Ok, so I naively thought this day would never come, but I have been busted. I mistakenly believed that I could get through my adult life without this being brought up 13 years later, but people are smart and the internet is wide. So after more than a few “Who me? I don’t know what you’re talking about, haha” comment denials, I’m coming clean. My name is Sherry $herdog, and I was on MTV when I was 17. And it was easily the most embarrassing compilation of moments that could ever be edited together.
I’m an over-sharer, so some folks might wonder why I’d try to hide from this video. And to you I’d say: it’s one thing to invite people into your home and share a video that accidentally features your bra laying out on a bedroom chair or an interview where you flail around nervously or admit that you walk around covered in dog fur and cream cheese smears, but it’s a whole different ballgame to say “Let’s take a time machine back to my most awkward moments as a seventeen year old girl being surprised while life-guarding and told she’ll get to interview Eminem for a show called FANatic on MTV – oh look, I have the whole thing on video for you, let’s all sit down and watch it together.” Now excuse me while I giggle uncontrollably for ten minutes. I do that when I’m nervous.
Allow me to spill a few secrets: shows like this are a smidge set up. It’s not to say that I wasn’t completely Marshall Mathers obsessed (I was) but there are certain things you’re highly encouraged to mention so that you come across as the most deserving fan. Things like “I aspire to be a rapper someday.” I’ll pause while you snort whatever you’re drinking out of your nose. It’s true that my best friend Mariam at high school talent shows (we once donned orange puffy vests and belly shirts and parodied the Eminem/Dre duet Forgot About Dre) but it’s a Jersey thing. You had to be there to understand that it was not meant to be taken seriously. So no, I didn’t actually hope I’d be touring the country as a famous female rapper when I grew up.
Of course the show sets up situations too, like us going to the old burger joint where Eminem used to work before the interview…
… but it was pretty cool as a teenager to see some random restaurant and think “he really worked here just a few years ago flipping burgers?” Fun fact: the people I’m serving at that table in the restaurant are the limo driver and one of the production people who carted us around.
Another fun fact is that I hardly knew the girl who surprised me at the pool and came with me on the entire adventure. See, MTV required that the “friend” of the person being featured was 18 or a parent would have to accompany the fan and the friend (which I’m guessing cramped the crew’s style). So when I was going through the whole “you might be a finalist” phase of the process, they asked me about my friends and I gave a list of all my best 17 year old buddies and they sort of heavily suggested that I list someone over the age of 18. So the girl who worked at the front desk at the Marriott (where I was a lifeguard for years, represent) got listed – and she was the friend they picked to surprise me. And yes, it’s still really cool to be in a limo when you’re 17. Especially if you flash the peace sign with your sleeves rolled up.
Here’s where it gets extra embarrassing. At some point in the interview the word “phat” inexplicably slips out of my mouth. I never said that word before and have never said it since. I can only blame the loss of my whole damn mind at the thought of sitting next to a hip-hop star and somehow thinking $herdog could pull off a term like that. And I couldn’t. It rung in my ears for the rest of the interview while I continued to grin like a crazy person and giggle nervously. Although a lot of this experience is what I like to call “retroactively embarrassing” (since at the time it was really cool and I felt really lucky to be chosen), the moment I realized I said “phat” on national television was the moment that I wanted to punch myself in the face.
Then they asked me to rap. Repeatedly. It’s bad. Very very bad. Oh and about the pigtails, I wanted to wear a ponytail and an arm band (yes, an arm band) but the crew gently suggested the pigtails and no arm band. I’m thankful they nixed the arm band but still a little weirded out by the pigtails. So without further ado…
As for how I even got on the show, my friends dared me to send in a tape since I really was a hardcore fan and they thought I had a shot at being chosen. Meanwhile I believed I had zero chance, hence me doing all sorts of ridiculous things that I thought would never be on TV/YouTube (like sitting in a tub full of M&M’s) because I truly believed with every fiber of my being that I would never make the cut.
MTV does a really cruel thing to make you think you weren’t chosen (at least it felt cruel at the time) in order to get that completely surprised ‘surprise shot’ when they sneak up on you. They’re in pretty constant contact with you for a while to collect things like “what you would ask if you were chosen” and “who you would bring as a friend if you were chosen” and then they say you’re a semi-finalist but it’s not a done deal, and then they cut off communication for a few weeks. Total radio silence. So you go from being hopeful that you might get picked to completely and utterly bummed out that you didn’t make the cut after thinking “dude, I might actually get flown to Detroit to meet Eminem.” Which is a pretty cool concept as a 17 year old.
