Interview: Beyond the Plastic with DIXIE'S TUPPERWARE PARTY

By: Mar. 08, 2016
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Long before Facebook and the Internet, women gathered at host's house to chat and buy Tupperware at widely popular Tupperware parties. Think of it as word-of-mouth marketing and . While this practice has mostly moved online, there are still a few out there who prefer the face-to-face interaction. Dixie Longate is one of those people and she is coming to Orlando, home to the Tupperware headquarter, next week. We chatted with Dixie about her Tupperware Party.

Hi Dixie. I've heard a lot about you and I'm excited that you're coming to Orlando. As you probably know, Tupperware headquarters are located in Orlando. Are you excited to be coming to the place where it all began? Do you have any plans to visit the factory?

Hello Broadway World!!! I am happier than a metal pole in the Magic Mike sequel to be coming to Orlando, the home of Tupperware World Headquarters. I have been to the home office many times but I have never performed in Orlando which is what makes me doubly giddy to finally be getting to share some giggles and quality food storage solutions right there near the mother ship.

What is it about Tupperware that makes it one of those lasting brands? It's been around forever.

It's literally the best crap on the planet. I mean, when you go to the grocery store and get a plastic bowl, you don't have any thought or association with it other than thinking that you need a place to put your potato salad that no one finished from the tailgate party two weekends ago. When you come to a Tupperware Party, you are with friends and having cocktails and enjoying a night out of fun. it's a party for Pete's sake. You are going to remember the products that you buy and the fun you had there and then every time you get that fantastic piece of Tupperware off the shelf, you are going to have a smile on your face.

Why did you begin selling Tupperware?

My parole officer said I needed a job in order to get my kids back. I almost wanted to smack her in the mouth when she told me that, but when she suggested that I start selling Tupperware, which meant I could go into people's homes and drink for free while I talked about the same stuff that my momma had around the trailer when I was growing up, I thought, "Well, damn it! This is the job for me."

Where did the idea of hosting Tupperware parties come from?

Originally, Brownie Wise was the lady who brought the idea to Tupperware when she got a set of bowls as a gift. She thought they were amazing, because they are, but she figured that just sitting on the shelf at the local hardware store, because that is where they used to sell them, if you can imagine, that no one would ever pick them up. They were too new and too different, so people were passing right by them. But she figured if she took them into people's living rooms and demonstrated what was so amazing about them, then people would naturally want them. And the Tupperware Party was born. Earl Tupper was the inventor that came up with all of it originally, but it took the ingenuity of a single momma from the Midwest to really show the world why these products were so outstanding.

With the advent of the internet and Amazon, doesn't it make having Tupperware parties irrelevant? Why come to your Tupperware party?

Tupperware Parties are the original social network. They were parties where lots of friends got together and shared stories and cocktails and exchanged gossip and learned how to keep their food fresher. Can you get that kind of fun by going to the Google? No, You can't. Sure, you can stay at home and shop in your underwear, but doesn't it make more sense to come to the party. Underwear optional, of course.

I've read that at one point you were number 1 in Tupperware sales and you've won awards for your sales. Are other people who are super competitive about it? Are there any ladies slashing tires out there?

I have been on that stage at the Jubilee, the Annual Tupperware Convention, being recognized for my sales and there is nothing more exhilarating than having thousands of people cheering for you. I felt like Miss America. And the top sellers at Tupperware are actually pretty amazing people. They love to share their ideas and stories about the parties that they host because we are all a pretty good group of friends. I really admire the people that I am lucky enough to be on stage with, winning awards each year. They are the people who inspire me to keep going. It's nice to have supportive friends like that. There ain't no "real Housewives" syndrome going on at the Jubilee.

With success comes haters and imitators. Is there pressure to be number 1 and how do you deal with that?

I don't ever feel like there is pressure to be the Top Seller. It is more of an excitement and a great challenge. Unlike a lot of jobs, Tupperware actually incentivizes you to sell and grow in the company. Each year, the challenges get bigger and so do the rewards. That is what keeps me motivated. It is more exciting than having a night alone with that thing in the bedside table and a fresh crop of double D batteries.

Tell me about audience members who sit on-stage. Is anyone safe?

People who join me on stage are getting to be part of the party. I definitely involve people because I don't want you to sit on your hands and just watch me float around the room like an angel. I want people to play along and help me out and get excited. The people on the stage just get to be that much closer to the action. It's a party after all. They don't call it a "Tupperware sit on your hands and be bored." They call it a "Tupperware PARTY!"

Is each party different? Should people come see you many times before you leave?

I definitely involve the audience a lot and get people up to help me with some of the product demonstrations. There are games and raffles and prizes and all that good stuff and I never know who is going to be joining me up on stage, so each show is different. And that is one of the reasons that I love doing the show so much. After almost 8 years on the road, I still get a giggle every time someone new joins me and shares their story with me.

Now you've played in New York and pretty much all the cool places around the world. What are some of your most favorite places that you've been?

I consider myself so lucky to be able to see the world and meet crazy people from all over. I went to Scotland a few years ago which was crazy. I couldn't understand a damn thing anyone was saying, but they were all so friendly and kept handing me beers so I assume that they liked me. I was in Australia which was amazing because I didn't even think they had food there. I got to go to Canada, which is like Mexico but north of us. They were so neighborly up there that I hardly never even wanted to leave. And of course, there are tons of places here in the US that I have fallen in love with. I couldn't count them on both hands unless I was some kind of mutant that had a real lot of fingers on both hands but then people would stare and that would be rude, so I'll just say that every city is different and every place I get to go, I end up making friends, even if it is behind the dumpster around 12: 30 at night.

Thank you so much for your time! I can't wait to see you and give you all my money!

Well, I am excited to see you at the Party. You are going to have one hell of a giggle, trust me. If you see something you like, you can buy it and in most cases, just take it home with you that night. How exciting is that? The answer is "Very."

Come check out the hilarious DIXIE'S TUPPERWARE PARTY at Dr. Phillips Center's Alexis & Jim Pugh Theatre from March 15 - March 27th. Leave the kids home for this one and be prepared to buy some Tupperware. For tickets and more info visit www.drphillipscenter.org.

Photo Credit: Dixie's Tupperware Party



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