This scenario actually happened to me about 20 years ago, only I was holding a stem glass of wine, not coffee. I did a complete somersault without spilling a drop!
Mattress companies sold their products with guarantees. Occasionally people would claim their mattresses were not performing up to expectations, meaning firmness, springiness, or other factors. I was sent out to run tests on the mattresses to see if they indeed were defective, or if the consumer had simply decided the mattress was too firm or soft AFTER the purchase. So I would go to the consumer’s residence and run tests on the mattress.
Worse yet, when the actors are supposed to be eating ice cream, they give them mashed potatoes, which won’t melt under the klieg lights.