Cautionary tales

"Years ago at a TONY holiday party, a tude-wielding Music writer carried her edginess a little too far. At the end of the night, she drunkenly screamed, ‘I hate you all. I quit!’ Then she stormed out. The next day, she came into the office and attempted to retract her dramatic gesture, only to be told that was not possible. She was out for good."—As told to Dustin Goot, Web editor

"It was long rumored that the VP in a company I worked for wore a toupee. So the night of the holiday party some assistant walked up to Mr. VP's table, grabbed a handful of hair and yanked. Luckily for her—and for him, I guess—it didn't come off."—Elizabeth Barr, editorial director

"At one holiday party I attended while working at a hotshot law firm in Washington, D.C., several first-year associates (and maybe a partner or two) did a tragic little dance—in costume—to 'YMCA.' It was horrifying."—Melissa Anderson, Film editor

Embarrassing dances, hair high jinks, career suicide—those are surely nothing compared with the train wrecks you've witnessed in your day. Please add to our compendium of schadenfreude by sharing your own story in the comments box below.