Pie in the Face

Slapstick has come to Dallas through Pie Face Inc., a small firm that will deliver a “hit” on your friends, boss or beloved with a paper plate full of shaving cream. Inspired by similar firms in other cities, two enterprising businesswomen set up the company back in April.

“We started with little fanfare and we got swamped with calls,” said La-vella Medford, one of the partners. She and Dottie Smith decided to screen the calls, eliminating about 95 per cent on the grounds that they didn’t want any vengeance business. They were also asked to “pie” some very notable Dallas citizens, and also declined. After all, it is a form of assault, and could land them in jail on a misdemeanor. However, for a minimum of $30 the girls executed contracts on two businessmen.

“The first one we did contributed to his own pieing. His employees took up a collection and he thought it was for somebody’s birthday. We came in, made a speech and presented him with a “Good Sport” certificate. Then we hit him dead center with the pie and ran out of the office laughing like idiots. It was tremendous,” Ms. Med-ford recalled. They took the second victim right in the middle of his talk at a big sales conference at the Apparel Mart.

Because their own business is so time-consuming, the girls have let the pie face business fall a little. Ms. Med-ford is now out of it, but Ms. Smith is planning to expand it soon. Their ultimate dream is a mass pie fight at One Main Place about lunchtime some day. You can call them at 637-5700.