Cake Wrecks: The People's Court Edition
July 27, 2011 Guys, I get a lot of wreck reactions via e-mail. I've seen multi-page rants IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS from bridezillas, blistering sarcasm from disappointed parents, and more "LOL"s than I can count. I've even known one or two brides who had to take their bakers to court to get a refund.
However.
I've never - ever - seen someone sue a baker for over $4,300 over a misspelled name on a $55 cake.
If you can't see the video because you're at work, count yourself lucky. Frankly, I was ready to bash my own head in after the first three minutes. That lady gives crazy a bad name.
Oh, and here's the wreck in question - or at least part of it:
The judge reads the baker the riot act over the cracks in the icing, but also points out to the mom that if you saddle your child with a ridiculously spelled name (it's pronounced "Kiesha" but spelled "Keshia") then you pretty much have to expect people to screw it up for her entire lifetime. And so stop sweating the small stuff already.
Good advice all 'round, wouldn't you say?
Oh, and if *I* were that baker, I think I'd have replaced the cake with something a little more appropriate:
:D(Then I'd direct Ms. Crazy Pants to this blog for an eye-opening dose of perspective.)
Reader Comments (226)
Wow, my name was misspelled on my WEDDING cake and I have one of the top 20 names and the most common spelling of it. We laughed and enjoyed the cake.
My name is Jani. Obviously my mother couldn't spell. I've had it misspelled all over the place, let alone mis-pronounced. At least Keshia could get it pronounced correctly most of the time. I have never once gotten upset over it, let alone tried to take somebody to court over it. Please! Obviously these people have too much time on their hands and too few real issues.
The word "child" is misleading here. When I first read the words "child" and "mom," this is NOT what I thought I would see.
Had the cake been for a pre-school or grammar school age child, the mother's reaction would have been more acceptable... wouldn't you all agree?
I love it that she says, "This is absolutely unheard of! How can you spell the name wrong?" right after talking about how everyone misspells the name on everything.
(and really, who ever heard of any baker misspelling something??)
I forgot to mention the worst thing about my name, the last one: Muhlestein.
Yeah, I've had that one pronounced correctly two, three times in my life. And don't ask about spelling it correctly. I actually enjoy some of the spellings that people come up with: Munklesteen was my favorite.
These people need to grow up. And Mel, (notice the silent, invisible i), you not only rock, but your name is spelled impeccably.
wv: inder, as in, that Rob should have had an inder-cation that something was wrong in his relationship and run far, far away.
So when I got engaged, I also had a party. It wasn't until I arrived at the party, unwrapped the cake and later looked at photos that I realized I was actually having an ENGAGMENT party - I guess weddings are like getting gagged. The point is, that it is *really* funny now. I've been married 10 years, and this was the smallest thing. Get over it lady.
Can't believe I found this site. I am rob from the video. We regret ever going in on this show, I never thought it would be seen by as many people as it did. We went in knowing we were going to lose, i don't know I'd the end of the clip shows our post hearing interview, but yes.... It was dumb. My mother in law is a little nutty yes but she means well. Basically the catering hall management sucked and gave us a shit attitude so instead of contacting the BBB like we should have, we did this. You win some you lose some. Love my family though...
I've seriously lost count how many times people have misspelled or mispronounced my name. It's spelled Angelia, pronounced Angela. Yes, the i is silent. No, there isn't a missing n (Angelina) or c (Angelica).
I learned at an early age to let it roll off my back. At age 5 when I started school to be precise.
And due to my love of people misspelling my name, I didn't spell my nickname (Angi) the proper way either.
Yes, I passed on the life lesson to my children. There names are not so common and have a y instead of i's in their names.
Angi from http://www.timandangi.com/blog/" rel="nofollow">Tim and Angi's Blog
I work with electronic medical records, and you will not BELIEVE what people decide to call their newborns, especially twins. No, extremely similar names with same DOB won't mess anyone up. Our team always says there should be a test before the birth certificate(s) are filled out. Also, when filling the sheet out, PRINT CLEARLY. Maybe mom in this case many years ago thought she spelled the name correctly, but the dot for the "I" wandered a little too far over to one side.
Also, if you have a son, and he's born on the same birthdate as the father, DON'T make him a Jr. Just spent three hours pulling that type of mixed record apart today.
The spelling of my name is slightly uncommon for a man. Which confuses folks a lot, since I'm a woman.
I've been asked if I'm sure I am spelling it right. Why, NO! Thanks for pointing out my error! And I was assigned a bed in the men's dorm at college (never did meet that roommate) despite filling out a mountain of paperwork and checking the "F" box for my gender every time.
