Wacky Things That Happen at Our Shows...

[etteluap70PC]

I was reading some funny things on another thread and thought it would be fun to have a thread dedicated to the wacky things that happen to us or at our shows...

For me the funniest was this last fall I did a show for repeat host and her husband (They are the nicest people in the whole world!) and the hubby was making punch 15 mins before the guests were going to arrive. He put crystal light and some 7up in a screw top pitcher and to save time began to shake. Well imagine our horror when after about 3 shakes the cover flies off and red punch flies all over the kitchen! It was so bad we had to laugh!!! We did manage to clean up pretty quick and now everyone teases the hubby about his "exploding punch"

 

[Chefgirl2]

I had a hostess open up her freezer and a FryDaddy full of oil fell all over her. She kept saying "I'm alright, It's okay." I looked at her and said "Hon, it's not alright you have grease all down your hair and your back. And now it's getting in the floor vent." I told her to hop in the shower and I would take care of the mess as best that I can.

She cleaned up, I cleaned all that we could see and we ended up having a great show. Every Fall when I first turn on my heat, I wonder if they ever got all of that oil out...can you imagine that smell?

 

[janetupnorth]

I was reading some funny things on another thread and thought it would be fun to have a thread dedicated to the wacky things that happen to us or at our shows...

For me the funniest was this last fall I did a show for repeat host and her husband (They are the nicest people in the whole world!) and the hubby was making punch 15 mins before the guests were going to arrive. He put crystal light and some 7up in a screw top pitcher and to save time began to shake. Well imagine our horror when after about 3 shakes the cover flies off and red punch flies all over the kitchen! It was so bad we had to laugh!!! We did manage to clean up pretty quick and now everyone teases the hubby about his "exploding punch"

Time to sell him a quick stir pitcher!!!!

 

[speedychef]

Those are funny. I made the sticky caramel mini-cakes at a show and when I went to flip them out, I dropped them all over the table! I was so devastated, I wanted to cry! Thankfully they were friends, and they ate them anyhow! I made another batch the next day and plated them up on the SA Small squares with the caramel sauce and drizzle designs. They were so impressed that one of the ladies even bought one of the silicone molds!

 

[KellyTheChef]

I was doing one of my first shows (maybe number 10 or so?) and I was using the deluxe cheese grater. I was showing the Grate Container, pushed it onto the grater and started grating parm. cheese. Well, I didn't have it pushed on all of the way, and after about 8 grates, the container falls off. All over royal blue carpet. Sprays everywhere. I could actually FEEL my face turning red! Thank God, the host was super sweet, and said don't worry about it and grabbed a dustbuster and cleaned it up. Oh, and her dog came over to help clean it up too! Now, I know to make sure the grate container is pushed ALL of the way on!

 

[raebates]

My very first show:

1. My utility knife refused to come out of the holder/shapener. There I stood yanking on the stupid thing for what seemed like 20 minutes. (It was probably closer to 10 seconds.) At the end of the demo, as I was putting things away, I tried it again. Slipped right out!

2. The adjectives in my very large vocabulary were reduced to a single word--wonderful. Seriously, it was the ONLY adjective I used. Every product was wonderful. One of my best buddies was almost in tears by the end of the demo. I didn't know why until after the show.

Thankfully, this was for a group of people who know and love me, so it wasn't nearly as embarrassing as it could have been.

 

[pkd09]

I think we should start a post of funny things host/guests say at a show. I was demonostrating the Batter Bowl and mentioned the idea of a Barbie Cake. A guest actually said "won't it melt the doll in the oven?". Keeping a professional straight face (very difficult to do) I told her you put the doll in after you bake the cake.

 

[raebates]

I have guests occasionally say they can't figure out which numbers to look at on the Measure All. I tell them they're the ones that are right side up. They should feel free to ignore the upside down numbers. It usually gets a laugh and a, "Duh!!"

 

[reba515]

I have guests occasionally say they can't figure out which numbers to look at on the Measure All. I tell them they're the ones that are right side up. They should feel free to ignore the upside down numbers. It usually gets a laugh and a, "Duh!!"

OMG ! I seem to get that at least once a month ! "um excuse me PC Lady? how come this is printed upside down?"

hello !!???

