Destination Peeps Glory: A Q&A

Our humor columnist will soon head out on her with her friend and diorama partner, Hillary Berman. Oakton Patch thought all you intrigued/amused/bewildered readers would enjoy a forum to stay connected with them while they sojourn to the Chicago Tribune offices.

Please use the comments section to ask them questions throughout the weekend, and check back for their responses and other updates from the ladies themselves. (Tip: Check the "Send me email updates for this article" box for instant notification of new comment posts.) And keep reading to the end of this article to learn how you can participate in a contest being run by Kathleen and Hillary.

But first, Oakton Patch had a few questions for them.

Question: How did your creative collaboration begin?

Kathleen: We met while working in the marketing department of NetSec, a start-up network security company in Northern Virginia.  Soon after Hillary's hiring, we licensed the rights to use the MAD Magazine Spy vs. Spy characters in our promotional initiatives. The company purchased thousands of Spy dolls, on which we had to place stickers with our company's logo – a task that kept us at the office until 2 a.m one night before a trade show. We ended up turning the chore into a party and convinced a few other like-minded co-workers to stay and help us do this. And that late night is where the friendship, shared work ethic and love for creative nonsense were realized. 

Question: Besides the Peeps diorama contest, how else have you collaborated creatively now that you no longer work together?

Both: We have always found ways to challenge each other artistically. For example, for several years we competed in a Christmakkuh (thank you, Jerry Seinfeld) competition where we exchanged creative gifts that had to be constructed according to clearly defined rules. One year we required the incorporation of the largest pair of underpants we could find into a holiday sculpture, and another year we put a $20 price limit on a basket of five gifts that depicted a holiday musical classic. So, it just seemed natural that when we learned about The Washington Post Peeps diorama contest, we would enter as a team.

Question: How did your decision to enter that first Peeps diorama contest turn into an annual obsession?

Hillary: This contest is perfect for us as a team — requiring creativity, a competitive spirit, and just a touch of absurdity.  It’s those same areas (well, the competitiveness and absurdity at least) that have turned it into an annual obsession.

Kathleen: Plus, you know how life is. We both have careers, husbands, kids, commitments…sometimes it is hard to schedule time to just hang out as friends. We both know that we will dedicate this chunk of time every year to the diorama. It is bonding time for us. A ridiculous, at times stressful, always fun, bonding time.

Question: How do you feel about being a finalist in the Chicago Tribune contest rather than the closer-to-home Washington Post one?

Hillary: This is so much better than being a finalist in The Washington Post contest. We have had such a great time turning this into a social media experiment and building momentum online. The people at the Chicago Tribune have had such a great sense of humor about this from the beginning, which has really made it fun.

Kathleen: I obviously feel that the good people of Chicago have a much more evolved aesthetic. Kidding aside (because this is serious business) — I’ll take a win where I can get one. In the Post contest, we’re literally competing against more than a thousand entries, many of which are constructed by professional artists and architects. We will still continue to enter the Post contest, but it doesn’t hurt to get some validation of our efforts in another major city.

Now it's a little out of the ordinary for Kathleen and Hillary to participate in such an ordinary question-and-answer session. So, we're encouraging you to get a little ridiculous (but stay mostly appropriate, please) with your questions and comments. The ladies themselves are holding a contest for the funniest question or comment. The prize? A Peeps hat direct from the only Peeps store in the entire world, a Spy vs. Spy action figure with many violent accessories to commemorate the start of their entertaining friendship, and a "Back Door Guests are Best" sign because they find it hilarious. Flip through the photo gallery to see a picture of this fabulous prize pack! The contest ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

You can also follow Kathleen (@BrutalismBlog) and Hillary (@hillaryberman) on their trip to Chicago via Twitter.