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.
Kristy says
Best…Post…Ever!!!!!!!!
Teresa @ wherelovemeetslife says
This is SO completely unexpected, but so freakin hillarious!! MY best friend and I were a lot like you – bubbly and silly, slightly obssessive over music and celebrities, and numbers, and clothes, and cars, and… really, it was sillyness. lol
I thnk a couple of the things we did that were moments where I would hide if they were mentioned? Taking a limo to a Nsync concert and putting glow in the dark paint all over our selves before we went out one night so that it would show up in the blacklights… ugh.. lol we looked like we had been rolling in neon mud. Hillarious and priceless moments.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Amber says
SHUT. THE. FRONT. DOOR! This gives a whole new meaning to why $herdog NEEDS to catch on. I died, you really used the phrase ‘I wanna see the joint’ Seriously Sherry, I didn’t think it was possible to love young house love more. You have proven me wrong. As a teenager as well back then, I can relate to the pigtails, they were popular. I’m pretty sure I rocked those back in the day too. So funny.
Kristy Swain says
Oh man! You were adorable, though! Gorgeous. And, great energy. I thought you were cute on camera. Fun stuff.
Susan M. says
That was one of the greatest things I’ve ever watched. So PHAT.
Firesparx says
In grade 8 I walked into a light post. In front of hundreds of other grade 8s. On national TV. Oops.
It was the student previews of Aida at the Toronto SkyDome and the national news was filming “the scene” for a news story. I wasn’t looking where I was going and this light post just came out of nowhere. I looked over after the incident to see if anyone noticed and there was the newscaster, taping his piece and the camera aimed in my direction.
So my most embarrassing television moment never had that cool-at-the-time vibe like yours did!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I love you for sharing that to make me feel better.
xo,
s
Donna says
OMG, $herdog, that was too funny! I am so glad you gave up on your dreams to be a white female rap star and create this blog, but I’m sure it was quite the sacrifice!
Abby says
oh.em.gee.
That is HILARIOUS!!! Love your sweet 90’s style! The chunky shoes, your hip-hop lingo, the slicked back pigtails. No shame in your game, $herdogg… =) You should totally frame that apron and hang it in the hallway!
Katie says
How have you managed not revealed this to us before?! This is amazing! One thing is for sure–you have such a great personality your confidence was beaming! You are and were beautiful! I wish I looked like that at 17!
And lastly, I believe I read before that John was desperate to be on the Real World? I’m going to say it was a match made in heaven!
Thanks for sharing!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, he totally auditioned and everything! I’m biased but I think he would have been really interesting since he’s 100% hilarious and doesn’t drink. Would have been one of those different and totally endearing characters. Their loss!
xo,
s
Bobby says
This is amazing. Funniest post I’ve read in a while. I’m sure you feel as though a great burden has been lifted!
Katie Rose says
THAT. WAS. AMAZING! I am a big Eminem fan too. What a cool opportunity! I could not stop smiling and laughing while watching it though. SO hilarious (in a GOOD way)! I saw you told another commenter that you still have the apron. How about framing it and hanging it up in the hallway for all to see? ;) I got to know – what was John’s reaction when he first saw the footage??
YoungHouseLove says
Hah, then I’d have to tell all of our friends (many of whom have no idea) about it. But I guess now that it’s on the blog, the phat really is out of the bag.
xo,
s
Lisa says
Anyone remember The Bozo Show? Well I was on that in the early 90s. Pretty embarrassing. Luckily I blocked most of it from my memories…including Bozo!
Lisa says
OMG!!! I can’t believe you were on that show! LOL. I think I’m even more in love with you now.
what does John think about the whole thing? how many years had you been dating him before you brought it up? LOL
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I brought it up a few months into things, just to make sure it wasn’t a deal breaker. I tried to prepare him but that’s impossible. He died laughing.
xo,
s
Maggie Rose says
Bahahahaha! This is amazing! Seriously, you were SO articulate for a teen meeting her idol! And you were adorable (John don’t read this: Sherry, he totally checked you out when you shook hands to leave!). Luckily most of my embarrassing teen moments weren’t caught on video but now I may have to hunt down the ones that were and destroy before they go on YouTube…
Jessica says
I AM DYING! Thanks for sharing Sherri! We all have videos like this – big props for outing yourself so fearlessly! It was PHAT!
Calypso says
Oh Sherry!!! You is a JERSEY GURL FO’ SURE!!!
Love you to pieces!! This is the best thing I’ve seen all year!!!