 

[dollfangs]

At one of my shows in October, I was using the cutting board with measuring cups and picked it up and the cups popped out and food went flying all over the wall and floor. I could have died. But I did get a loyal customer and 2 bookings.

 

[speedychef]

I also was at one of Nancy Jo's shows as a guest, and the host's garbage can lid was broken and I was trying to get it open and I flung it across the kitchen and nearly took out Nancy Jo! My friend Michele who brought me was mortified!

 

[genburk]

I have guests occasionally say they can't figure out which numbers to look at on the Measure All. I tell them they're the ones that are right side up. They should feel free to ignore the upside down numbers. It usually gets a laugh and a, "Duh!!"

I have had people tell me the same thing. " How does this work?" I show them, but also tell them the blue numbers remind me of water, so when you put it back together, the blue numbers should match the fill-er-up side of the measuring cup. makes it easier to remember which side is up.

 

[katie0128]

I had a host who purchased the food chopper and then called because she couldn't get it to work right. Now mind you, that she used mine at the show and even took it apart to wash and put it back together again. Turns out, she took the food guard (right name? - no the sleeve, the other part) off and put it in the box, said she wasn't sure what to do with it - thought it was for storage. Then, with the cap attached, she was unscrewing the clear sleeve, putting her food in and then chopping!!! I tried to explain to her what she was doing wrong, but this was over the phone (2.5 hours away), but I don't think she understood! I'm doing a show this summer for her sister and the host will be there. I can't wait to see if (and how) she is using it!

 

[Lisa/ChefBear]

Well, I was doing a show and they had a dog, a pug, and literally I thought I killed the dog............I used the chopper, this dog, literally stopped in his tracks and flipped onto his back with his feet in the air, and didn't MOVE, of course I stopped chopping and was horrified. Hostess yelled at him and he got up and glared at me!! When I started chopping again, he did the same thing. First time hostess who really wanted the chopper, but the dog had a nervous condition of some kind. But looking back it's funny, at the time it was horrible.

Then, I had Princess Leia in my pocket at a show.........She is a little tea cup chihuahua, well she was also scared of the chopper, but she was also so new (to new to be away from mom) that when she wasn't in someones arms she literally lived in a pocket. Well Princess Leia's Mom forgot her pocket and during my show she "rested" in my apron Pocket. She was so funny, she just sat there and looked up at me with her great big eyes and shook for awhile, but after I was done with chopper she was fine and went to sleep, I almost forgot she was there.

Lisa

 

[katie0128]

Lisa - that is hysterical!!! I can only imagine what the other guests were thinking when the dog fell over!
And the image of the little dog in your pocket the whole show... that is just too adorable!

 

[dwyerkim]

Well, I was doing a show and they had a dog, a pug, and literally I thought I killed the dog............I used the chopper, this dog, literally stopped in his tracks and flipped onto his back with his feet in the air, and didn't MOVE, of course I stopped chopping and was horrified. Hostess yelled at him and he got up and glared at me!! When I started chopping again, he did the same thing. First time hostess who really wanted the chopper, but the dog had a nervous condition of some kind. But looking back it's funny, at the time it was horrible.

Then, I had Princess Leia in my pocket at a show.........She is a little tea cup chihuahua, well she was also scared of the chopper, but she was also so new (to new to be away from mom) that when she wasn't in someones arms she literally lived in a pocket. Well Princess Leia's Mom forgot her pocket and during my show she "rested" in my apron Pocket. She was so funny, she just sat there and looked up at me with her great big eyes and shook for awhile, but after I was done with chopper she was fine and went to sleep, I almost forgot she was there.

Lisa

I would have been laughing my butt off if a dog fell over every time I used the chopper! Seriously, I don't think I'd be able to continue without giggling about it every 5 minutes.

 

[dannyzmom]

I had a lady PASS OUT at one of my shows. It seems she had blood pressure issues. The paramedics showed up (and one of the medics was the father of one of my son's soccer teammates) and it was just awful. She passed out just as I was starting to serve the food. Several people left to go be with her at the ER so sales were kinda blah

 

[Brandi2007]

Well, I was doing a show and they had a dog, a pug, and literally I thought I killed the dog............I used the chopper, this dog, literally stopped in his tracks and flipped onto his back with his feet in the air, and didn't MOVE, of course I stopped chopping and was horrified. Hostess yelled at him and he got up and glared at me!! When I started chopping again, he did the same thing. First time hostess who really wanted the chopper, but the dog had a nervous condition of some kind. But looking back it's funny, at the time it was horrible.