At Starbucks (or anywhere else it doesn't really matter) I answer to Ann, Karen, Mary, and once Nora. Weird.
Also, it's a surprisingly hard name to pronounce: ARRR-uhn, EEEE-run, uh-RONE, uh-RUNE, ah-rohn.... Nope, just Aron. Like Aaron, or Erin. Don't over-think it.
I still haven't sued anyone. It's easier to just look up and say, "that's me!"
Maria: I have the same problem, but the other way around. Loads of people (including the receptionist at my old dentist's office every goddamn year no matter how many times my mother corrected her) somehow arrive at the assumption that the "e" at the end of my name is really a cleverly-disguised "a". I got used to it, but for some reason it doesn't happen as much anymore. But you know that damn song from "West Side Story"? It always drove me nuts when people even so much as referenced it to me. My third grade teacher actually SHOUTED it at me in front of the entire class upon first meeting me, leading me to develop an irrational, burning hatred for that song (though I generally love the rest of the musical). The thing is, though, most people who mention/sing/shout that song to me don't usually do it because they genuinely believe that that's how you say my name, but more because there is a serious lack of popular songs with my real name in them - which is really more than okay with me because I think I would actually be even more mortified if people tried to serenade me with my actual name. :P
I had a bus pass in middle school with the name "Mariel" printed on it because my mom put my middle initial on the application. But "Manatee"…just…wow. >.<
On the subject of creative names: one of my uncles apparently had trouble applying for a visa years ago because he shared his name with a criminal. Hence, he invented unusual names for his three children. So which is really worse: Having people constantly misspell/mispronounce your name with the unusual spelling that's partially derived from either a southern rock band or a ridiculously resourceful TV action hero? Or coincidentally sharing your name with a murderer/terrorist/serial killer/etc.?
I loved the comments. I burst out laughing so many times. Also I loved when the judge asked Rob if he was scared. He should be!!!
My name has been misspelled my entire life. No biggie! I love that my name is different then every other persons.
I think I'm going to join Mel (with the invisible I) and just tell everyone my name is Cortney but the U is invisible.
For those of us who can't/won't sit through that video, how did the judge rule? (I would have told Ms. CrazyPants to go decorate her own cake. Only not quite in those words.)
Wow. Just wow. I've heard of bridezillas before, but, pun intended, this one takes the cake.
I fired my own cake baker/decorator 3 months prior to my own wedding for being completely uncooperative and nasty to me(to the point of making me sick for two days)...but I didn't sue.
Spoke to the manager, told him all I wanted was the contract cancelled and my $50 deposit(usually nonrefundable) back. He complied and apologized and that was that for me.
Not for the baker, apparently. I know she had to be told about the contract being cancelled, but she tried calling TWICE more after that. Once two weeks before the wedding, and once the week OF the wedding, long after I had my aunt do the cakes(like I wanted to begin with) and been refunded.
Still didn't sue the local store she worked at, simply told the manager of her behavior and let him handle it. Over a $300+ cake.
Over a couple grand for a $55 cake? I don't think so. Has that lady ever heard of "Get what you pay for"?
wv: purge - Hopefully that hubby-to-be purge(s) her from his life fast. Yikes.
Kiana
Loved that episode! I felt so sorry for the poor groom, at least once I got over my shock over the price of the "engagement party."
Or the fact the mother used to throw away her trophies because of the name being misspelled! My own grandmother misspelled my name tons of times, still loved me! Fortunately I grew up with a mom who taught me to laugh at the small stuff - and it's almost all small stuff!
Why do people go insane over delicious cake? It's meant to be eaten and enjoyed! I'd laugh over it and send it to Cake Wrecks after making it a silly point of the party.
My my my some people just need to pull the stick out of their-- err. Eye. Yeah, their eye.
In defense of weird names...We have a very, very common last name, so we chose to give our children unusual first names. Mostly we did it because we came up with 'different' names that we LOVE, but it will also be nice for them to be able to use their names as their email addresses some day. May not seem that important, but the world is becoming more electronic; there are loads of Facebook accounts with my name. The kids' names aren't difficult to pronounce; they're just different. As a Kristy, I've had to spell my name my whole life - can start with K, C or CH, and end with Y, I, IE, or more recently EE. It doesn't bother me. It doesn't bother me to spell my kids' names at the bakery, either. I cannot imagine suing - or even getting upset - at a misspelled name!
My name is Alison- with one "L" people have spelled it with two "L's" my whole life. I even had an Aunt that spelled it "Alicion" After a while, (Read:" by the time you're 6) you get over it.
This is the most ridiculous and immature thing I have ever heard, and from two grown women at that!
