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.
Jamie R says
Oh my god, you’re baby Jersey accent was adorable!
Jamie R says
*your*
The experience has blown the grammar right out of me.
Anya says
Wow, $herdog, you just made my day.. I guess one of my most embarrasing public moments was in middle school when I wrote into to a radio station and dedicated a song to a guy I liked, except I also dedicated it to my best friend as well, so people wouldn’t know I liked the guy (seriously?). They announced it on the radio, but it didn’t work (in terms of the guy), and I can’t even remember what song it was. I’m so glad that other people have awkward moments too!
Anya says
When did you tell John? before you got married? ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, yes. There was full disclosure. John died laughing.
xo,
s
Katy @ The Non-Consumer Advocate says
That’s too funny about the restaurant patrons being from the crew. I recently filmed a reality TV show and I rented my spare bedroom out to a local student, who was actually the assistant camera man.
I tell you, the experience has completely ruined any type of reality TV for me, as I now see how staged it all is.
BTW, you were cute as a button, very “Phat!”
Phatly yours,
Phat Katy
P.S. Phat.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha. And no way about the reality show being that staged!
xo,
s
Karen says
I love that you embrace who you are, and were! We all acted like crazy teenagers, as my old journals that are hidden deep in the recesses of my basement can attest ;-)
Several years ago, while working at a scrapbooking/rubber stamping store, I was interviewed by the local paper. I spent a good 10-15 minutes talking with the reporter about our store and the rising popularity of that industry. I always thought I was a pretty intelligent person. However, my only quote in the article was, “We have a club.” Lame, I know! It is amazing how things can be edited. My brothers still tease me about it!
Personally, I think bringing laughter to people is a gift! Thanks for brightening my day!
Staci @ My Friend Staci says
LOL the pigtails and spaghetti strap top with chunky sandals…. I have BEEN THERE!
In the video you said “yeah” just like my old roommate from Jersey! Do you still say “yeah” like that? Oh “watuh” for water?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, I had the biggest Jersey accent. Wah-tuh, caw-feee, dawg, etc. In college I met my still-BFF-today who is from Iowa and her middle America accent sort of cured me of my Jersey-ness. Although I sometimes revert when I get really excited and talk too fast. Haha.
xo,
s
Alissa says
Yeah, that vid brought back sooo many memories of 90s high school fashion when we all dressed like Spice Girls. Makes me wonder what we’re wearing today that we’ll look back on in ten years and be laughing at. :)
Kristen @ Popcorn on the Stove says
Haha this might be the greatest thing I’ve ever seen (I can’t wait to get home and watch it with sound)! I’m pretty sure that I watched this show when it was on and thought it was the coolest thing ever. I also couldn’t wait for the day when I would be old enough to apply for Real World (which I never ended up doing).
christy says
this is awesome, i have a strange obsession with Eminem so i have to say i’m insanely jealous (but not so much so that i’d stand-in for you in this video!) so funny, thanks for sharing it with us! john looks a little like Slim, no? :)
Tiffany says
Sherry, I am pretty sure that the MTV crew came and filmed one of my close friends for that same exact episode. They actually filmed a group of us together at school because she had written a guard routine to Eminem’s music. I think she only got a few short spots in the show but that is crazy that I know someone in the same episode!
P.S. I have never commented before but I have been reading your blog for a while now and I look forward to reading it every single day.
sarah says
Omg Sherry. I am laughing so hard. That was awesome and hilarious!
Beth says
Gilbert’s Lodge! You were about 10 minutes from where I grew up in Michigan. Hahaha hilarious. As a former Detroiter, I think this interview proves that $herdog is legit. Especially because you referred to him as Marshall. Amazing
Tracy says
This might be one of my favorite posts…so fun and personal! You may not have become a rapper, but you still have that quirky personality as we see today in your blog videos. At least you seemed true to yourself! I think it is pretty cool and memorable and totally embarrassing, but aren’t those some of the best stories to tell? I think it is just great you finally shared this with us! I loved it!
Allie ~Theinspiredmomma says
Oh my goodness!!! Im sorry but this has to be the funniest post ever. I can’t stop laughing. I think I even remember that episode! This is why I love yall’s blog, you totally made my day with this post!
