"American Experience: Tupperware"
In the 1950s, American women discovered they could earn thousands – even millions – of dollars from bowls that burped. “Tupperware ladies” fanned out across the nation’s living rooms, selling efficiency and convenience to their friends and neighbors through home parties. Bowl by bowl, they built an empire that now spans the globe.
Narrated by Kathy Bates, American Experience: Tupperware! is a funny, thought-provoking film that reveals the secret behind Tupperware’s success: the women of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds who discovered they could move up in the world without leaving the house. Tupperware! charts the origins of the small plastics company that unpredictably became a cultural phenomenon.
AIRS Tuesday, February 14 at 8 p.m. on WCVE PBS/WHTJ PBS
One of my favorite stories to share was when I was in 4th grade. I was the 5th child of 6 so starving for attention whenever I could get it. I gave my mother the flyer for parent teacher conferences on Thursday night and, because I was a good student, enjoyed this bi-annual saturation of teacher praise. She immediately apologized sincerely and told me she couldn't go because she had to attend a Tupperware Party. It was the early 70's by now and Tupperware Parties were kind of joke. The way you made fun of housewives. So that response was right in line with my newly working Mother's wry sense of humor. I was sure she was joking and turned on the TV happy.
On Thursday about 6pm, she waived goodbye wearing a nice pantsuit and lipstick. I smiled and told her I couldn't wait to hear about it. She kind of smiled quizzically and left. When she got home, I met her at the front door, full of excitement, asking how it went. "Fine", she said, "I actually bought a few things." Then I was confused. "What did my teacher say?", I begged. Then she looked at me and realized. "Oh honey, I thought I told you, I had to go to a Tupperware party, Janet has been really pressuring me to get out. You know I am not worried about you and school."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. We wound up laughing and spent the rest of my childhood using Tupperware Party as a code phrase for attending anything we really didn't want to go to.
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