S08.E20: Apollo Peak, Under the Weather, Seedsheet, Cropsticks

[Tara Ariano]

Quote

Pitches include a wine for cats; a maintenance-free garden; a new kind of chopstick; and a portable shelter for soccer parents. Also: a follow-up with the Chicago trio behind Dude Products, the manly, durable wipes that Mark Cuban invested in during Season 7.

[KaveDweller]

I can't believe cat wine guy got two different offers.  Or that Dude Wipes has $3 million in sales.

It's so annoying that some people get perfectly decent offers and respond by looking at Mark.  That seed guy's face dropped so fast when Mark responded by dropping out. Luckily he managed to recover. If weather guy hadn't gotten an offer from Mark, I think he would have been in trouble because Damond was not as happy and probably would have dropped out or changed his offer.

I must be totally heartless, because Kevin teared up at that guy's sob story and I felt nothing.

[sadiegirl]

I want that garden thing (can't remember what it was called, I guess I need to find that out!) and yes, it was very obvious he wanted to work with Mark. His face just dropped when Mark dropped out.

I'm still in shock that those stupid dude wipes are selling $3 mil a year.  

I'm with you KaveDweller - Kevin has been so mean, unnecessarily so quite often, in my opinion, that when he shows emotion, I don't really care.  

[Fabricationary]

Also shocked that the cat wine got a deal.  Heck, even the cat wino himself sounded surprised in his post-tank reaction.  That tuxedo cat was adorable though!  I missed what happened at the end, after the deal was made - did it scratch Kevin or something?

Portable cage guy's sob story seemed so contrived.  I know the negotiations are highly edited, but the way he went from choking up to talking about how he's all about the $$ and trying to pick Damian's brain on distributors and otherwise get advice for free rubbed me the wrong way.  He's one of the most disingenuous-appearing people I've seen in the tank.

[Quickbeam]

I loved the chopsticks lady. And the product. 

[bilgistic]

I thought the pod thing was ingenious, but unless he incorporates zippered windows on the sides, the socializing aspect of watching sports is gone. I'd think that's pretty much the only thing people are clinging to as they are struggling to get through their 10-year-old's soccer game.

But then, kids don't play in inclement weather anymore, do they?

[Jamoche]

34 minutes ago, Fabricationary said:

Also shocked that the cat wine got a deal.  Heck, even the cat wino himself sounded surprised in his post-tank reaction.  That tuxedo cat was adorable though!  I missed what happened at the end, after the deal was made - did it scratch Kevin or something?

It shed white fur on his black suit.

[LittleIggy]

I love how Robert always has to hold the dog or cat. It's so sweet!

[zxy556575]

2 hours ago, sadiegirl said:

I'm still in shock that those stupid dude wipes are selling $3 mil a year.

Maybe buyers had never heard about personal wipes before? I can't believe that many consumers are getting suckered by the gender claim. People! There are many alternatives out there for 1/3 the price. Being a couple of dude-inches larger does not make a difference. If you are a size queen, there are 8 X 10 aloe wipes by Medline, for example, that are ~4 cents each vs ~12 for Dudes.

I thought this was completely ridiculous product when the segment aired so maybe it's sour grapes on my part. Fortunately I haven't done a scientific comparison of butthole sizes between men and women, but my guess is that humans of approximately the same height also have rectal openings of approximately the same general dimensions. Men don't need a specialized wipe!

[LotusFlower]

28 minutes ago, Lord Donia said:

Maybe buyers had never heard about personal wipes before? I can't believe that many consumers are getting suckered by the gender claim. People! There are many alternatives out there for 1/3 the price. Being a couple of dude-inches larger does not make a difference. If you are a size queen, there are 8 X 10 aloe wipes by Medline, for example, that are ~4 cents each vs ~12 for Dudes.

I thought this was completely ridiculous product when the segment aired so maybe it's sour grapes on my part. Fortunately I haven't done a scientific comparison of butthole sizes between men and women, but my guess is that humans of approximately the same height also have rectal openings of approximately the same general dimensions. Men don't need a specialized wipe!

Makes me think of Just for Men hair dye.  Hair dye is hair dye!  But they take the same exact product (bleach) and advertise it in a different way, and it sells.  