Kelley says
My embarrassment happened just 2 years ago. I was at a cookbook signing for the Pioneer Woman. While in line I started chatting up the Mall Cops for the TLC show, “Mall Cops: Mall of America.” We chatted with them forever and soon, I had a mic in my face. We chatted about what it was like on the show and very little about her cookbook. Next thing I know I’m singing a release form. Not thinking anything would happen.
6 months later, I had to be told by friends on facebook that they saw me on Mall Cops.
Thought that would die down? Oh no.
Last Thanksgiving–a year after the event, my 6 year old God-daughter (who’s also my cousin) says, “WE SAW YOU ON THE COP SHOW ON DVD!” sending my Grandpa to ask, “were you arrested?”
Still can’t live it down.
:)
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha- that’s hilarious!
xo,
s
karen says
OMG..so cute sherry!!!! lucky you!! my husband loves him…i have to show him.
you know..when it showed video of you talking to your little brother…you said “good job” and i was like…yup…that’s the sherry i know.
Vanessa says
OMg – I am laughing so hard right now. Seriously. There are tears streaming down my cheeks.
You get major credit for sharing this with all your readers – or as your 17 year old self might say “mad props”.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, nice.
xo,
s
Kate says
So when Clara starts rapping about her rough life growing up in the ‘hood… it’s genetic? There’s a video of me singing at the Boston Pops and the conductor is wearing a jacket that doesn’t match his trousers b/c I puked on the man before we went on stage. ON.THE.CONDUCTOR. end of musical career.
mellieiniowa says
My family was in a magazine when I was 16. I was the oldest of nine children and it was article on large families. I made some comment about my parents being crazy for having that many kids and that I would never have kids. Needless to say, that was one of the bolded quotes in the article. My mom and dad were really hurt by the comment. I still feel bad
Krystle @ Color Transformed Family says
This was very funny! I live how thick your Jersey accent was. Even if it was embarrassing at least you can say you met Eminem.
Meg says
Haha, this was so epic!Love it! This video should be turned into a drinking game…every time you say Eminem or do a nervous giggle equals a drink.
Michelle M says
Oh…my…gosh. That was AWESOME. Haha – thank you for sharing! I would have loved to see your hubby’s reaction when he first saw the video!
Anika says
Yes, I would love to know how John found out and how he reacted!?
YoungHouseLove says
I just told him a few months into dating (didn’t want him not to know and marry me and then say “what? I don’t even know you!”). Of course I tried to make excuses and prepare him but there’s no preparing anyone for that. He died laughing.
xo,
s
Angie says
Oh, that was hilarious! But seriously, $herdog, when you are in the 3-1-3 you have to say “pop” not “soda!”
You were an adorable and charasmatic 17 year old, so you don’t have too much to be embarrassed about! I’m seeing a lot of the Natalie Portman references that others have commented on in this video, though! She has also rapped in the past:
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, oh yeah she was so funny on SNL. Love her.
xo,
s
Kimberly says
Oh my goodness! I am envious of how brave you were! I would have died a million deaths before even attempting to speak to any of my fave musicians or actors! What a great experience that was for you! And when Clara is old enough to be a FANatic herself, you can share this with her. P.S. – the pigtails were adorable!
Niki says
I am so glad you shared. I have a grin ear to ear. So funny. I am pretty sure I actually watched this when it came out.
jennT says
all this teen reminiscing reminds of the terrible column in Seventeen magazine where folks sent in embarssing boy stories…
what happened to all those M&Ms?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, somebody ate them. Probably my brother. Hah.
xo,
s
heather says
I didn’t know whether to laugh my ass off or crawl under my desk cringing in embarrassment for you. That was amazing. I’m laughing so hard. I can’t even. Hahahaha. You. Are. Amazing.
My most embarrassing? I think I’m realizing now I have no embarrassing moments. Not in comparison to that. Maybe the videos my friends and I used to make when we were 17 but they were never aired publicly haha. I guess the one thing I WOULDN’T want people to know (so let me broadcast it on a super popular blog) was that I was forced to be a Bud Girl when I was in PR. I tried getting out of it but was essentially informed it was that or my job. Can I tell you that I couldn’t even drink beer because it gave me hives?
