Workplace dynamics can be stiff, but for Taylor and her boss, Tony, the vibe is more like a chaotic family sitcom. Taylor, who posts on TikTok as @tgerbs, has built a massive following by sharing her wholesome, often hilarious interactions with Tony, a much older boss who has become a grandfather figure to her.
In a video that has charmed millions, Taylor decided to test the limits of Tony’s patience. Her plan was simple: prank-call him from her desk phone, over and over, until he finally snapped. What could go wrong?
“Seeing how many times I can call my boss over and over again until he gets mad,” the video’s text overlay reads.
Tony knows how to keep his composure
The clip opens with Taylor giggling at her desk as she dials Tony’s extension. When he answers, she asks a mundane question about an inspection. Tony answers diligently. She hangs up, waits a beat, and dials again.
“You just called me,” Tony says, sounding mildly confused but still polite. Taylor presses on, asking another question. Tony answers.
By the third call, the absurdity ramps up. Taylor asks if he’s coming in tomorrow. He says no. She insists he “definitely” needs to come in for a “meeting.” Tony, ever the professional, agrees. “All right,” he sighs.
“I’m buying, and you’re flying”
By call number four, the cracks start to show—but not in the way you’d expect. “Now what could you possibly want? You’ve called me five ti—” Tony starts, only to be cut off by Taylor asking if they can get breakfast.
Instead of exploding, Tony starts laughing. “Yes, yes, we can get breakfast,” he chuckles, adding a classic dad-joke stipulation: “so that means I’m buying and you’re flying.”
She calls a fifth time (“Good lord,” he mutters, still answering) and then a sixth. By this point, the jig is up.
“Hey, you stranger, feels like I haven’t talked to you in a while,” Taylor jokes.
Tony bursts into laughter. “Why don’t you just write everything down and then call me one time?” he suggests, reasonably. “Look, it says a lot because you answered every single phone call…I would’ve blocked you by now,” Taylor admits.
Tony’s response perfectly encapsulates why their relationship resonates with so many people. He tells her he answered every time just to make sure the business runs smoothly. The video is a testament to a rare kind of workplace psychological safety—where an employee can annoy her boss six times in a row without a write-up, only to elicit shared laughter. It’s a wonderful example of the fact that work doesn’t have to be stressful; done right, it can be fun. How many people are totally fine with pranking their boss? Not many.
“He’s more like a father than a boss,” one commenter observed. Another added, “I would answer my daughters’ calls every time too, no matter how many times they call me.”
This article originally appeared earlier this year.
