Overview
- Janus died on Wednesday, September 16 from complications following a long fight with cancer, his publicist told Major League Eating.
- He rose to prominence in competitive eating from 2006 to 2018, reached as high as No. 2 in world rankings, and was inducted into the Major League Eating Hall of Fame.
- Janus won multiple world titles in events such as tiramisu, ramen noodles, and nigiri sushi and finished second at the 2010 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest after consuming 45 hot dogs.
- He reached a wider audience through TV and media, appearing on The Amazing Race Season 30 with Joey Chestnut, on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? where he won $100,000, and in documentaries and talk shows.
- Friends and fellow competitors paid tribute to his character and originality, and obituaries noted that his recent acceptance into the U.S. Foreign Service was cut short by his illness.