[Racj82]

2 hours ago, Lord Donia said:

Maybe buyers had never heard about personal wipes before? I can't believe that many consumers are getting suckered by the gender claim. People! There are many alternatives out there for 1/3 the price. Being a couple of dude-inches larger does not make a difference. If you are a size queen, there are 8 X 10 aloe wipes by Medline, for example, that are ~4 cents each vs ~12 for Dudes.

I thought this was completely ridiculous product when the segment aired so maybe it's sour grapes on my part. Fortunately I haven't done a scientific comparison of butthole sizes between men and women, but my guess is that humans of approximately the same height also have rectal openings of approximately the same general dimensions. Men don't need a specialized wipe!

I think the point of dude wipes always has been that their is a stigma on adults, especially men, against using wipes to clean. Like it's only for babies. So, this product is proudly proclaiming that it's okay to use. But, fuck all that. Anyone looking down on me for trying to be clean can kick rocks. I've had some people look at me weird when I say I use flushable wipes instead of toilet paper. I don't give a fuck and I'm sure none of them have ever used them so what do they know.

The "bonus" of it being used to wipe you down after a game or whatever is also silly. There are plenty of wipes in the store for that.

[starri]

10 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

I must be totally heartless, because Kevin teared up at that guy's sob story and I felt nothing.

You can sit next to me.  Losing family is terrible, especially when it's sudden and violent.  And the trauma is very clearly bound up in the product for the dude.  It's just...that's irrelevant.  You have a product that appeals to someone for some bizarre reason, and good numbers to back it up.  That's what they're going to care about.

Also, I did not see any actual tears in Kevin's eyes.  And Lori, of all people, seemed a lot more genuine in her condolences.

I actually liked the seed guy, but I wanted to throw things at the TV when he referred to himself as a "Vermontrepenuer."  I am glad he didn't get tripped up in the equity and took Lori's offer, just because I think she's a better fit for him.  Although I don't know where her being big in the home and garden sector comes from.  Daymond is usually the one who invests in those kinds of things.

The Cropsticks couple were adorable, but I don't know if the world needs chopsticks to be reinvented.  I mean, there are only so many Nobu's.

9 hours ago, Fabricationary said:

I missed what happened at the end, after the deal was made - did it scratch Kevin or something?

Oh God, I hope so.  Very cute kitty. It did make me very uncomfortable to see how upset he was when Kevin picked him up.  If a cat looks that unhappy, you put it down.

My cat is immune to catnip, so he won't be enjoying any Pinot Meow.

[Primetimer]

Philip Michaels would never suggest the Sharks are throwing good money after bad, but someone who makes wine for cats just walked away with a deal.

View the full article

[cooksdelight]

I buy baby wipes from Dollar Tree, keep them in the car, in my purse, for when I need a wipe for hands or anywhere else. Dude Wipes guys can suck it.

[Silly Angel]

26 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

I buy baby wipes from Dollar Tree, keep them in the car, in my purse, for when I need a wipe for hands or anywhere else. Dude Wipes guys can suck it.

Seriously. No one cares whether the scent on the wipes is "masculine" or whatever, unless you're a very specific type of sex worker whose clients request your butthole smell of Drakkar Noir. Jesus, American people, put your money into something useful.

The cat wine guy had me howling. He came across as someone who won a bet to create the most ridiculous product and get on Shark Tank with it. I didn't get the passionate belief in his idea that so many Tankers have, whether their products are great or silly. As if cat ladies don't deal with enough derision, now they can share a lonely glass of wine with their furbabies. What's next, Kitten Knittin', which lets cats play-knit along with humans while drinking wine and perusing dating sites? On second thought, don't steal my idea! I think Lori would pony up half a mill for it.

I don't get why the Cropstick lady didn't talk about the Asian population in the U.S. or about taking her product global, as the market in countries where people eat with chopsticks is huge. Instead, she wanted P.F. Chang's to spend extra money to solve a problem that doesn't really exist. The idea isn't bad, but she could have pushed the numbers more. I use hashi holders at home and there are many beautiful designs you can pick up in the Awesome Housewares aisle of your local Asian market.

The seed mat was cool--I hope they do well among novice, apartment-dwelling and lazy gardeners. I'd use it if I didn't enjoy getting my hands dirty among the flowers and weeds. (The only ST product I've bought is from Elephant Pants. A lot of great-sounding products get bad reviews for flimsiness or expense, but some of the stupid ones turn out to be great.)