Yeah. Awesome. So embarrassing.
heather says
Wait. I take the embarrassment back. I blocked it out. I pretty much don’t ever discuss it because it comes off insanely superficial but when I was 15 I was signed to a modeling agency. Can I tell you how weird it was to not only see my face on stuff, but my friends saying “hey I saw you on blah blah product.” Then there was the time I was on TV showing local fashion with my super short (like, super pixie) cut hair for Target. I hope that is never found again. Or the time my grandmother bought every issue of Womens Day on the shelf because my photo was used for an article about couches, and she mailed a bunch to me and to ALL of her friends. Or the time the local staples carried software with my face on it and my friends said we had to stop off for something, we went in, they grabbed a box, grabbed me and started yelling to everyone that it was me and I was signing autographs.
Dying.
heather says
NOOOOOOOOOOO IT STILL EXISTS. I just crawled under my desk. I thought these had all been destroyed. I would also like to note that they enhanced my chest in post-production.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NTB-VOICE-XPRESS-NOW-YOURE-TALKING-SOFTWARE-/250876131829
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha- hilarious!
xo,
s
Melanie says
No video at work but I will definitely be checking out the video when I get home.
Haha, that was an awesome read. And I would have taken a picture of my neck, too. No shame! Funny that you were on that show… a friend of mine in high school got chosen to be on FANatic, too! She met Courtney Cox.
Emily says
Ahahahaha oh this is great. My 13-year old self is jealous! I would have died at the chance to do something like this back in the day.. I was totally Eminem obsessed. I’m also from Jersey and I rocked those same pigtails once or twice. LOVE IT!!
Emily says
PS. Now we know where Clara gets those freestylin’ do do do’s after every song she sings.. ha!
Sarah says
Am I the only one who got all nostalgic over that video? We’re about the same age and I miss when MTV was good and the fashion of 1999-2000. Also, I think Eminem totally was eyeballing Sherdog. Did you hang out at all after the camera’s stopped rolling?
YoungHouseLove says
Just for a little bit. He was very nice. We got to see his show and I later got to see him again when he was on TRL. Totally cut school to go to that!
xo,
s
Courtney says
This is my favorite post of YHL!! I am laughing so hard. But don’t feel too bad 0 when I was six, I insulted a reporter live on our local news – I told her I didn’t think she was smart enough to do the puzzles at the new science center exhibit!! My family has it on VHS and still pulls it out occasionally…
Kristi says
This is HILARIOUS! I think we all have things like this in our past!
Annette says
You weren’t meant to be famous! haha. Your accent was definitely stronger then. It’s so funny to see someone in their prime teenage years and then how they act now as a mom/adult. Too funny – thanks for sharing this with us!
Annette says
Oh my gosh, I meant to say you were meant to be famous!!! Ahhh, that came across wrong and so rude. I’m sorry :(
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- no worries at all! I totally didn’t take it that way!
xo,
s
amybeth says
hahahahahahhahaha. I’m having a really, really rough day with a sick baby and this totally made my day!
Rebecca Torres says
Sherry,
What would be really cool is if you still have that apron. hehe. If it makes you feel better when I was 13 I went to an Enrique Iglesias concert (I was totally obsessed) and took a rose in one of those plastic cyliner/cone things, and stuck my phone number thinking he would actually call some random number on a rose… total dork moment. My mom has video of me and my sister when we got home from the concert.. if that ever sees the light of day I will be absolutely mortified. It contains gushing and declarations of love and adoration. :/
We all do strange things when it comes to famous people, well at least when we are teenagers we do.
YoungHouseLove says
Still totally have the apron!
xo,
s
Melissa says
I love this! When I was in 8th grade I decided it would be a good idea to eat the marshmallows that we were about to use for a science project in class that day. Now you may wonder why did I do this…well a guy I had a crush on dared me to. It was all fun until the teacher came in and I got in trouble…boy was I embarrassed. :)
Melinda T says
LOL! I remember this! :D Crazy what a small world it is! Thanks for sharing and Sherry, you’re a natural!
Lauren says
OMG, I just had to hunt down this video on my iPhone (work computer won’t let me watch videos) and it has 27,000+ views. I can’t decide if that makes it worse or even funnier. You’re on your way to YouTube sensation!
Jamie Lee says
Haha it’s so funny that people found this. Good for you for being a good sport and sharing it with everyone. When I was in middle school (the absolute most awkward time) I wanted to be a model. I did a modeling program and then ended up doing a commercial for a local soccer store. Looking back it was mortifying. I was beyond awkward and trying to strut like I was on the catwalk while wearing clothes that would be ten sizes too big for me TODAY! (Why did kids think that was cool?!) Somewhere there’s a tape of it and my friends still like to tease me. It was no MTV, but in comparison you looked way cooler than I did in that commercial.
