Royal Meeting!!
We’re still pinching ourselves! Two weeks ago, Greta and I were fortunate enough to have had a lunch meeting with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York. Yes, Fergie! Royally cool! We found out that she was coming to Waterloo to do a speaking engagement, and a friend of ours knows her, so we begged him to get us a meeting with her. You know, so we could chat about Weight Watchers, what really happened to Princess Di, if Hugh Grant really is that charming in person, what the Queen serves for Thanksgiving dinner, etc. Lo and behold, our friend Rob managed to get us a meeting! (What does one wear to lunch with a Royal? A stylish hat, perhaps? Guess my Nike ballcap would not be appropriate.)
We met at a fantastic restaurant in Waterloo called Wildcraft, which we had recommended. Luckily, it was 2:30 in the afternoon, so we were tucked away into the far reaches of the near-empty restaurant. It was so great to meet her. At first, she didn’t say much. She had just flown in from Halifax and her schedule had been exhausting, so she seemed very tired. I’m sure the last thing she would have felt like doing was having lunch with a couple of perky, cookbook-writing strangers. We were grateful this was happening at all.
Our friend Rob asked us to tell Sarah “our story.” So we did. At first she just observed us, took it all in as we rambled on and on. She ate her lunch, (a scrumptious salmon salad), listening intently. Then we gave her a copy of Eat, Shrink & Be Merry. She really liked it! She flipped through it, giggling at some of the cartoons and recipe titles. Told Rob it was her sense of humour. Told us it was “very modern.” Told us that David Beckham is coming out with a line of food products and is using cute cartoons on his packaging. Then she told us she’s never cooked a meal in her entire life! Pity!
Next we shared with her our latest “secret project” we’ve been working on. (Can’t tell you what it is just yet. But someday you’ll hear about it!). Well, she really went ga-ga over it. (A good sign!) We also told her our saga about how we’ve been trying to break into the American market this fall with our book and our TV show, and how difficult it is. The US market is so celebrity-centric, much more so than Canada. It takes a mini-miracle to get anyone to return a phone call or email or to open a courier package. It’s very humbling. It’s like we’re back to our 1996 Looneyspoons days, with rejection after rejection after rejection. It doesn’t seem to matter that we’ve sold 1.8 million cookbooks (self-published to boot!) or that we have a successful show on Food Network Canada. Everyone keeps telling us we’re perfect for both Oprah and Ellen, yet getting their producers to listen is next to impossible. We have to find a creative way to rise above the noise. We told her that despite the rejections, we refused to give up. We wouldn’t give up because we truly believe that we can impact the lives of millions of Americans. We know we can get Americans on the healthy eating bandwagon. We just know it!
Well, after our impassioned sister-soliloquey, she generously offered to help us (even though we didn’t ask her for help.) She put her hands on our cookbook and said, “I’m a facilitator. I know a lot of people. I believe that you should be given a chance in the US. How can I help? What can I do? Is there someone you’d like me to call?” Greta and I were looking at each other, wide-eyed and in disbelief. How amazing can she possibly be?
What we discovered, is that she really IS amazing. She was full of interesting, innovative ideas in our meeting. One after another. She is tireless and dedicated and passionate in her charity work involving disadvantaged children. She is a fantastic storyteller. She is a fighter who’s had to bounce back from being pushed to the ground many times, and she’s always come out on top. And after listening to her speech the following day in front of 700 adoring women, what was most obvious to us is that she has a heart the size of Great Britain (and that’s pretty darn big!)
I have to admit that at one point in the meeting, I was sitting there listening to Sarah, The Duchess of York, and I sort of tuned out, my eyes glazing over, and my thought bubble was, “A BILLION people tuned in to watch your wedding on TV! You hung out with Lady Di all the time!” It was surreal. Was this really happening? Greta admitted later that she did the same thing. When she was in la-la land, her thought bubble said, “Your daughters would say things like, ‘Mummy, can we go to Grandma’s castle this weekend?’ This lunch was a lot for us commoners to digest!
After two hours, we shook hands, smiled and said our goodbyes. She said it was lovely to meet us and gave us her business card. (It was very regal-looking. I might put mine in a frame!) Then the Duchess asked for our contact information, because she said that perhaps we should work together some time. Imagine.
You know, even if nothing else ever comes of our Royal meeting, it’s an experience that made my sister and I feel like Queens for a day!