Kevin is so Trumpy I can barely listen to him. Ugh.

[Fabricationary]

The reviews are in, and even cats won't drink cat wine.

I'm just waiting for the Amazon reviews to spiral into one of these, though.

[Latverian Diplomat]

As was discussed when "Dude Wipes" was pitched, those "flushable" wipes aren't really flushable, and they can and have created huge clogs in sewer systems. So, for that reason, I'm sorry to see another successful product in that space.

I thought the chopstick pitch had the right idea, you can't compete on price initially, because you just don't have the volume. It didn't sound like her prices were that out of line, and she had some customer interest. But Kevin felt the need to stomp on her pitch hard, and none of the Sharks was really up for challenging him, except on tone.

Dear parents, buy a jacket with a hood. It has other uses. See also: umbrellas. I think that shelter bubble is an awkward solution. I also wonder if they can fog up.

The thing about seed packets, is that they contain a lot more seeds than this guy gives you, and you don't have to pay extra for the anti-GMO hysteria. I sure that weed resistant cloth thing is also something that can be bought much cheaper separately. I don't think this is a product that would do well in a gardening store or department. It does, however, seem like the sort of convenience gimmick that's a good match for QVC.

11 hours ago, Jamoche said:

It shed white fur on his black suit.

The best part being, IMHO, that Robert, dressed in lighter colors, absolutely knew that would happen.

[marny]

I have cats.  I love them and have spent more money on them than I'd like to admit.  I would never bother with that stupid cat wine.  My cats like catnip and my cats are perfectly content to drink water. Catnip costs next to nothing-- and you can even get it in spray form if you don't want the little green bits all over the place. Why would I spend $15 on catnip wine? So no, I don't see it as a thing cat people would buy their cats. I see it as a novelty that other people would buy a cat person as a joke gift.

[Racj82]

1 hour ago, Latverian Diplomat said:

As was discussed when "Dude Wipes" was pitched, those "flushable" wipes aren't really flushable, and they can and have created huge clogs in sewer systems. So, for that reason, I'm sorry to see another successful product in that space.

I thought the chopstick pitch had the right idea, you can't compete on price initially, because you just don't have the volume. It didn't sound like her prices were that out of line, and she had some customer interest. But Kevin felt the need to stomp on her pitch hard, and none of the Sharks was really up for challenging him, except on tone.

Dear parents, buy a jacket with a hood. It has other uses. See also: umbrellas. I think that shelter bubble is an awkward solution. I also wonder if they can fog up.

The thing about seed packets, is that they contain a lot more seeds than this guy gives you, and you don't have to pay extra for the anti-GMO hysteria. I sure that weed resistant cloth thing is also something that can be bought much cheaper separately. I don't think this is a product that would do well in a gardening store or department. It does, however, seem like the sort of convenience gimmick that's a good match for QVC.

The best part being, IMHO, that Robert, dressed in lighter colors, absolutely knew that would happen.

And I will point out again regarding flushable wipes that they are not bad for plumbing. They can rip. They are sturdy enough for personal use but they aren't designed like baby wipes where ripping is hard. I've been using them since I was kid because my dad did. 

[Latverian Diplomat]

13 minutes ago, Racj82 said:

And I will point out again regarding flushable wipes that they are not bad for plumbing.

I'm not talking about your household plumbing here, I'm talking about municipal sewer systems, for which there is significant evidence of a problem:

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=flushable+wipes+sewer+problems

No one's stopping you from using a product you like, but don't pretend that people who are aware of a problem with it are just ignorant.

[Racj82]

1 hour ago, Latverian Diplomat said:

I'm not talking about your household plumbing here, I'm talking about municipal sewer systems, for which there is significant evidence of a problem:

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=flushable+wipes+sewer+problems

No one's stopping you from using a product you like, but don't pretend that people who are aware of a problem with it are just ignorant.

Eh. If you and others say so. 

[Jamoche]

12 hours ago, LotusFlower said:

Makes me think of Just for Men hair dye.  Hair dye is hair dye!  But they take the same exact product (bleach) and advertise it in a different way, and it sells.  

Bet it's cheaper, too.

[Racj82]

1 hour ago, Jamoche said:

Bet it's cheaper, too.

