in the structure of it, I’ll take every part of it,” Rosenthal said.

Emily Rahhal is a Los Angeles-based digital reporter who has been covering New York City since 2023. She joined PIX11 in 2024. Find more of her work here and follow her on Twitter Here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming videos, visit PIX11.