Aggressive consuming at NYC’s San Gennaro ends, leaving revelers divided: ‘Actually disenchanted’

They left the cannoli.

All of the aggressive consuming contests — cannoli, zeppole, meatball and pizza — are being shelved at Little Italy’s Feast of San Gennaro as a result of organizers don’t suppose the spectacles are consultant of “Italian tradition and heritage,” The Put up has realized.

“These contests are good for carnivals and Coney Island,” sniffed San Gennaro committee member John Fratta on Thursday, the primary day of the long-lasting Little Italy competition, which runs till Sept. 24.

“Having these contestants stuffing their faces with cream and sauce will not be that nice to observe.”

The beautiful information hit two-time cannoli contest winner Matt Pruznick like a plate of unhealthy scungilli.

He advised The Put up he was “actually disenchanted” after he contacted organizers a number of occasions, to no avail, to see why the occasion — which had been operating for the previous 24 years — was out of the blue cancelled.

“Nobody ever responded,” he defined. “I attempted calling, no person picked up. I emailed; I reached out by way of Fb.”

The Little Italy resident took house the title in 2021, when he downed 23 cannoli in six minutes, and 2022, when he devoured 18. This yr he was planning to beat this report.

“I used to be actually wanting ahead to it this yr,” he lamented. “A bunch of individuals from work have been going to come back down. My sister is developing from Philadelphia; she purchased an Amtrak ticket final month.”

However Ernest Lepore, proprietor of the famed Ferrara Bakery, which sponsored the cannoli-eating contest since its inception — isn’t unhappy to see it go.

“Once I see the individuals consuming and it’s all around the ground and so they appear to be they’re going to get sick, I don’t miss that,” he mentioned.

He additionally doesn’t thoughts forgoing the work, which concerned making 400 cannoli — every of the ten contestants obtained a tray of 40 — and doling out 500 to the gang, which value him $1,500.

However Karen King, proprietor of Alleva Dairy, which sponsored the meatball-eating contest, mentioned it’s outrageous the contests acquired whacked.

“I feel it’s appalling that there’s no meatball-eating contest or cannoli-eating contest which has been occurring for so long as I can keep in mind,” she mentioned. “A feast is not only a feast about consuming and processions. It’s about getting individuals collectively and a way of group.”

She added: “The contests are enjoyable. Folks love them.”

The prize for the cannoli-eating contest was $100 in money — chump change in line with former choose and “Goodfellas” actor Garry Pastore — who mentioned the dough wasn’t value opponents getting sick over their try and win.

“Some man turned purple final yr; I believed I used to be going to have to provide him the Heimlich,” he mentioned. “I couldn’t perceive it, to win $100, why you’d do this to your self.” 

The newest twist will not be the primary controversy to hit a San Gennaro consuming competitors.

Famed aggressive eater Loopy Legs Conti participated within the cannoli-eating contest for 13 years, when it was affiliated with Main League Consuming.

He mentioned he — and all different professional eaters — have been advised arrivederci in 2017, when “Who’s the Boss” actor Tony Danza turned concerned within the competition as an investor in Alleva.

“He didn’t need to have any skilled eaters, he wished to be a boss of the individuals, I suppose,” mentioned Conti, who gained in 2009 by consuming 22 cannoli. “Hopefully possibly subsequent yr Main League Consuming can come again and we’ll eat some extra cannoli.”