I think it just ends up being about finding an angle. That's what most of this stuff is. The product already exists in some form so they have to try and find a different angle or niche to appeal to different consumers. It's wipes for dudes is just really stupid though. 

[aemom]

7 hours ago, starri said:

Also, I did not see any actual tears in Kevin's eyes.  And Lori, of all people, seemed a lot more genuine in her condolences.

I did.  I saw him wipe his eyes and could see that they were wet. I was shocked to discover that the Tin Man has a heart.

Cat wine guy (paraphrasing): "I wasn't expecting to get a deal and I got multiple offers!"

Truer words were never spoken.  Not only did he get multiple offers, they were fighting each other to get the guy to pick them!  I would have never believed that would happen in a million years.

I also cannot believe that the Dude wipes are selling in the millions.  Walmart (their own house brand) sells the same stuff at a fraction of the price.

[Cyranetta]

I was impressed by the SheetSeeds, especially because of the special selections for cooking, like a taco garden, and the focus on ease for urban gardening. Whether or not individual seed packets and the sheeting may be cheaper purchased by themselves, the customer for the SheetSeeds might not be interested in anything beyond convenience.

I have rarely seen such a stupid product as the cat and dog wines, and I would have expected it as an April Fool's joke.

[BusyOctober]

40 minutes ago, Cyranetta said:

have rarely seen such a stupid product as the cat and dog wines, and I would have expected it as an April Fool's joke.

I totally thought that guy was part of another Jimmy Kimmel skit for April Fool's.  And TWO sharks were fighting over the stupid cat wine?!?! I know people love their pets and spend crazy money on them, but come ON!

Daymond was one of the more level-headed Sharks up until this episode.  He jumps to be involved in catnip-laced water, but he poo-poos a legitimate gardening product?  In the words of Mr. Wonderful, Daymond is dead to me after that business move.

Cropsticks are a good idea, but I see the Sharks' point about cost.  Restaurants will not pay more for something to be thrown away.  

[bilgistic]

Not for nothing, I heard of that cat wine before it was on Shark Tank. Someone shared a Facebook post about it with me probably a year ago. But then, I am a crazy cat lady. Still wouldn't buy it.

[DEL901]

17 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I thought the pod thing was ingenious, but unless he incorporates zippered windows on the sides, the socializing aspect of watching sports is gone. I'd think that's pretty much the only thing people are clinging to as they are struggling to get through their 10-year-old's soccer game.

But then, kids don't play in inclement weather anymore, do they?

I hope it has decent ventilation.  Wouldn't be good if someone zipped themselves in and passed out (or worse) from lack of oxygen.

[hkit]

1 hour ago, bilgistic said:

Not for nothing, I heard of that cat wine before it was on Shark Tank. Someone shared a Facebook post about it with me probably a year ago. But then, I am a crazy cat lady. Still wouldn't buy it.

Also a crazy cat lady. I bought Dog Beer and Cat Wine from a boutique pet store maybe 8 years ago? I thought it was hilarious. My pets, however, decided that was too far into the realm of crazy for them and wouldn't even sniff it. And my dog drinks toilet water, so that is saying something. So not only is Pinot Meow not a new or unique product, I don't see it as a repeat purchase. Someone will buy it once as a gag. Unless he tripped on some magic formula that the cats can't resist, my cats will have to continue to stare at me with judgement and contempt while I drink my wine. 

[TVbitch]

I have totally seen the all-weather sports viewing pod before. Can't remember if it was the same guy/company, but I do remember there was also a pod big enough for two. The social aspect did come up, I believe. It might have been on Dragon's Den several years ago and I don't think they got a deal.  

[leighdear]

Ahem......Please don't drag knitters into the "crazy cat lady" trope.  Many of us pay far too much for our yarns and fibers to have a feline chewing on it.  And I drink Vodka, not wine. Just sayin'. 

I love the seed sheet for a patio.  A small roll of the weed-resist sheeting is around $14 at Walmart, (100') so when you add in the time to measure & cut it, the cost of packets of various seeds and some growing medium, you're paying more than the $14.99 for a ready-to-grow sheet.  All you need is a container, water & sun.  Sounds great to me!

