When you have people over to your house or you go to someone else’s house, there’s a certain amount of hospitality that is expected, right? Is hospitality the same as it always has been?
On “Live In The D” with Tati Amare, comedian Mike Bonner, AJ Williams, managing editor of the Michigan Chronicle and creator of the website SingleBlackChick.com, and comic and magician Jasen Magic discussed their views on hospitality for “What’s the Buzz?”
If you are hosting family or friends, should you have plans set, or at least an idea of what to do, or is it okay to go with the flow?
In order to please AJ, you must have a plan and a flow in place. Jasen says the formula is 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. cocktails, followed by everyone leaving about 10:30 p.m. and getting a bite to eat on their way home. Whenever Mike throws a party, the rule is “eat what you bring.”
Should you “wait” on your guests, meaning you serve them drinks or food, or is it hospitable to say “help yourself”?
Tati advises having some appetizers on hand for guests to nibble on as they wait for everyone else to arrive. When Jasen and his wife throw parties, there are five distinct phases: appetizers, appetizers pre-dinner, dinner, desserts, and post-desserts. To Mike, the party is a celebration, not a production, so he encourages people to do whatever they want with food and drinks.
What sense of hospitality should be shown if someone shows up unannounced?
AJ says she will be welcoming, but she will speak with the source who invited themselves without permission. AJ’s point of view was echoed by others on the panel.
What if your guest leaves a mess? What if it’s in the bathroom?
The person will be told to clean up their own mess by Jasen because he is a clean freak. You won’t be invited back if you’re messy, according to AJ. Everybody has to pick up after themselves since they are adults, Mike says.
Watch the video above for the full interview.