KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 ― She made more than US$50,000 (RM210,000) a week from selling her farts and now, reality television star Stephanie Matto is retiring from the lucrative trade after a health scare.
The 90 Day Fiance star who recently made headlines for peddling her jarred emissions was rushed to a hospital after experiencing chest pains which she thought were heart attack symptoms, Jam Press reported.
After undergoing multiple tests, the 31-year-old was told she wasn’t suffering a heart attack but the pain was caused by her flatulence-inducing diet of beans and eggs.
“I thought I was having a stroke and that these were my final moments,” said Matto.
“I was overdoing it.”
Due to high demand, the influencer had to produce up to 50 jars’ worth of farts a week and consumed copious amounts of protein shakes to make her farts more pungent.
“I remember within one day I had about three protein shakes and a huge bowl of black bean soup.
“I could tell that something was not right that evening when I was lying in bed and I could feel a pressure in my stomach moving upward.”
Matto added she had breathing difficulties and felt a pinching sensation around her heart, prompting her to call a friend to drive her to the hospital.
“It was made clear that what I was experiencing wasn’t a stroke or heart attack but very intense gas pains.
“I was advised to change my diet and to take a gas suppressant medication, which has effectively ended my business. "
Matto started selling her emissions in a jar as a hilarious publicity move to get people’s attention but it turned out to be a profitable endeavour when they sold like hot cakes.
The TV star raked in some US$200,000 (RM838,000) in sales.
“I honestly could not believe the demand. I think a lot of people have this fetish in secret.
“I began this venture by eating mostly protein muffins, shakes and also hard-boiled eggs,” Matto added.
She made sure to try new recipes to keep the business exciting – black bean salad, onion and ham-and-pepper omelettes and smoothies were just some of the food items she ate.
Despite the profits Matto was enjoying, her unorthodox business venture was met with criticism and she even received death threats.
“I try my best to not react to these people and give them what they want, which is attention.
“In this day and age, we need to stop tearing people down for their choices.”
The newly-retired fart entrepreneur said her family is relieved about her retirement and said it was good news for her colon too.
“The diet was never sustainable and there was always an expiration date."
Matto plans to donate a portion of her income to gastric disorders charities and is now working on digital fart jar artwork.
“I think everything happens for a reason, and although my fart-selling days are ending, I am going to save the money I’ve made and will put some into crypto,” she said.
