Background and career
John Amadeus Devenanzio (born June 22, 1982), better known as Johnny Bananas, is an American television personality, best known as a competitor on the MTV reality competition show The Challenge. His first television appearance was on the seventeenth season of The Real World in 2006. In 2018, he became the host of 1st Look on NBC, and he hosted it until 2023.
Devenanzio is the most decorated and one of the most infamous contestants on The Challenge. He is known for a multitude of infamous moments on The Challenge such as keeping the $275,000 earnings from winning partner, Sarah Rice, after she voted him into an elimination battle on a previous season, in Rivals 3 and being hoisted on the back of Chris "CT" Tamburello during an elimination in Cutthroat. As of 2026, he has won the most seasons of The Challenge with eight seasons and has earned the second highest amount of prize money of all contestants on the competition show accumulating $1,357,720. He also holds the record for the most seasons participated in with twenty-four seasons. He has also competed in spin-offs of The Challenge such as Champs vs. Pros, Champs vs. Stars and World Championship, and in the second season of The Challenge: USA.
After filming for the thirty-third season of The Challenge had completed, Devenanzio started dating teammate and castmate and Big Brother: Over the Top winner Morgan Willett. The couple split in September 2021 after Willett claimed Devenanzio was unfaithful. Devenanzio was previously in a relationship with Olympic champion Hannah Teter.