Then, I had Princess Leia in my pocket at a show.........She is a little tea cup chihuahua, well she was also scared of the chopper, but she was also so new (to new to be away from mom) that when she wasn't in someones arms she literally lived in a pocket. Well Princess Leia's Mom forgot her pocket and during my show she "rested" in my apron Pocket. She was so funny, she just sat there and looked up at me with her great big eyes and shook for awhile, but after I was done with chopper she was fine and went to sleep, I almost forgot she was there.

Lisa

Thank you for this story!!!! I haven't laughed this hard in awhile! Seriously, it's not often that I laugh out loud while on the computer! My kids came running asking what was so funny so of course I had to read it to them and I could barely get it out! I was laughing so hard I had tears! I just picture this chubby little dog flopping onto his back- legs extended!!!! lol!!

 

[Brandi2007]

I would have been laughing my butt off if a dog fell over every time I used the chopper! Seriously, I don't think I'd be able to continue without giggling about it every 5 minutes.

I agree!!!! I am still laughing!

 

[cmdtrgd]

As I was reading the dead pug post I thought maybe he had been taught to play dead when he heard a loud noise...BANG!

 

[MomToEli]

My third show, I had been at a funeral that day and hadn't had time to change. So, there I was in my nice black, dry clean only, pant suit. This was a rough, small crowd. The host's MIL is referred to by her own son as a sailor, so you can probably imagine. Anyway, I was whipping up some chocolate that I had just melted when the small SS whipper just sort of spun/flipped out of my hands. Whipper and hot, hot chocolate when flying all over me and the hosts brand new (we were the first people on it!) laminate floor

I was happy to be able to tell her husband that it cleaned up really well ...

I had chocolate pretty much everywhere on my suit where my apron wasn't. I was so humiliated, and frankly hadn't given it another thought until this thread ... I'd rather have the dying dog ...

 

[pamperedape]

Oh. My. God.


Now I want to CANCEL my first (and ALL!!) shows!!!

LMBO!!

 

[Rebeccascabinet]

The dumbest comment I think I've heard from a guest was when I was talking about the cookware and how easy it was to clean, etc etc and this one girl actually asked if we could put in the dishwasher! I was like, "why would you want to? I just demo'd how easy it was too clean" I tried real hard to act like that was a question I get all the time, but even the other guests started snickering.

 

[mistym]

Haha...well I am notorius for wacky shows and I won't go into all of them right now as there as several threads already out there..the best being the one where I got mooned by the host.

I did have one lady ask me if the stoneware smelled like Vanilla when you put it in the oven. She thought when I said that the new stoneware had a vanilla glaze it actually smelled and tasted like vanilla when you heated it up in the oven...

errrrr.....yeh...vanilla salmon anyone?

 

[jenniferp417]

She thought when I said that the new stoneware had a vanilla glaze it actually smelled and tasted like vanilla when you heated it up in the oven...

TASTED?!!?!! Who'd want to pull a pan out of the oven and LICK it?

 

[MomToEli]

Mooned by a host?

I think I missed that story .... was it buried in the thread about Passion Parties?

 

[chefann]

Nope. But if you search for "mooned" in post titles, you'll find it!

 

[pc ri lisa]

I was setting up a show in one of my hostesses basements( maybe this should have been a hint!)
Aftter I had my stuff all set up I started to set up my recipe. I was doing a pizza so I started to spread out my dough. I put it aside on my table and turned around to start chopping veggies. You can imagine my horror when I turned around and saw her cat walking across my dough. But to make the stroy even better when I asked the host if she had another pizza crust she told me to just roll out the paw prints and no one will ever know. EEWWW! Needless to say I could not do that and she actually got upset with me that I went to the store to buy a new crust. Some things I will just never understand. Did she not realize the cat may have just come out of the litter box!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chef Endora]

OMG! I wouldn't want to eat at her house.

If she ever wants to host another show, maybe you should make her a Kitty Litter Cake.

There is such a thing....just google "kitty litter cake".

 

[pc ri lisa]

Thanks for the advice!
I actually made one of those for a halloween party!