The other products just seem ridiculous to me.  Stuck in the tiny plastic cube for an entire soccer game?  Do you have to stake it into the ground, so it doesn't blow away if it's windy and you need to hit the port-a-potty?  And did he say it weighs 7 pounds? So that's in addition to schlepping a chair that fits inside the cube.  And a lounge chair is out, as we saw that Lori's feet barely fit in there. Seemed really small. 

Only 1 good product out of 4 this episode, and I'm definitely heading over to SeedSheet to check out the herb assortment.  I've got a 12" pot  and a sunny patio ready to go. 

[Callaphera]

I was really liking the SeedSheet thing. Until he poured the water on it and it smoked. I'm sure it's just a chemical reaction to the pod thingies dissolving but it was enough to turn me off and decide that it's just as easy to dig a whole in a planter and drop some seeds in it.

I can't even with the cat wine. If it was available in stores, I'd totally expect to get a bottle of it as a gag gift but the cat on the stage? Adorable. If he had been fluffier, he would have looked just like my Duke. And I'm sure Duke would have had the same nose-up-in-the-air reaction to the wine.

[questionfear]

The pods looked really interesting, and I could see them being useful for sports teams too. I can remember going to a laundromat in between rugby game at an all day tourney because we had several hours between games and we were all soaked. Having a few of those would be handy, especially for subs who need to stay warm on the sidelines. 

[mtlchick]

I missed most of the episode but I did see the segment of the pod and I did have a "as seen on Facebook!" moment.  A friend reposted a picture of someone using it at a kid's soccer game and talked to the owner of it: they seemed happy with it as it did shelter them from the wind.  In my area, soccer games are still held in the rain along with outdoor swim meets: they will only call it off if there is the threat of lightning.  I don't see it being that practical in winter in Canada and the Northern US but for other seasons, I can see it being very useful for outdoor games or for those types that camp outside stores for Black Friday and other special sales.

[Mountainair]

I remember seeing a link to those pods on Facebook about two years ago as well. My boys play soccer (we are talking 7 and 4 years old) and our first game this spring season was played in the snow with it actively snowing. A few seasons ago every game was played in a downpour of rain which is how I saw that pod thing-a friend jokingly sent me a link to it. 

I kinda liked the seeds and would pay more money for the convenience of it. I fall into the lazy gardener category. What's nice is that you don't have to row your garden out. Just clear the spot you want for the seeds and you are done.

I couldn't believe the cat wine guy did so well. Not a product for me but the first thing I thought when I saw the product is that it would be the perfect gag gift for my wine and cat loving grandparents. I've actually never purchased a Shark Tank product for myself but I have purchased the Scrub Daddy and Squatty Potty for these same grandparents so they are my go to for these type of things. 

[KaveDweller]

11 hours ago, Silly Angel said:

The cat wine guy had me howling. He came across as someone who won a bet to create the most ridiculous product and get on Shark Tank with it. I didn't get the passionate belief in his idea that so many Tankers have, whether their products are great or silly. As if cat ladies don't deal with enough derision, now they can share a lonely glass of wine with their furbabies. What's next, Kitten Knittin', which lets cats play-knit along with humans while drinking wine and perusing dating sites? On second thought, don't steal my idea! I think Lori would pony up half a mill for it.

Yeah, I kinda wonder if he did have a bet. Some people go on the show not wanting a deal and just hope for good publicity, but this guy wasn't in that category. He was happy with the deal, but really surprised about it. I thought he was very amusing and likeable, although I hate cats so I hated watching the pitch.

It seems like the kind of thing someone buys once as a joke and then never again, maybe Daymond and Kevin saw some value there? Kevin is not the Shark who normally makes an offer if he doesn't see real potential. Maybe whatever was in that wine had a big affect on them.

[zxy556575]

5 hours ago, questionfear said:

The pods looked really interesting, and I could see them being useful for sports teams too. I can remember going to a laundromat in between rugby game at an all day tourney because we had several hours between games and we were all soaked. Having a few of those would be handy, especially for subs who need to stay warm on the sidelines. 

If "regular" men are too humiliated to use unisex (or nondenominational as I like to think of them) bathroom wipes in the privacy of their own homes, I kinda doubt that rugby players would willingly be seen in public huddling inside plastic pods. Also unzipping the things to step out and have a chat with the coach.

I'm not a parent but I believe one of the reasons they watch their children play sports is to audibly encourage them. Or at least be readily visible on the sidelines for support. But maybe "third pod on the right" and "cheering in their heads" is good enough for the kids.

