TJ, also known as Thomas or Tomas, is a contestant who appeared on season 2 of Fishtank. The winner of season 2, he won in the finale against Shinji and Tayleigh. In Vampire Bloodgames, he appeared as an NPC named DJ.
Official Description[]
Get ready to meet TJ, the enigmatic 23-year-old contestant hailing from the quiet town of Coldwater, Michigan. With the steadfastness of his star sign, Taurus, he enters the Fishtank ready to ground his fellow Fish in his calm, yet determined energy. His presence is sure to be as unwavering as the bull that symbolizes his zodiac sign, and the twists and turns of life inside the house are unlikely to shake his resolve.
A true devotee of the otherworldly, TJ's passion for sci-fi and fantasy realms knows no bounds. Expect him to weave fantastical tales and drum up discussions on the latest space opera or sword-swinging epic. It's not just the narratives that captivate him, but the breathtaking artistry within these genres. His reverence for the works of the legendary Frank Frazetta is a testament to his appreciation for the imaginative and the mythical. TJ's insights into Frazetta's iconic illustrations of Conan the Barbarian and other fantasy legends are sure to add an artistic and intellectual vibrancy to the group dynamic.
The cameras are ready to capture TJ's journey as he navigates the social labyrinth of the Fishtank. With his earthy roots and a mind that revels in fantastical flights of fancy, there's no doubt that TJ is about to bring a unique and steadfast presence to the game. Let's see if his practical demeanor will help him forge alliances, or if his fantasy-driven dialogue will make him a force to be reckoned with. Either way, his stay in the Fishtank will be anything but mundane.
Overview[]
TJ became noted for his frequent stimming, including swinging his arms back and forth, as well as rocking in chairs, leading to comparisons to Josie from season 1. During the first night, Goldstriker played matchmaker between TJ and Tayleigh, even though she found him to have "negative rizz." TJ also danced with freeloader Taylor after she joined the house, and they shared a very brief and awkward kiss. Their relationship continued over the next few days, and shared another kiss at New Year's. He also had an extended, strange conversation (over an hour long) with Goldstriker in the attic after it opened.
However, TJ found himself on the non-immune team during the first major, house-wide elimination challenge. As part of the elimination challenge, the non-safe people had to perform a comedy routine. TJ's routine elicited the least amount of laughs from the other fish. The audience vote came down between TJ and Jimmy, as Shinji and Taylor (the other performers) received very few votes, while TJ and Jimmy battled it out in the viewer poll. TJ lost, and talked with Goldstriker in the attic again, before Goldstriker offered TJ the opportunity to kick out Taylor, whom he had grown so close to, in order to stay in the game. TJ took the deal and Taylor left.
Over time, TJ adopted a number of T-name alter egos and underwent periods of significant character development, most of which involved the audience and production trying to get him to man up. The most stark change came when he had his head shaved, losing his characteristic long hair, around the time of the Cell challenge. It was also noted that TJ appeared to stim and rock less as the show went on, though he still did it to a somewhat noticeable degree. On day 22, he rang the beef bell on Goldstriker, and challenged him to a boxing match. Although he lost and took many blows from the more experienced host, the fight was well-received. TJ also fought Jimmy in a boxing match during the latter's very brief return as a freeloader, after which Jimmy quit and left the house again.
On day 36, TJ started showing increased signs of having taken an injury from his multiple boxing bouts, including another match against Tayleigh, being kneed in the ribs by Goldstriker during the fight with Jimmy, as well as his encounters with Frank Hassle. After going to the basement to receive a check-up, the website was altered to give the impression that TJ had been evacuated from the show to receive medical treatment, and as such, being eliminated. However, a coffin was soon brought into the house, from which TJ "rose from the dead," revealing it was a fakeout. However, TJ did state that he had incurred a cracked rib and was taking painkillers as a result; Jet advised TJ to avoid roughhousing and rest up before the end of the show. TJ continued to received medical treatment and monitoring up to the finale.
During the Swamp Olympics challenges in the finale, TJ eventually came out as the winner. He first beat out Tayleigh who was eliminated earlier that night, then beat Shinji in a boxing match to be declared the winner of season 2. TJ received $50,000 as the winner.
Trivia[]
- While the show was ongoing, TJ's social media accounts were discovered, including a Letterboxd and RateYourMusic account. However, an account on a Rule 34 porn website with the same name (LubeCooch) was also discovered. Although TJ has denied that this account was his, and nothing explicitly connects the accounts other than the shared username (which has been used by other people in the past), the contents of the porn account were referenced by freeloaders messing with TJ, including Alex Stein and Frank Hassle. Whether or not the account actually belonged to TJ is still a matter of debate among fans.
- While the season was ongoing, TJ's official biography on the Fishtank website was altered to removed the "h" in Thomas, changing the spelling of his name to Tomas. TJ had several other T-name aliases during the season.