This is of course when you forget about the footage of yourself in a tub of M&Ms and it sounds like it could be The Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Done and not The Most Embarrassing Thing Ever a decade or so later. But I have to admit that as a teenager it was an amazingly fun time. I got to fly somewhere with a camera crew and without my parents, they put us up in a cool hotel, and Marshall was actually a really nice genuine guy (now I’m going to get weird and tell you that he had the best looking hands I’ve ever seen in my life). And he did kiss my neck, which at the time made me believe we would soon be married and we’d go on to have three bouncing babies named Slim, Shady, and Stan (kidding). Dude, I took a picture of my neck after it happened. I’m that girl (can you believe I managed to bag a guy like John? I still can’t).
So I’m extremely grateful for the experience. It just felt like… let’s not all watch it together on video and relive my teenage awkwardness together. But I guess now my “secret past” is out. In summary: it was pretty amazing (it made “the morning announcements” at my high school – haha), but the fact that the footage from a defunct show from over 13 years ago is now somehow on YouTube is something I never imagined. Oh well. The cat phat is out of the bag.
Now you tell me your most embarrassing secrets so we’re even. Go.
nibblet says
you were adorable as a teenager and i love the pigtails. but…i gotta admit, I’m surprised you were such a big Eminem fan. Admittedly i’m not a rap fan, but i’ve always thought of him as a misogynstic homophobe with lyrics that degrade women and condone violence against women. Didn’t he write a song about murdering his wife and putting her in the trunk of a car or something like that? How do you feel about him now that you are older and wiser and the mother of a daughter? Are you still a big fan?
–sorry to be Debby Downer, but never understood his appeal
YoungHouseLove says
As a writer and a lover of words I think of him as a poet. Sure, some of his stuff is dark, but some of the lines and stories that he weaves and rhymes and intertwines leave me in total awe. As a mother, Clara isnt allowed to listen to him until she’s a teen. Haha.
He has definitely gone through a lot and said some crazy things, but he was a really genuine and kind person when I met him. I’m a fan.
xo,
s
Erin says
Thanks for keeping it real! Too funny… I think this made my day! Ohh the days when MTV was good. At least you weren’t featured on the jersey shore!
Kelly says
“I was so glad that he’s white because I am an aspiring white rapper and I want to be taken seriously.”
That is the greatest thing I have ever heard anyone say.
But seriously, that video made my month. That could have been me, I totally get it. Thank you for sharing!
Leigh says
I so remember this episode!!!! The bathtub full of m&m’s, oh.my.gosh. I am dying. You just made my day! I cannot believe this is you! I was so watching this when it aired and was all “I am so jealous. I should’ve sent in a video of myself in a bathtub full of m&m’s.”
Kim says
One of the funniest posts yet – was that also John’s reaction when he found out he was going to be a father? ;-) Hope you kept that apron!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, conversely John’s reaction was to jump out of bed and say “let’s go to the farmer’s market and get you healthy food!” Haha.
xo,
s
Karyn says
I was a finalist in Teen Magazine’s model search and they posted it everywhere in my high school and put a huge picture in the newspaper. I sent it in as a dare in 8th grade. The picture came out when I was a freshmen and just wanted to blend in. Ugh. I wanted to crawl under a couch until sophomore year! Thanks for posting Sherry!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds glamorous! Haha.
xo,
s
Robin says
I’m sorry about the pig tails – was this to make you look 12 so that he would behave himself?! haha. You can tell he thought you were adorable. so great!!
Ali says
Oh. my. god. I love you for this. How long were you with John before this came out? Also, are we not going to get a price break down for the DIY bath tub-o-m&ms? More expensive than pea-gravel?
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha- M&M’s are waaaaay more expensive than pea gravel! I think we got ten bags of them at 3 bucks each just to coat the top layer of the tub (we stuffed it with towels so we didn’t have to buy 100 bags).
xo,
s
Sarah says
While walking the streets of London in 1996 (at the very worldly age of 17!!) – I saw a famous supermodel. Naturally, I yelled “Look, it’s Tyra Banks!!!” The supermodel stopped, whipped her hair around (very dramatically), glared at me and then turned around and sped down the street. That’s right, it was Naomi Campbell. Oh my, did I feel like a dumb.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that’s so funny!
xo,
s
Tara says
Seriously, that was so much phun to watch. You made my day, watching you serve phood at the restaurant and having no phear. You were an excellent phanatic!!!
We all have our phunny moments and thanks for sharing yours :)
Nicole says
That. Was. AWESOME!!!
& if it makes you feel any better, I watched the clip & didn’t pick up on the word ‘phat’ anywhere, lol.
