The Rules

The McLaughlin Group Drinking Game
Number of Players: 4 and up
The McLaughlin Group is a political panel show on PBS. The moderator of the show, John McLaughlin, is one of the angriest men on the planet. I created a drinking game to the show because it comes on Friday nights (at least it does in Charlottesville) and I am usually parked on the couch with a beer in hand anyway. Oh and also because I am a huge loser. The rules are simple, but it requires that you Tivo or tape the show in advance. I think playing it live would be a little difficult. So here are the rules:
1. There are usually between three or four issues discussed each week. McLaughlin delineates each issue prior to the groups discussion of it and usually starts each off by saying "Issue one" or whatever the particular number is for the issue. Whenever McL says "issue" it's a social and everyone in your group drinks.
2. For the first issue, you listen to McLaughlin describe what is going on with the issue in full and then let him pose a question to the group. You then pause the show and pick four words related to the issue. When these words are said, everyone drinks. You keep drinking to these words until McLaughlin cries---
3. "Issue 2" Everyone drinks. Then follow the rules outlined above pausing after he poses the second question. Pick four new words and this time pick a pundit. You will drink only when your panelist says any of the words chosen.
4. The game continues in the same way for any new issue after Issue 2. Whether you pick a new character to play is up to you but I like sticking with the same guy. I usually pick Tony Blankley. As a side note, this is not because I agree with Blankley at all politically, but because Eleanor Clift likes to repeat herself and talk over the other panelists too much.
Which brings us to the next rule.
5. Panelists talking over each other. This rule will destroy your world, so choose wisely. During "Issue 1" whenever the panelists talk over each other you have to drink until the argument subsides. For each subsequent issue, whenever the panelist you have chosen talks over anyone else you (and obviously the other players who are involved in the argument) have to drink for the duration, which is why playing Eleanor is not wise.
6. When McLaughlin shouts "Bye Bye!" you finish whatever is in front of you. He usually ends the show this way, but not always, so you might get lucky. For example, on the show right before Thanksgiving he chose to say "Gobble Gobble" instead.
7. Feel free to add rules and let me know what you come up with. I recently read someone outside our group proposing to do a shot whenever Elenore says "Excuse me!" which I believe to be a little draconian and which we have not implemented in our weekly gatherings to date.

Why play the McLaughlin group drinking game? Because it brings politicos and those who enjoy current events together with people who don't know or care not to know about politics but are looking for an excuse to drink. Throughout the process all will learn deep moral values. It helps to have enough players to cover all the panelists, but it is not required. Can you pick to play McLaughlin? Only if you have a death wish or a stomach pump close by.
If you want to find the schedule for the show or just learn more about it follow the link below:


http://www.mclaughlin.com/

I hope you enjoy it as much as we have, and if you are in Charlottesville on a Friday night and want to play be sure to let me know. We usually get going around 8:45.