Well, hi, Rob! Welcome to Cake Wrecks! =) No worries; it is silly but we all know how those courtroom shows are. I've been in the audience for them and I've seen how they choreograph the proceedings.
Yes, I'd still say it was rather an overreaction to a name misspelling, but I can also see how your mother-in-law may have wanted to make a point with all the fuss, since she did make a big point with the bakery about the spelling, and since she did tell them she'd hold them responsible for the party if it was wrong. Plus, there really is no excuse for that icing.
*shrugs*
Hopefully you can all laugh about it now - or will be able to, some day soon!
~ Jenevidee
Hey, Jen! Do you follow Cakelava? (Bet you do.) I know you have a thing for seahorses, so get a load of this dreamy cake:
http://cakelava.blogspot.com/2011/07/seahorses-and-turtles-birthday-cake.html
Love it, love it!
i seriously just about died laughing when the judge said something to the effect of: maybe you shouldn't have kids if you can't deal with life's small problems properly...LOL!!
Wow. This woman needs to get a grip. I. Am kind of stunned speechless right now. My name is constantly misspelled and mispronounced, and not once have I felt the urge to sue someone over it. I. What? *blinks*
I don't see anything wrong. Maybe a little much, but not really wrong. You want to be sure the name is spelled correctly on a cake you paid for after all.
Wow I love that judge. What the heck was that lady thinking? My last name is incredibly simple, only four letters "Barr" and yet, it has been misspelled and mispronounced A LOT. Chick is crazy for getting really mad no one can spell her kid's name right when she spells it weird!
Try getting your Masters diploma that says you got your degree in a different department!
I know what it's like to spell your name out for someone and still have them spell it wrong. So I get that. Except that my name is spelled like it should, and not like someone with dyslexia wrote it on my birth certificate. I'd feel sorry for the girl because her mom set her up for experiencing minor annoyances for her whole life, but she seems to be just as crazy as her mom.
We named our daughter Kelley because we liked the way the name looked on paper. We had no idea how many problems we would be causing for our poor daughter by inserting that extra visible and silent "e" into her name.
She, being the resourceful sort, has found a way to get through to people how to correctly spell her name - she simply tells people that her name is spelled the same as the Kelley School of Business at her university.
Years ago, when I was in college, my Mom called and ordered a birthday cake to be delivered to my dorm. I still have the photo: "Happy Birthday Eddie."
My name is Betty.
wv: inabless. Inabless the cakemakers.
Hi Rob,
Do yourself a favor and don't show your Mother in Law this blog. I don't think she'll appreciate the comments.
Good luck to you and Keisha. You seem like a really nice guy, I hope you have a happy life together!
I just tell people that my mom spelled my name wrong. Deana pronounced De Anna not Deena. the weirdest spelling i've had was Denana (which one of my coworkers wrote on a message and now several call me that) While I will erase an extra n, I get way more upset when they call me by the wrong name (Denise or Danielle) D.
I thought the same thing, Basiljen. Not only was she outraged that people never spelled it "correctly", but she seemed quite confident that "Keshia" was the accepted spelling of the name. She pulled a bit of a face when the judge remarked about unusual spellings. I guess it could happen. Perhaps "Keshia" really is pronounced "kee-sha" where that woman is from... in the same way "asked" is pronounced "axed", ya know?
Nothing unusual here. A bit over the top, but come on now, wouldn't any mother do something like that if a baker spelled HER child's name wrong?
We have been getting a LOT more of these extreme high maintenance customers lately. I have "fired" four of them-these people are soooooo not worth the stress, pain, & suffering they inflict everywhere they go.
A couple of these former customers have tried ordering from us again a few times but I have told them that they need to find another bakery that would be a better fit for their special requirements (and good luck finding one!).
One lady called us for two weeks straight, up to 10 times a day...every...single...day (I kept count & soooo wished I was kidding) to discuss the cake order for her 10 year old daughter's birthday which was a pretty simple cake from our perspective. She also kept trying to get us to lower the price because "she'd tell her friends about us". Frankly, if they are ANYTHING like her, I'd rather go broke. One of the follow up cakes that she tried to order through us was for her dad's birthday that evening (to be delivered of course) that she forgot about until 11am that morning. She tops my list of our "most special customers" and I made sure to call all of the bakeries that we are on good terms with and to warn them about dealing with this one. She was that "special".
Rant is over...I'm going to write a book I swear.
Way back,us little kids discovered swearing and simultaneously that we weren't supposed to - so being resourcful brats, we found alternatives. Criminy! ( pronounced Crime Inny) Geeeez, Shoot and ... Keesh! I'd forgotten. Gives me a second expletive for at work [ along with Ombedu Giggi], maybe runrobrun too.
w.v. aranth "aranth is as good as a rave on Cakewrecks".