Thanks for sharing!
Regina says
OH MY GOSH!!!! This is so hilarious! “I’m an aspiring white rapper!”. I died. You are such a good sport for sharing this! I loved it! And it totally made me grateful that my dream of making it on the Real World never came to fruition! I never actually auditioned but always secretly wanted to! MTV was so cool back in the day! Anyway, thanks for the laugh! And I am not laughing at you, I am laughing with you. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Amen! Though I went as far as sending in tapes a couple of years. MTV knew what was best for me and thankfully never called me in to a second round.
-John
Melissa E says
Oh my goodness. I was having a great Friday and this is so the cherry (the sherry?) on top.
Although your cheeks may be blushing hard today you were so delightful in that video. Not that I watched it or anything…
liz g says
You totally just made my week, weekend, heck, YOU made my YEAR with that video. :) I’ve been reading your blog for years, and ya’ll are awesome, but this is just AMAZEBALLS. :) Have a great weekend!
Crystal says
OMG – That is so funny and oh so awesome at the same time. I love your confidence! Once when I was 16 I called into a radio station and started talking so fast (from being nervous) I passed out. I wasn’t even on the air.
YoungHouseLove says
This. Is. The. Best. Ever.
I laughed so hard and went to tell John and he was like “I read that one too- high-larious!”
xo,
s
Rachel Dowd says
I’m pretty sure this has made me love you even more! I laughed so hard!
Tom says
Here’s something real funny if you look up Alexa website rankings:
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/eminem.com
global rank: 100,810
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/younghouselove.com
global rank: 19,377
Maybe he can hit you up for some promo
YoungHouseLove says
Oh. My. Gosh. That is crazy!!!!
xo,
s
Devon @ Green House, Good Life says
Wow.
Wow.
Wow.
Oh wow.
Megan B. says
This is THE BEST THING I have EVER seen! I’m actually pretty sure I saw this episode back in the day too! I never would have been brave enough to go on the show!
Gina says
You were seriously so fun and completely adorable…..but…..what is going on with those pigtails?! Why?! Why, I ask?!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha, check out the post for the pigtail scoop.
xo,
s
Brooke says
This is great, totally made the last part of my friday at work better. My most embarrassing moment has nothing to to with national TV though, I fell down the main set of stairs in our high school on the first day. It was 8 am, the lobby was packed, and I fell/slid down the entire length and ended up smack dab in the middle of the crowd.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, I hope all those people broke your fall.
xo,
s
twelvedaysold says
Everything about this is amazing. Thank you for sharing so openly!
Maureen says
Oh, $herdog…too funny. I think we should all get free passes for anything embarrassing we did as teens. That said, here’s one for ya: I was in a local commercial for the state fair. There were about 10 of us and we all had to come down a playground type slide and once we reached the bottom, we had to say our line about our favorite thing at the fair. Stuff like “the roller coaster!”, “the cotton candy”, “the cool games!”. I think my line was something about the musical guests. Anyway, nervousness ensued and by the time I reached the bottom of the slide I totally spaced on my line, froze for about 2 seconds and then said, “the pigs!”. (!?!?!?!?!?) They didn’t edit me out! Cringe worthy. I won’t even go into my botched middle school perm. Yeah, the one I got and proceeded to comb out (bad move) because I wanted hair like Julia Roberts. *Sigh*
YoungHouseLove says
BWAHAHAHAHAHA. The pigs.
It’s genius.
I love all of you guys for sharing your stories. We have been cracking up over here. Happy Friday!!
xo,
s
Beth says
this is the best thing ever! made my day!
Hally says
OMG! This is so amazing, after a week of college tests and papers this is EXACTLY what I needed. Now that you’re a celebrity too, we should some how organize a reunion show. I know– you and John could redo a room in his house!!! (hahaha)
Aimee says
Haha! This clip is so great!
My embarrassing moment was at a taping for Incubus. I think it was Yahoo! Live Sessions. My friend signed up for free tickets and they asked for questions that may be selected for the fan to ask during the taping. Well she got tickets and her question was picked. She was way too shy to ask the question so I told her I would. Now somewhere out there is video of me laughing awkwardly and asking Incubus, “If you were stranded on a deserted island, which band member would you eat?” Brandon Boyd turned the question on me and I giggled and said, “You, cause you’re hot.”
YoungHouseLove says
Bwahahaha. Nice one.
xo,
s
angela says
I LOVE the part when you tell him the video was “phat.” Throwing around lingo like that will probably push the “$herdog” movement along a lot more quickly!
