Timothy “Tim” Janus, famed competitive eater and TV show contestant, has died at the age of 49 after complications from a long battle with cancer.
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Janus, a Connecticut native, best known as “Eater X,” was a part of the formative years of competitive eating during its heyday.
“Janus spent 12 years in competitive eating, from 2006 to 2018, rising as high as No. 2 in world rankings and becoming one of the defining personalities of what participants called the sport’s ‘trophy era,’” his obituary reads.
Most frequently seen donning face paint to look like a Viking mask, Janus competed alongside Joey Chestnut, Japan’s Takeru Kobayashi, Sonya Thomas, Eric “Badlands” Booker, Crazy Legs Conti and Patrick Bertoletti. At the height of his competitive eating career, he was second behind Chestnut.
“I tell people that I learned a lot about life by eating hot dogs, and I mean it. If you care about something and work hard at it, it makes you better,” he said during his induction into the Major League Eating Hall of Fame.
“Tim followed his own passions and dreams without regard for the pressures or expectations of society,” Crazy Legs Conti, who was also Janus’ former roommate, said. “He was unique, brilliant and beloved by his friends. He lived his life on his own terms.”
According to the obituary, “competitive eating was only one expression of a life characterized by intense curiosity, unusual interests and a determination to pursue experiences simply because they fascinated him.”
In addition to competitive eating, Tim Janus turned his “lifelong fascination with game shows” into a new way to gain notoriety. He became the largest winner in the history of Cash Cab, was a winning contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, and competed with Joey Chestnut on The Amazing Race.
Major League Eating shared a tribute on Instagram.
“Always quick with a smile, Eater X was a fundamental player in the League’s expansion during the aughts and beyond. An incredible performer and a lovely friend to so many. Always in our hearts.”