Ewing B-B-Qs realistic?

[the-lost-son]

My favorite Ewing B-B-Q is in season 6 (WB7). Sue Ellen&Peter, Clayton engaged to Miss Ellie (just loved it when JR and Bobby looked at each other). It was marvelous to watch JR inviting the Barnes clan (Pam, Mark, Afton, Cliff) to Southfork.

I wonder is it realistic to invite (apparently) hundreds of people and to cater them? They don‘t pay for the drinks, everything is for free. If I‘m invited to a cook out I bring a gift or salad or something. You don‘t show up with nothing. I mean the Ewings don‘t get invited to B-B-Qs by their guests.

Of course it‘s fiction. But did/do B-B-Qs in that style really exist?

 

[Billy Wall]

My favorite Ewing B-B-Q is in season 6 (WB7). Sue Ellen&Peter, Clayton engaged to Miss Ellie (just loved it when JR and Bobby looked at each other). It was marvelous to watch JR inviting the Barnes clan (Pam, Mark, Afton, Cliff) to Southfork.

I wonder is it realistic to invite (apparently) hundreds of people and to cater them? They don‘t pay for the drinks, everything is for free. If I‘m invited to a cook out I bring a gift or salad or something. You don‘t show up with nothing. I mean the Ewings don‘t get invited to B-B-Qs by their guests.

Of course it‘s fiction. But did/do B-B-Qs in that style really exist?

Absolutely. Rich people live in a different universe than most of us do. Lol Heck, there wasn’t a hundred people there, but we used to have many backyard BBQ’s that were pretty big.

When you’re as wealthy as the Ewing’s, you’re not going to require guest to bring a dish to pass or a gift.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

You are asking EXACTLY the right people here, @the-lost-son . I live in Texas and my favorite thing is these Barbecues.

I can tell you right now that if you asked Sam and Tilly for the invoice on the catering, you would see it billed to Ewing Oil, not Southfork Ranch.


Why? Because it is tax-deductible for Ewing Oil to hold events such as this.

Here's how these big Texas Barbecues work:

@Billy Wall owns an oil services company, let's call it Wentworth Tool and Die. He wants his customers coming back, so he holds a large Barbecue once a year. He invites people like @DallasFanForever , who owns a pumping business and purchases from Wentworth Tool and Die.

If you were holding a barbecue like this, you would also invite people who you want to become your customers.

So the barbecue has two purposes: The socializing and fun part of just eating good food, and also the purpose of building your business.

Make no mistake-- even if the barbecue was just for "Friends and Family", you would invite old man Mainwaring because you really want to buy his refinery and this might be a way to soften him up a bit.

So, how does a good-ole-boy like your buddy TheLastKidPicked get to go to so many Texas Barbecues? Somebody along the way will mention to me, "Hey, Bubba. Did you hear that Punk Anderson is having a BBQ at his place Saturday?" And believe me, I'll be there!

When you’re as wealthy as the Ewing’s, you’re not going to require guest to bring a dish to pass or a gift.

This goes both ways. You want to make an impression on your host. Don't you want Miss Ellie to have a good opinion of you?

So you bring a small gift that can be enjoyed at the BBQ or saved for later. I have a BBQ sauce that I really like. I'll bring two bottles and that way the hostess can serve it for the guests or keep it for family enjoyment later.

Now, folks, here is your chance to impress Clayton Farlow. I have seen this personally and it IS impressive:

@Taylor Bennett Jr. wants to impress Clayton. You will see @Taylor Bennett Jr. quietly speaking with the catering company off to the side.

Later that evening, while Clayton is settling up with the vendors he is told,

"Mr. Farlow, Here are the invoices for the tents, tables, and chairs. And the invoice for the food."
"Great. What about the invoice for the alcohol? "
"That is already taken care of, Sir. . . Mr. Bennett quietly took care of that earlier. He said it was to show his appreciation and friendship."

That's a classy move, right there.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

You are asking EXACTLY the right people here, @the-lost-son . I live in Texas and my favorite thing is these Barbecues.