 

[raebates]

I made Kitty Litter Cake every year my son was in elementary for him to take to his class for a birthday treat. He's 21 now, and his former classmates still introduce me to people as the lady who brought the Kitty Litter Cake.

I did a show once where one of the guests told me about the last show she had been to. When asked about the cleaning of an item she would say, "Oh, you just rinse it and put it away." She told them there was no need to use soap or anything since they cleaned up so easy.

I asked if she was talking about the stoneware. She said that the woman said this about everything--whisks, chopper, cookware, etc. She said she refused to eat anything at the show.

 

[PCJenni]

What is kitty litter cake?

 

[raebates]

It's a cake that looks like a box of kitty litter. It even has appropriately shaped Tootsie Rolls to add to the authenticity. I never had a kid refuse to eat it, but lots of adults just couldn't get past the way it looked.

 

[PCJenni]

What is the litter made of? Sounds totally funny!

 

[raebates]

It's half of a spice cake and half of a white cake crumbled together and mixed with vanilla pudding, with crushed sandwich cookies that have been tinted green. I don't have the recipe with me.

 

[chefkristin]

It's half of a spice cake and half of a white cake crumbled together and mixed with vanilla pudding, with crushed sandwich cookies that have been tinted green. I don't have the recipe with me.

Here it is even with a picture!!! EEWW!!!!

 

[raebates]

You can make "scratch marks" with a fork, too, for added realism.

 

[JAE]

Wacky Party problemI had a show once where people were talking and laughing so loud and so much I eventually had to stop my presentation. Even the people sitting right in front of me couldn't hear me speak because the ladies in the other room were being so loud. This was in 1999, and I really didn't know how to handle it except to say "Well, I'm done with my demonstration. If you have any questions feel free to ask." I started cleaning up and calculating orders. It ended up being over $1000, my best show, as far as sales go, ever! Now that I'm "older" (by 8 years) I think I would now handle it differently, but at the time I was naive and stunned by the behavior of those grown women.
If it ever happens to me again I think I would join into their conversation and start involving them with my demo. I've done enough subbing in all grades K-12 that I've learned how to calm a class through involvement. I think it would work on adults, too. I've also made sure that my demos aren't too long because I know when I get out of the house and go to a show, the last thing I want to do is be quiet and listen. I want to socialize and relate.

 

[chefann]

I had a show once where people were talking and laughing so loud and so much I eventually had to stop my presentation. Even the people sitting right in front of me couldn't hear me speak because the ladies in the other room were being so loud. This was in 1999, and I really didn't know how to handle it except to say "Well, I'm done with my demonstration. If you have any questions feel free to ask." I started cleaning up and calculating orders. It ended up being over $1000, my best show, as far as sales go, ever! Now that I'm "older" (by 8 years) I think I would now handle it differently, but at the time I was naive and stunned by the behavior of those grown women.
If it ever happens to me again I think I would join into their conversation and start involving them with my demo. I've done enough subbing in all grades K-12 that I've learned how to calm a class through involvement. I think it would work on adults, too. I've also made sure that my demos aren't too long because I know when I get out of the house and go to a show, the last thing I want to do is be quiet and listen. I want to socialize and relate.

Sounds like you have the right idea. At Conference last year, Belinda Ellsworth said that the reasons people host home shows changes, and we're currently in the "to socialize" part of the cycle. She recommended introducing yourself at the demo time, and let people know that you'll be starting the demo in 10 minutes to give them a couple minutes to catch up with each other. Then do your demo after the 10 minute social time. Keep the demo short, so they can get back to chatting.

 

[raebates]

I have a Yak & Snack party that I offer now. I bring a recipe already made. The first 15 to 20 minutes of the show is Yak Time, where the guests get a chance to visit. I spend no more than 20 minutes talking about the newest products and explaining the current and upcoming specials. Then everyone is back to yakking and snacking and placing orders. Quick, fun show--especially for a group that's pretty familiar with PC.

 

[Rebeccascabinet]

Two shows ago, I did the demo in about 20 minutes. $800 show!

 

[JAE]

Back in the late 1990's (I don't remember which year) after I went to conference I started talking less and talking about higher priced items and what you could do with them rather than all the features of each item. My show average jumped from the $300's to the $500's. So much more fun for me and the guests!