Ashley says
Oh Girl. That was hilarious!! Are you sure that was your first and only time saying Phat?? It sounded completely natural!! LOL! Way to own up to something from your past! I think most of us have embarrassing memories from our teen years too, but few get to say they were on MTV back when they still actually showed music videos!! So, are you still a big fan of Eminem’s music?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, I still buy all his CDs. He was a really kind and funny guy- very genuine. I’m a fan for life.
xo,
s
Sarah says
Hahaha this is awesome. I’m sure John is thinking, ‘At 17 my wife was interviewing Eminem and I was getting nerdy at TJ. How’d I get someone so cool?’ Because that’s what I think whenever I realize that while I was the yearbook editor spending my spare time speaking at Fairfax County School Board boundary meetings (I feel pretty confident that one won’t end up on YouTube), my boyfriend was captaining the a nearby high school’s basketball team. And he was the only white guy on the team, so I guess he and Eminem have some things in common.
Rosanne says
John, your a lucky man, that’s hilarious
Jen says
I love what you say about learning about him — “So I went online, did searches, went to websites and stuff…” For some reason, that really made me giggle nostalgically for the 90s. Sometimes I think half the reason Google beat out the other search engines is that the others’ names didn’t verb so easily.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, it’s true! I probably used altavista.com or something back then. Haha.
xo,
s
Rebecca @ the lil house that could says
Sherry, stop. This is the best post ever.
My college roommate was from Whippany. Or the Whip as she called it hahaha
YoungHouseLove says
Word up to The Whip!
xo,
s
Siobhan says
OMG you should be seriously proud of this! You did so well at 17 years of age in front of the nation and wherever else it was aired. What a super experience, don’t hide away :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Siobhan! There are just so many cringe-worthy moments, but I’m really grateful for the experience. It was really fun for a 17 year old girl to get the chance to do that!
xo,
s
Jessica says
This is so hilarious! So do you still have the signed apron?
YoungHouseLove says
Heck yeah!
xo
s
Kristin says
I’m not going to lie, I almost died when you said, “I’m an aspiring white rapper.” I don’t know why but I am crying from laughing so hard (well trying not to laugh out loud because I sit in a lovely cubicle). Hilarious.
lindsay o says
ha!! i had to double check i was on the right website when i saw the first photo. i think my side split open when you said phat! this made my day. you should be thrilled that your dorkiness comes across as adorable, while many of us are plagued by the awwwwkward :)
liz @ bon temps beignet says
Oh. My. Gawd. This made my week. Now I’m wondering how John found out. I can just picture him finding a random box in the attic filled with eminem cds and your autographed apron and thinking “who did I marry?”
So, how did you tell John about your love of / close encounter with Eminem?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I did tell him! Before we got married so he wouldn’t disown me! I tried to prepare him for it but he just cracked up the whole time.
xo,
s
The Mrs @ Success Along the Weigh says
OH. MY. GOSH! I REMEMBER THIS!!!! I loved that show!! I think it’s pretty cool. I met over 30 bands back in the day at your age so that was basically every hair band alive. There’s nothing like meeting a musician you admire.
I REALLY hope you still have that apron. Like in one of those shadowboxy kinda frames, preserved. Or did you auction it with a screen shot from the episode for a home project? :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I still have that thing! Hidden away in a drawer so I’m not faced with the embarrassing memories. Hah.
xo,
s
Fouzia says
Bahahahahahaha, listen to you repin’ the Jersey accent….’yeaa’. Haha, love it! And I think I caught some of those nervous giggles in there… ;o)
Tanya Maia says
This is BEYOND awesome!!!
Because we’re the same age, I TOTALLY “get” everything about this post!!! “Eminem…that’s my dawg”. LOL
CRACKING UP!!!! You were too cute!!
becca says
I actually was on tv once. total coincidence. I was homeschooled and my mom took us on a “field trip” to a local doll museum, and there just happened to be reporters there doing a special on it for the local news, and they interviewed me. the embarrassing part? my face was COVERED in poison ivy. I dont know how I got it, but it was so bad my eye was swollen shut the morning before. I guess the reporters just thought I had really bad acne (I was a teenager, after all). they even sent us a video tape (this was back in the VHS days) of the show. its buried in my parents basement closet somewhere, hopefully it’ll stay there for eternity.
Veronika says
oh lord……….
this is the best Friday post EVER!!! So funny!!! Btw you look so cute and I totally would be jealous of you if I saw this 13 years ago! I was 13 back then and would kill to be 17 and on MTV. And those pigtails are totally phat! HAHA!!
Dude, you met Eminem, and that’s always cool in my book, pigtails and all!
But really “aspiring white rapper” is totally hilarious!! I dare $herdog to rap a verse or two in every post!
I just wanna add that I’m was born and raised in Armenia but came to New Jersey (Blackwood) when I was 15 as an exchange student for a year! And I get your jerseyness 100%!
Go girl!
Steph says
I’m right near Blackwood and have family there :) Let’s hear it for the Jersey girls!
YoungHouseLove says
Woot!
xo,
s
Casey says
oh my god this is amazing. hahahaha I love during the interview you have your hand out there like you want him to hold it. I felt like I was watching the most awkward first date ever. And then when he said he wanted to kill the mother of his child you are like “hahaha” but it was awkward.
When I was in HS I dated this guy who was on YTV to learn how to do a break dancing move from an expert. hilarious!
