Tim Janus, a competitive eater who appeared on season 30 of The Amazing Race, has died. He was 49.
Janus, also known as Eater X, died “from complications following a long battle with cancer” on September 16, his publicist confirmed in an obituary shared via Major League Eating on Sunday, September 20.
“Tim followed his own passions and dreams without regard for the pressures or expectations of society,” Crazy Legs Conti, Janus’s former roommate and a former world oyster-eating champion, noted in the tribute. “He was unique, brilliant and beloved by his friends. He lived his life on his own terms.”
Born in Simsbury, Connecticut, Janus graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in political science and public policy. As an adult, he lived in New York City’s East Village.
Janus spent 12 years in the competitive eating world, from 2006 to 2018. Known for competing in a face-painted Viking mask, he reached No. 2 in world rankings and became “one of the defining personalities of what participants called the sport’s ‘trophy era.’”
Janus was once crowned the world ramen eating champion after he consumed 10.5 pounds in just under eight minutes. He was also named the nigiri world eating champion after eating 141 pieces in six minutes. Back in 2014, Janus competed in the famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on the 4th of July, downing 44 hot dogs.
Janus is also credited with introducing the Alternative Beverage Movement to the sport, allowing competitors to have drinks like lemonade or fruit punch at the table instead of only water.
In 2016, Janus was inducted into the Major League Eating Hall of Fame after retiring from the sport.
“I tell people that I learned a lot about life by eating hot dogs, and I mean it,” he said at the time. “If you care about something and work hard at it, it makes you better.”
In addition to being a competitive eater, Janus appeared on several TV game shows. He joined fellow competitive eater Joey Chestnut on The Amazing Race in 2018, but the duo were eliminated in the fourth leg. Janus also became the largest Cash Cab winner in history after taking home $1,600 in 2011. During an appearance on the syndicated version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2009, Janus won $100,000.
Janus was also an adventurer who traveled to Australia to track crocodiles and snakes in the wild, milked a cow and appeared as a TV weatherman on an evening news broadcast.
Shortly before receiving his cancer diagnosis, Janus was accepted into the United States Foreign Service and planned to serve abroad on assignment.
Janus is survived by his mother, Lucinda Hannon, his father, Peter Janus, his stepmother, Nancy Janus, and his sister, Tess McNair. A celebration of life is planned for October in New York City.