Whit says
Not quite the same as being on MTV, but when I was in high school I wrote a column for the local newspaper. At the time, the paper had a circulation of 45,000 plus so it was kind of a big deal.
At the time I was obsessed with Ted Nugent, and now I am STILL the girl who loved Ted Nugent. Also? I wrote about how my date left me at the prom my junior year. So that’s my other “thing.” When I tell people I wrote that column (TEN YEARS LATER!) they still go, “Ohhh, you’re the girl who got left at her prom!”
As embarrassing as it is and no matter how cringe-worthy I find the columns now, it got me places. I still work at that newspaper today!
Tanya from Dans le Townhouse says
This is awesome! But seriously, you weren’t even awkward. I bet you were one of the coolest kids in school. Don’t be embarrassed at all, I think you were great on MTV!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, hardly. I was really into art and Eminem.
xo,
s
laura says
$lim $herry what did you do with all of those tub MnMs? :D
PS this is amazing, thank you for publicly outing yourself and making my day
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I think my brother ate them! First he made sure I was wearing clothes when I sat in them. haha.
xo,
s
Misty S. says
Thank you for sharing that, Sherry. That literally made my week better! As much as I enjoyed it, a small piece of me was jealous! I still have a bit of a soft spot and crush on Eminem. I think the self exposure was a nice change :)
I am curious though, what made you expose the embarrassing secret now?
YoungHouseLove says
Somehow it caught on through a message board or something and then someone told me it was on facebook and we started getting comments and emails and I was totally freaked out (picture me muttering “they know… it’s spreading… they all know!”) so I figured I could ignore it and hope it would blow over or fess up. Eeks, it was still scary though!
xo,
s
Kelly says
Was this disclosed to John before you were wed or did he just find out about this? How does he feel about the Real Slim Shady?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, before we got married! I had to make sure it wasn’t a deal breaker! He died laughing but still married me. I think he’s ok with Marshall as long as he doesn’t try to kiss my neck again. Ha.
xo,
s
Hillary says
This is OUT OF CONTROL. I am dying. Thank you so much for sharing this hilarious tid bit!
Ashley W says
Gah! While watching this video I had a Ben Stiller moment (you know when you’re watching him in a movie and he makes something so completely awkward that you’re embarrassed [for] him and you want to hide your face for the rest of the movie?). Totally happened. I think at one point I hid my face from my laptop screen out of embarrassment.
But seriously, at this embarrassing moment involved a celebrity so it’s still pretty awesome. :)
Thanks for loving us enough to share!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh, that’s totally me while watching Meet The Parents. I am that mortifying, huh? Haha.
xo,
s
Emily says
Aw man, I wish they would have let you rock the arm band! Oh the style choices we made in our teens. Yup, I wore them too.
Love the post, thanks for sharing! :)
Emily says
Oh, and now I’m gong to have Slim Shady stuck in my head all day!
Shelley says
Oh my gosh, that was hysterical! Loved the pig tails! I have had so many embarrassing moments in my life but one funny one was when I was in 8th grade. In our classroom, our desks were organized in a big square with only one opening to get in the middle. Some boys were grabbing girls purses as we were coming back in from lunch. The zipper on my purse was broken and I was terrified that if they grabbed mine then my “monthly supplies” would fall out. Well of course, they grabbed mine and threw it into the middle of the square. One of the boys ran towards it to grab it. I was too far away from the opening to get to my purse first so I stood up on my chair and dove over my desk into the middle of the room to rescue the purse. I must have looked like I was diving into a pool. Luckily, I didn’t get a concussion or something. I remember being hurt but it was all kind of a blur. The most important thing was that I got my purse before anyone else…yet I completely embarrassed myself with the “dive”…
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that sounds mortifying yet kind of hilarious (the whole “I’d rather dive into the ground than let them see my female stuff”).
xo,
s
Gina says
This is awesome!
Kate says
You couldn’t be more adorable. Do you still heart Eminem?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, he’s a good dude. I still think he’s great and buy his CDs – not quite as obsessed as I once was, though. Haha.
xo
s
Nadine says
Sweet and hilarious! All this giggling. Good job and nice memory to keep.
kelly says
This is the best!! Hahaha :) I totally wanted to be NSync’s fanatic!!