I can tell you right now that if you asked Sam and Tilly for the invoice on the catering, you would see it billed to Ewing Oil, not Southfork Ranch.
View attachment 26429

Why? Because it is tax-deductible for Ewing Oil to hold events such as this.

Here's how these big Texas Barbecues work:

@Billy Wall owns an oil services company, let's call it Wentworth Tool and Die. He wants his customers coming back, so he holds a large Barbecue once a year. He invites people like @DallasFanForever , who owns a pumping business and purchases from Wentworth Tool and Die.

If you were holding a barbecue like this, you would also invite people who you want to become your customers.

So the barbecue has two purposes: The socializing and fun part of just eating good food, and also the purpose of building your business.

Make no mistake-- even if the barbecue was just for "Friends and Family", you would invite old man Mainwaring because you really want to buy his refinery and this might be a way for him to soften up a bit.

So, how does a good-ole-boy like your buddy TheLastKidPicked get to go to so many Texas Barbecues? Somebody along the way will mention to me, "Hey, Bubba. Did you hear that Punk Anderson is having a BBQ at his place Saturday?" And believe me, I'll be there!



This goes both ways. You want to make an impression on your host. Don't you want Miss Ellie to have a good opinion of you?

So you bring a small gift that can be enjoyed at the BBQ or saved for later. I have a BBQ sauce that I really like. I'll bring two bottles and that way the hostess can serve it for the guests or keep it for family enjoyment later.

Now, folks, here is your chance to impress Clayton Farlow. I have seen this personally and it IS impressive:

@Taylor Bennett Jr. wants to impress Clayton. You will see @Taylor Bennett Jr. quietly speaking with the catering company off to the side.

Later that evening, while Clayton is settling up with the vendors he is told,

"Mr. Farlow, Here are the invoices for the tents, tables, and chairs. And the invoice for the food."
"Great. What about the invoice for the alcohol? "
"That is already taken care of, Sir. Mr. Bennett quietly took care of that earlier. He said it was to show his appreciation and friendship."

That's a classy move, right there.

I knew the LKP would bring the goods on this thread! I always felt the miniseries bbq had a great realistic feeling - it’s like being there as JR butters up a senator, not knowing word of what Sue Ellen called his “Waterloo” was spreading like wildfire among the guests and staff.

 

[Billy Wall]

I knew the LKP would bring the goods on this thread! I always felt the miniseries bbq had a great realistic feeling - it’s like being there as JR butters up a senator, not knowing word of what Sue Ellen called his “Waterloo” was spreading like wildfire among the guests and staff.

But the question was, “is it realistic to invite 100’s of people and cater them?” My answer is absolutely.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I agree @Billy Wall. I think it’s realistic as well. Money breeds more money, and I would think these barbecues are all too common among the rich oil men, especially for the reasons mentioned by @Lastkidpicked.

I personally love this thread just for the reason it seems I now own a pumping business and I’m good with that!

 

[Lastkidpicked]

But the question was, “is it realistic to invite 100’s of people and cater them?” My answer is absolutely.

I agree @Billy Wall. I think it’s realistic as well. Money breeds more money, and I would think these barbecues are all too common among the rich oil men,

Here is the great thing about Texas, and I hope it's the same where you live:

You don't have to be rich to enjoy social events such as these. Many of you know that I'm a field engineer for an oil company. That means I spend my day driving around Texas and Oklahoma repairing oil and gas equipment. I'm having fun but by no means rich.

But I go to these BBQ's all the time just because I happen to hear about them. If anybody asks, I tell them the truth. "Well, Punk and Mavis Anderson, I was at one of your fields Wednesday and I heard about your party."

As a side note, you can tell when I'm pressure testing valves. They have to hold pressure for one hour and I just sit and wait for that hour. So I spend that time on here. If you see me posting all over the place you will know, "The LastKidPicked must be pressure testing valves because he hasn't shut up on here for the last hour."

 

[Chris2]

“Cliff, you bring a Jello salad. And Katherine, will you bring your famous Velveeta and Bugle Casserole?”