Susan says
Sherry that was awesome! So brave of you to share! One question: Do you still have the apron?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, still have it!
xo,
s
Hil says
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Awesome!
Seriously though, you shouldn’t be embarrassed! That was adorable and you were way more together than most people would be when meeting their idol :-D
Michele says
Oh, $herdog…how to explain this to my 7 year old who’s sitting beside me asking “Who is that and why do they keep talking about M&Ms?” Don’t feel bad, everyone has a rapping past…my husband has a VHS tape somewhere of himself and 2 friends rapping for a talent show.
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha. Nice!
xo,
s
Kelly T. says
What a great story!! I sent in a couple audition tapes for shows (won’t say which ones). Thankfully I never heard back :) Thanks for sharing.
Whitney says
OMG. I have outrageous amount of respect for you guys as DIYers and designers, but this is probably my favorite post ever on this blog! ;) Hilarious!
Kelsey says
No way. I remember watching this episode!
This is seriously funny…I love how your Jersey accent comes out. I can’t believe you didn’t post this without getting busted ;).
Great way to perk up my Friday!
Pamela says
Clearly the most important question has not yet been asked…
Did he smell good?!?
Does anyone else sit around wondering what certain celebs smell like or is this going to be my embarrassing moment?
YoungHouseLove says
YES! Of course that’s coming from a girl who was obsessed with him, so I think I was into everything about him. I mean, I thought his hands were gorgeous. I was clearly having a crazy moment.
xo,
s
Nikki says
I always liked you guys and your blog but this video has turned that “like” into LOVE! This is hysterical and I’m so glad you shared! You are awesome!
Michaela says
This was seriously the best part of my friday :) you’re so awesome $herdog!!
Designologyinteriors.blogspot.com says
Love this! Don’t be embarrassed… we all loved Eminem. ;)
Do you still have the signed apron? Will there be a DIY shadow box project for the apron soon?!?
YoungHouseLove says
I do have the apron, but I have it tucked away in a drawer. I can only remember this humiliation every so often. Haha.
xo,
s
Elisa says
THIS MAKES ME LOVE YOU SO MUCH MORE.
i have been reading your blog for the past three years and this is the last thing i ever expected! for the record i had those shoes too… kids today just wouldn’t understand it but you were the epitome of fashion according to my Seventeen magazines.
long live $herdog!!! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, those shoes were awesome. They had velcro. VELCRO!
xo,
s
Kim S says
Oh Sherry, this is awesome…you totally made my day! I love you for posting it, even if you were secretly hoping no one would watch.
Elisa says
oh! and i just saw someone up there mentioned Robin Sparkles from HIMYM. i totally thought the same thing!!
Marsha says
Laughing hysterially because I REMEMBER THAT EPISODE!!! O…M…G…!!!
Kelli D says
Oh I totally think I saw this. Of course I am only 22 now, so I was pretty young. I wouldn’t have remembered ever, but this was a good way to start my morning. :] Oh do you still have that apron? haha
YoungHouseLove says
Heck yeah I still have that apron!
xo,
s
Liz says
Ohhhhhhh my gosh! I almost choked on my rice cake when you said you were an aspirin white rapper. That was so funny. I never would’ve guessed you were a die-hard eminem fan!
Pamela says
Oh – Also, last year I sent a text message to my husband (or so I thought) that said “can’t wait for snuggles tonight!” The next day I walked into the staff lounge at the school I teach at and my mentor said “how were snuggles last night?” Awesomesauce.
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha, nice. At least you just said snuggles…
xo,
s
Jane says
This is absolutely awesome. I never watch videos at work, but this was definitely the exception! I couldn’t resist. BTW – I totally hear the Natalie Portman thing (a la Garden State).
Ellen says
That was spectacular. I don’t blame you for being embarrasses of the cheese, and of the “phat.” but you got to meet, talk to, hug and kiss Eminem. And he thought you were cool. That is enough to get over the embarrassment. Thanks for sharing!!!
Jennifer says
Best.Post.Ever. I am dying over here, I was embarassed for you, yet it was so charming and cute! Do you still have the apron??
YoungHouseLove says
You bet your buns I do! Haha.
xo,
s
megan says
I think this is my favorite post of yours ever. Seriously amazing. I loved your accent, the use of “phat” and really just everything about it. I’m really in awe right now.
Angela says
Good job Sherry! Awkward now, a little bit. But, there is no way I could have pulled off anything near that comprehensible at 17 or now probably. I doubt I would have been able to do anything but giggle. You were born for the camera, MTV knew it, even then. AMAZING that it’s still out there. The internet always surprises me!
Crystal says
This is amazing. It might be my favorite YHL post ever!