I had a job interview once at a dual language company (me Eng, them another but spoke English) They asked what entailed in a previous job i had held, and I told them, “[…] making sure to give the customer an 'award-winning- smile.”

I knew this phrase had been used before metaphorically by people, after some of my own trial and error, but the interviewers then were surprised and then asked how I got the award.

I got dumbfounded by how seriously they took my attempt at light-hearted conversation, then I had to explain to them it doesnt always mean seriously.

Weird return on that one. Caught me so off guard.