Comments (12)
Leave a Comment
Find us on Facebook and Twitter
Follow us on Twitter and check us out on Facebook for nutrition tips, recipe ideas, breaking J&G news, behind-the-scenes photos, lively discussions and friendly gossip.
Trisha Monts | September 29, 2008 at 1:15 pm →
I think the fans of ESBM should start an email/letter campaign to Oprah & Ellen shows asking to see Janet & Greta! Even if half of the 1.8 million readers do that it would be easier! I am so proud that you are Canadians and are doing a great job and love the cookbooks and Food Network show! My son (3.5) and I watch it religiously… He loves the cartoons and is learning food nutrition and cooking! Keep up the great work!
A loyal Canadian Fan!
Trisha
Melissa | September 29, 2008 at 1:37 pm →
Wonderful story. You know Sarah is doing something right after managing to dig herself out of millions of dollars worth of debt.
I’m excited to know what your new project is though I really can’t imagine it jiving with the stuff Oprah is into these days. (Personally I was thrilled when she promoted Quantum Wellness since I’m one of those raw foodie kinda people and that’s in the same ball park.)
Assuming your top secret project involves food and health, the only angle I can see working is if you convince producers to run a side-by- side health improvement series where various approaches are used and yours is one of them.
Or, gather up a bunch of people, get ‘em healthy and gorgeous and then pimp it to Oprah’s people as tried and true and helpful for viewers…
But this is just plain old me speculating on what you two creative women are up to….
When will we get to know?
Ola S. | September 29, 2008 at 2:39 pm →
Holy cow. If there’s one thing I NEVER imagined you guys would write a blog about, this is it. (I mean that in the nicest way possible, of course!) It’s just way too surreal. I’m in la-la land just reading this nevermind how you must’ve felt actually living it!! ….and that’s about all I can come up with in response to this blog right now (which is a rarity for me because I’m never at a loss for things to say!! haha)
The Empress | October 1, 2008 at 12:20 pm →
The way you guys were gaga over Fergie is the way many of us are over YOU GUYS! It was a thrill for me to meet you at that book signing, and then to get email responses from you was even better!!! I wish you all the success and I wish I knew a producer at Oprah or Ellen I could call a favour in for. I should start asking around….six degrees of separation, and all……
Ola S. | October 1, 2008 at 12:32 pm →
I totally second the Empress’s comment (the first part of it anyway). You’re like our Canadian royals! haha
patty | October 2, 2008 at 10:04 am →
That is so great. I so hope something comes of your meeting. I just can’t figure out why people in America aren’t having you on all their talk shows. I am an American and have personally given your cookbooks to almost everyone I know. I also make your recipes for every party I go to and people ALWAYS ask for the recipes. So, I tell them about your books. Americans NEED you guys here. Seriously.
Janet Podleski | October 3, 2008 at 7:22 am →
Hi Ola,
No, our show hasn’t been pulled off the air. They take it off after the reruns have been playing over and over again. We’re now starting to film season 3, and it’ll be on in April. The Food Network will probably put the reruns of season 2 back up at some point in the new year. (We’ve been getting lots of emails and calls from people asking about this, so maybe we’ll send them all to the Food Network, and then they’ll put the show back on sooner!)
Ola S. | October 3, 2008 at 11:24 am →
In the new year??? Oh please, please, PLEASE send the Food Network our emails so they put it on sooner!!!! I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say we can’t wait that long!!
Pascale | October 7, 2008 at 3:44 pm →
April!!!!!!!!!!! OMG what am I going to do until then! LOL… It’s part on my Sunday morning ritual, get up make the coffee feed the dogs watch ESBM, dang it!
Waters | October 19, 2008 at 10:24 am →
Is it possible to buy season 1 and season 2 on DVD?
I really like to have the whole EAT, SHRINK & BE MERRY on DVD, along with the book.
Ola S. | October 19, 2008 at 5:24 pm →
That’s what I’d been wondering about as well — whether they’d ever put ESBM on DVD. That would be awesome!!! I’d just love that!!!
Lynne Stader | October 31, 2008 at 1:07 pm →
Dear Janet and Greta
I am on the fundraising committee of my daughters school. The school is Janus Academy and it’s a private school for children with Autism. In the Spring we have our Gala/Fundraiser and wondered if you would be willing to please donate a signed cookbook to our cause. I can send you more info. if you think you might be able to help us. Anything from you would be appreciated as you are so popular here in Calgary.
Forever Grateful
Lynne Stader
Gala Committee Member
Janus Academy