People sitting at this table did it!" At that, Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin all stopped dead in their tracks, looking visibly stunned and confused.

At a recent dinner party, I raised a glass to say “happy birthday” to a new friend across the table. We’d be celebrating with six others over a four-course meal with cocktails, wine and three hours of ...