The Mint Gala is the 13th episode in airing order of Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City Season 2, and the 17th episode in official order. It premiered on September 10th, 2022.
Summary[]
The Purple Pie Man wants to be the star of this year’s Mint Gala even if he has to resort to sabotage…
Plot[]
Cutaway: Lime Chiffon shoves a magazine into the screen, as she explains the Mint Gala is the biggest fashion event of the season.
Lime tells Strawberry Shortcake that the Mint Gala's theme this year is "confection", and that her father, Fluffy Chiffon, is designing the dress for famous model Banoffee. Strawberry is excited at hearing the news.
Cutaway: Strawberry explains that Fluffy Chiffon getting to design Banoffee's fresh Mint Gala dress is a huge opportunity. She expresses excitement at seeing what he's come up with.
The two girls see the dress on the mannequin and are amazed. Fluffy confidently tells them that they have the correct response to the dress. He describes the dress as being like cotton candy clouds floating in a blue sky, and how Banoffee will slay the runway...once she actually arrives. Lime tells her father that she's sure Banoffee will love the dress. Fluffy Chiffon agrees, since he's the one who made it.
Meanwhile, The Peculiar Purple Pieman is enraged at Fluffy Chiffon, as every year Fluffy's designs rule the runway, yet he always refuses to dress the Pieman. Purple Pieman declares that this year he will rule the pink carpet, all while wearing an outfit too ugly to describe in words. Sour Grapes asks him if he's seen the outfit he's wearing, which Pieman defends as being "Jellybean Realness". He quotes a saying his Grandpa Piecrust used to tell him, "If you can't win fair and square, cheat!", and grabs the glass of grape juice Sour Grapes was holding.
Pieman approaches Fluffy Chiffon and Banoffee's dress, telling him white lie compliments about the dress, all while getting closer to the dress with the grape juice. Suddenly, Pieman fake-trips and spills the grape juice all over Banoffee's dress, shocking everyberry. Fluffy begins fretting over the ruined dress as Pieman expresses faux-shock at the incident, blaming Sour Grapes for bumping into him (which she tries to deny, but Pieman shoves a scone in her mouth before she can do so). Pieman gives his false condolences to Fluffy, remarking that one would almost think he did it on purpose if it wasn't obviously an "accident", and tells Fluffy there's no use in crying over total humiliation as he bids aideu to them.
Fluffy is devastated about the spill, saying Banoffee can't wear the dress now, and his career is sure to be ruined. Lime tries to comfort her dad, telling him they'll help save the dress. Strawberry agrees with Lime, as there's always a solution. Strawberry immediately comes up with an idea, grabbing a pair of scissors, cutting out some fabric, stitching it together... only for it to be a hastily-added curtain that barely covers the stain. Fluffy, unamused, tells Strawberry she should stick to baking. Strawberry removes the curtain, and Lime puts a flower over the stain, but Fluffy points out that the flower is more "garden party" than the confection theme. He then tries adding another splash of grape juice to try and disguise the stain as an intentional design choice. Fluffy notes that it's not a good one, however, and it doesn't say Fluffy Chiffon, but Fluffy Chif-failure as he dramatically collapses onto a neaby chair. Strawberry tells Fluffy that her Grandberry Jam always told her "failure is the first ingredient in a recipe for success". He dismisses this, telling Strawberry that if Grandberry Jam has a recipe for a stunning runway gown that transcends fashion, send it his way. Strawberry immediately smiles an enormous grin, to which Lime asks if she has an amazing idea, which Strawberry confirms.
She rushes to the Extraordinary Berry and quickly bakes a gingerbread cookie shaped like a dress, presenting it to Fluffy and Lime. The two are amazed and Fluffy immediately begins drawing up designs. A short montage occurs of the three putting together the new dress, baking gingerbread pieces and finalizing the design. Afterward, Fluffy is impressed, and Strawberry points out he did tell her to stick to baking.
Just then, Banoffee finally arrives, much to Fluffy's surprise. He tries to break the news about the dress to her, explaining that he knows it's not the design they agreed on, but Banoffee tells him to stop talking, as she absolutely loves the dress. She asks how he managed to come up with something so... delicious, and the screen cuts to an awestruck Lime and Strawberry, who giddily says hi to Banoffee.
Later, The Mint Gala has begun, and the paparazzi begin swarming the entrance to take pictures of the Purple Pieman. One of them asks about his outfit, and Pieman confidently begins to go on a spiel about how no designer is as talented as him. Suddenly, one of the journalists notices Banoffee and everyberry immediately swarms over to her, as Pieman can only stare in awe at Banoffee's new dress. The journalist asks Banoffee why she chose this delicious dress as she walks down the steps. Banoffee answers that as a transberry, she loves living out loud as her most authentic self, and to dress as bold and unique as she is, which she remarks is a tall order. She compliments Fluffy Chiffon, saying that he found two new designers who blew her away, Lime Chiffon and Strawberry Shortcake. The paparazzi take photos of the two girls with Banoffee, and begin asking them what their inspiration was for the dress. Strawberry tries to come up with an answer, but Lime finishes her thought, saying that they were "defying confection (convention)".
Meanwhile, Purple Pieman watches from the distance, seething at once again being upstaged by Fluffy Chiffon's design. He begins walking away, but immediately trips down the stairs, landing face first in a hilarious position as the paparazzi begin taking photos of his total humiliation.
Cast[]
- Ana Sani as Strawberry Shortcake, Paparazzi (uncredited)
- Margarita Valderrama as Lime Chiffon
- Omari Newton as Fluffy Chiffon, Journalist 2
- Felicia Bonée as Banoffee (uncredited)
- Ian Hanlin as The Peculiar Purple Pieman, Journalist 1
- Meg Roe as Sour Grapes
Non-Voiced Appearance[]
- Peach Trifle
- Grandma Buttermilk Beignet
- Genoise la Creme
- Mrs. Crumbcake
- Honeydew Sorbet
- Hippy Berry
- Berry Mary
- Peanut Butter Crisp
Trivia[]
- This is Fluffy Chiffon's fourth appearance after “Berry Bounty Banquet”, "Bread Pudding's New BFF" and "Berry Bounty Bolt”.
- This episode introduces the first transgender character in the franchise, Banoffee.
- Both dresses for Banoffee feature the colors of the transgender pride flag. Her regular outfit also features the colors to a much subtler degree.
- This episode was nominated for Outstanding Children’s Programming in 2023's GLAAD Media Awards Nomination. [1]
- This is the second episode of the Berry in the Big City series to be nominated, after “Berry Bounty Banquet”.
Continuity[]
- Fluffy Chiffon's fashion designer career plays a major role in the episode, and was first established in Bread Pudding's New BFF.
- Lime Chiffon's love of fashion is brought up again.
- The running gag of Strawberry having an enormous grin whenever she comes up with a solution to a problem occurs again.
References[]
- The Mint Gala's name is a pun on the Met Gala, an annual fashion exhibition and fundraising gala that celebrities take part in to support the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. The event has been noted to be popular amongst the LGBTQ+ community.
- Banoffee herself is based on her voice actress, Felicia Bonée, who is an actual trans model.
Errors[]
- Felicia Bonée is not credited in the episode for voicing Banoffee.
Video[]
Gallery[]
Click here to see the gallery of the episode.