Edited April 9, 2017 by Lord Donia

[LittleIggy]

12 hours ago, Fabricationary said:

The reviews are in, and even cats won't drink cat wine.

One of the reviewers said his/her cat hissed at it! LOL! I have three cats, and none of them cares that I drink wine without offering them a beverage.

[shksabelle]

I just can't with people coming on and breaking down sharing tragic stories. I know they are on the Tee Vee, but this is basically a BUSINESS MEETING. Would they walk into a VC pitch in Silicon Valley and burst into tears?

[starri]

I'm glad to see Lori's normal schtick of "compliment the pitcher if she's out, compliment herself if she's in" hasn't gone away after these many seasons.

[aemom]

54 minutes ago, starri said:

I'm glad to see Lori's normal schtick of "compliment the pitcher if she's out, compliment herself if she's in" hasn't gone away after these many seasons.

Yes! I don't know who gets the credit for originally bringing this to my attention,  but I carefully listen now and try to see how quickly I can predict which way she's going. 

[Spunkygal]

Regarding cropsticks lady, I was begging her to forget the sticks and instead market her skin care regimen. She had gorgeous, luminous skin!

[cmfran]

I've seen Dude Wipes in the closeout section of my local Kroger, right between the dented cans and expired granola bars. They may be getting orders from stores, but I'm guessing they aren't actually selling well.

[Jamoche]

I knew I'd seen that "snap the end off the chopsticks" idea before on a click bait article, and sure enough:

https://www.elitereaders.com/chopsticks-use/

So, she's got a patent for something that's already there? Personally I'm just going to stick to the wrapper-origami approach; you don't need to aim so precisely with it.

[aemom]

2 hours ago, Jamoche said:

I knew I'd seen that "snap the end off the chopsticks" idea before on a click bait article, and sure enough:

https://www.elitereaders.com/chopsticks-use/

So, she's got a patent for something that's already there? Personally I'm just going to stick to the wrapper-origami approach; you don't need to aim so precisely with it.

I know absolutely nothing about chopsticks because I can't get the hang of them, so I have no idea how long these "fancy" ones have been around.

Is it possible that whoever created them never got a patent, or she has a US patent and the other ones have a patent for somewhere else?

[bilgistic]

Not that I ever use chopsticks because I lack the talent to use them (nor go to fancy restaurants), but are restaurants washing the currently used chopstick rest things any better than the tables?

[AuntieDiane6]

Quote

'm not a parent but I believe one of the reasons they watch their children play sports is to audibly encourage them. Or at least be readily visible on the sidelines for support. But maybe "third pod on the right" and "cheering in their heads" is good enough for the kids.

If the kid plays softball or baseball, it can be a LONG time before he or she is up at bat ... Ditto if the kid is waiting to sub into the soccer game.

[Eolivet]

20 hours ago, shksabelle said:

I just can't with people coming on and breaking down sharing tragic stories. I know they are on the Tee Vee, but this is basically a BUSINESS MEETING. Would they walk into a VC pitch in Silicon Valley and burst into tears?

Because this show has become mid-late season American Idol. Complete with one joke audition where the contestant actually has a good voice (cat wine) and one sob story (I could even hear the tinkling American Idol "sad music" as the guy was talking).

Like others, I don't want to make light of people's personal tragedy, but I feel like that story had to have more to it than was shown if so many of the sharks were crying. Not to be callous, but: his brother was killed in a car accident and believed in this product and...that's it?

[ratgirlagogo]

3 hours ago, AEMom said:

I know absolutely nothing about chopsticks because I can't get the hang of them, so I have no idea how long these "fancy" ones have been around.

Ahem, they are the opposite of "fancy."  They are the ones you get from the local bulletproof window Chinese takeout.  That's part of the comedy here.

[aemom]

4 hours ago, AEMom said:

I know absolutely nothing about chopsticks because I can't get the hang of them, so I have no idea how long these "fancy" ones have been around.

16 minutes ago, ratgirlagogo said:

Ahem, they are the opposite of "fancy."  They are the ones you get from the local bulletproof window Chinese takeout.  That's part of the comedy here.

LOL.  As I said, I know nothing about chopsticks to even know how "fancy" they are.  :-)