TAPinto Publisher is a Two-Time Guinness World Record Holder

Caption:TAPinto Kenilworth publisher Telina Cuppari is a two-time Guinness World Records recipient for the largest collection of pizza-related items.

Credits:Telina Cuppari

KENILWORTH, NJ — Telina Cuppari is in a unique, unusual club.

Cuppari earned a 2021 Guinness World Record for collecting the most pizza-related items, with 669 in her stockpile. She thought being awarded a Guinness World Record would get her published in the Guinness Book of World Records.

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That did not happen. It turns out, only 10% of the 40,000 world records awarded ever get listed in the book. So, Cuppari is not where she wants to be. At least, not yet.

"I have the record, but I have to be in the book," Cuppari said.

So Cuppari, publisher of TAPinto Kenilworth , went back to work. "Fine, I will be in competition with (myself)," she said.

She decided in 2023 to try to break her own record: Not just to say she has two world records, but to also get herself listed in the actual book of world records.

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She started to collect, again. This time, she had help. "One of the kids from high school, as part of his computer science project, built a spreadsheet ... for his final project," she said. "So, now I have a pizza counter on my website."

Guinness counted too, coming up with 739 items, naming her a two-time world record recipient.

Cuppari started collecting in 2012 and says she "seriously" started collecting in 2020. Cuppari calls it her "pregnancy pandemic project."

“I had all these pizza items, I was just googling stuff one day thinking of something fun – I have all these tchotchkes, I wonder who has the largest collection," she said. "I saw it was a guy from Philadelphia with 561 items and the last time the world record was set was in 2011. So I said I should totally do this."

Cuppari, a native of California, admitted she thought about collecting avocado-related items, a nod to her home state. But, she looked around, and decided that wouldn't be a good idea.

"I'm in Jersey, you have to do what's in the area, you gotta go with the people," she said.

In April, Cuppari is hosting a Pizza Palooza event in Kenilworth, and she runs a Pizza Kindness non-profit to help others in the area, you guessed it, through pizza.

Cuppari will also be featured on the national TV show "Collector's Call," April 28 at 6:30 p.m., on MeTV.

As the collection journey continues — she says she's still picking up items here and there — she waits, too.

Cuppari will find out in September if she's where she wants to be.

"I just have to be in the book!"

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