"My name's Galinda. The 'Ga' is silent."
Try telling someone your name is Angel (I even spelled it for her because she asked), then I get an email from that person and now my name is spelled Beth.
I've also had Angle, April...though to be fair, I have met an April who gets called Angel so I guess we're even Stephen ;) on that score.
Oh, and follow up to my first post.
We have dealt with some very nice extreme high maintenance customers. There's just a certain group that it doesn't matter what you do, right or wrong-they have to go overboard.
For the record, the customers that I "fired" had all of their orders done correctly. The reason they are no longer welcome is that they acted like this lady reacted, all the way up to the completion of the order.
Life's been a lot more peaceful since;)
My friend ordered a cake for her 2 year old son, Isaac's 2nd birthday. She got "Happy Birthday, Isaaq". I now call him "Isaaq" whenever I can because it's just funny.
I've never seen the misspelled name spelled anyway except "Kesha" or "Kisha". While this does not make it any less acceptable for a bakery to get a name wrong when it has been written out for them, this does not make it wrong for a parent to pick a non-Biblical name.
So..now that the Bible can-of-worms has been opened, why is there this sudden sentiment that the only RIGHT way to name a child is with the AMERICAN or CHRISTIAN way? How soon people forget that modern English is only five centuries old, and that English is not the only language spoken on Earth.
As far as I know, Keisha..or Kisha..or K3$h4..however you want to spell it, is just another invented name..just as names like John and Peter had to be invented at one time or other in history. There's no right way to spell it..only more common and less common ways. I'm sure Ivan and Pedro would agree with me here.
"Don't sweat the petty things--and don't pet the sweaty things!"
Words to live by, for sure.rmy
I think it is hilarious that Anonymous at 9:27 pm still spelled the poor girl's name wrong!
Oh please. People can mess up "Jennifer" (MS Office's spell check turned it into an STD) and it's one of the most common names in this generation. Still, name changes are pretty easy. Too bad Keshia seems too cowed by mama's raging.
WV - foodu Ha! You thought I was serious, but I foodu!
You gotta love how people try to get stuff for free. Did they eat the cake? Then they got what they paid for. We don't sell cakes for people to look at. They are to be placed in the mouth, chewed with saliva, swallowed, digested, and eventually pooped out. The taste buds and intestines don't give a damn that it wasn't spelled right.
They should misspell her name on the court documents.
I don't understand why she suddenly flipped out, the woman was trying to explain that she wasn't on a tab, and it's like the "Judge" didn't want to hear it after asking the question... I get the whole idea, and it's silly she wanted the cost of the party back, I think it's also silly that they were charging so much for a party, when the main thing (cake) was only 55.00! People are nuts.
for the last nine years I have worked with high school seniors supplying graduation items. My first lesson to hit home was NEVER believe I know how to spell a name, no matter how simple it sounds. I have found that the touchiest parents are the ones with the craziest sense of spelling. I asked a mom how to pronounce her daughter's name (on a form in front of me) and the exasperated answer was "G E S I K A, Jessica!" So I smile and nod but NEVER say it out loud if they have not said it to me! Life is too short...
I have to say, as someone with a weird name, I can't tell you how annoying it gets when I'm on the phone at work. I spell my name every single time, and still I've been called Priscilla, Brea, Brianna, Vanessa, even Brieffa and Priessa. But seriously... they should be laughing at the cake, not suing the caterer.
It's not just uncommon names or spellings that get butchered. Mine's Sierra (which is common enough, as it's a car and a mountain range) and people still find ways to screw it up. My husband is Riley (also not hard) and people overcomplicate it constantly.
Seeing as 'normal' names get murdered, I wasn't afraid to give my kids strange names. I knew they'd get mispronounced and mispelled, so whatever. Corran gets the 'Corrin' and 'Korran' treatment, among others, though its' hard to mispronounce. Tycho on the other hand gets spelled Tyco or Tyko, and mispronounced as Ty-cho when it's Ty-ko.
Ah, the English language does not help matters one bit.
I worked with women like that. "Oh my gaaaaaawd, you have a hangnail! Let's take up a collection to make you feel better!"
I am SOOO glad you posted this! I watch People's Court all the time and this episode made me want to comment and had no place ~~ the mother TOTALLY over-reacted. My thoughts were that the mother is teaching her child to expect people to be so much more than sorry for small mistakes. I felt even more sorry for the new son-in-law. He probably didn't even want to be there!