Heather says
WOW! That’s just amazaballs. You had quite the camera presence! I’m sure you won’t have any trouble getting people to call you $herdog after this. :)
Eileen says
Oh.My.God. That just made my day!
Kristin says
This.Is.Awesome. Not embarrassing, amazing! I remember when 8 Mile came out, my friends and I went straight to see it after school. I was obsessed, but CLEARLY not as obsessed as $herdog. Love it!
Lizzy says
OMG! “As an aspiring white rapper…” HAHAHAHahahahahaha I am dying here!
Ashley {GirlyObsessions} says
I think its awesome you shared this! I’ve done all sorts of crazy things to meet Billie Joe from Green Day. I’ve been in love with him since I was 12. I’m 31. I still love him. Almost as much as my husband, and I’m not afraid to admit it! But those crazy things have led to a few meetings and really memorable experiences that I’ll never forget! Are you still an Eminem fan??
YoungHouseLove says
I’m definitely still a fan. Not as crazy as I once was, but he was a genuinely nice and funny dude and I happen to think he’s a genius when it comes to the English language. So as a writer, I can still look up to him for that. Haha.
xo,
s
Bethie says
OMG. That is amazing.
Kathryn says
That was literally like the most epic thing I have ever seen. Oh. My. Word. Love the pigtails, and the rapping. That is unbelievable.
~Kathryn
HeatherMB says
Sherry, you are so adorable!! I think this is the greatest thing ever! “I couldn’t believe he was white …” OMG, do you remember the days when it was shocking that Eminem was white? How funny!!
I’ll share an embarrassment to make you feel better — I once was driving to college and the latch on my front hood broke, so my hood flew up. I pulled off to the side of the interstate, but there was nowhere to take the car for a fix, so I … DUCT TAPED my hood down. Most definitely. I was the girl with the duct taped hood. It totally worked though. God bless duct tape.
kalibrooke says
ahahahahahahaha! this is so awesome! $herdog, you so crazy…
KatieD says
hilarious!! PLEASE show us your audition tape! Do you still have it??
YoungHouseLove says
Uh, that tape lives at my dad’s house. And I will kill him if they ever leak. He also has tapes of didn’t-make-the-show footage since I got to be friends with some of the crew an they secretly sent me extra footage. Will have to go to his house and see if those VHS tapes still exist. Haha.
xo,
s
Kelley says
OMG! I love this to pieces! This is adorable! I used to watch that show – I wonder if I saw your episode. I have no recollection of it :) The PHAT comment was hilarious. hahahaha. Don’t feel bad – I interned at MTV one winter during college and inspired a slew of girls in years after me to do the same. I spent 2 weeks in the studio and had a massive crush on Carson Daly, took my picture with him, and was convinced he loved me (even tho at the time he was hot and heavy with Jennifer Love Hewitt). See, you’re not the only one who’s “that girl.” haha! This is classic!
Courtney says
OMG, this totally made my Friday! What an awesome video and you were a natural in front of the camera! Totally get the embarassment.
The closest I can come is getting my picture in Big Bopper. I met Jonathan Brandis at a car show and sent in the pic which was then published. Once the mag came out a guy in my class (grade 7 or 8) came up to me and said his sister had seen my picture. Oh, and I was *thisclose* to being on that “Choose Your Own Adventure” show that was hosted by Mario Lopez. I wanted to go behind the scenes of Seaquest DSV and work with the dolphins. Obsessed with Jonathan Brandis much?! :)
Hold your head high – not many people have such a claim to fame!!
Heather says
OMG this is amazing! You are adorable and said Awesome in your jersey accent like 10,000 times. “It’s so cool…Because I’M an aspiring white rapper!” Haha LOVE. This just made my weekend- enjoy your weekend!!
Robin @ our semi organic life says
You look exactly the same!
Natalie V. says
That was phat! Major respect for you Sherry! That just made my afternoon! Thanks for sharing!
Tonya says
My 17 year old self is totes jelly!
Karen F says
I had to come back and comment again after this had time to sink in…LOL
One of my first thoughts was “my parents would never have let me do that when I was 17”. Which at the time would have been upsetting, but I’d probably be grateful now!
I thought you did great, and you were adorable! I shudder to think of how I would have acted in front of one of my idols at age 17! I probably wouldn’t have been able to even speak or I would have made a complete fool out of myself.
So, is there anything else we need to know about? (just kidding!)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, one of the most shocking things about it was that my mom let me go! She’s hugely protective (a lawyer and an Italian mom- haha) but somehow MTV got her blessing. I wonder if she saw how hard I worked and how excited I was (I had to submit my questions and talked about being in the semi-finals and stuff) so maybe she knew I’d never forgive her if she said no?
xo,
s
Angie says
A..mazing! Great friday morning entertainment. My insides cringed for you a little when “phat” slipped out.. I would of never guessed you had such a thug side to you.