Simple one today: know that game where you punch someone when you see a Volkswagon Beetle (and not any other VM model)? What do you call that game?
Let’s head off “I call it stupid! Hur hur hur!” right now, ok?
“Punch buggy,” but only because that’s what they called it on “The Simpsons.” I don’t really remember playing it as a kid.
And for the record, the only correct answer is “Punch Buggy”. “Slug Bug” is for people who need things to rhyme. You know – like four-year-olds.
Sorry, it’s Slug Bug and any other answer is wrong, and I’m sticking my fingers in my ears so I can’t hear you LA LA LA LA LA LA LA…
Well as of now all is right and true in the world as Slug Bug is winning the poll as it should.
Either one. Some people call it one thing, some call it another, both are right.
When the RhymerSiblings were young, it was generally, “What alternate reality do you hail from that you don’t expect me to kick your ass for hitting me when you see a car?”
But actually Puncho-Puncho.
Neither. We called it Peanut. I have no idea why, but the usual protocols were followed, except that we called out “Peanut!” before punching living hell out of our opponent.
I’ve never heard it called “Slug Bug” before today.
So do people shout out “Slug bug green, no returns”, for instance?
We always called it “slug bug” where I grew up. It was just “slug bug”. No color, nothing else except the accompanying slug in the arm.
All the kids where I am now call it “punch buggy” and just to make it more complicated it is “(color) punch buggy no punch back”. If you get the color wrong, the punchee can punch the puncher back in the arm. If you forget to say “no punch back” the punchee can punch the puncher back in the arm.
I first heard it as Beetlebug X, where X is a color of the Bug that has been seen.
We have a long list of rules: Old ones are double punches, yellow ones are double punches, anything unusual are double punches, and they combine, so Slug Bug Yellow Old is 4 punches (we’re a violent family).
We sometimes play a variation, where someone calls Slug Bug, and the last one to see it is the one that gets whacked. Also, if you call Slug Bug and it isn’t one, everyone gets to hit you! Fun times…
We call it “Jack Sparrow” and instead of a VW on the road, it’s whenever you see a customer dressed up as Jack Sparrow at Ren Faire.
A couple years back, there were LOTS of bruised arms.
I know it as “Slug Bug” and a big punch to the other’s shoulder. Learned it early-70’s (as a kid) while on vacation in Dayton/Chicago, staying with Mom’s folks. Upon returning to Texas (just north of Houston) a month or so later, I found out that plenty of other kids already knew the Slug Bug routine and were happy to play along (usually on a school bus!).
Punch Buggy just sounds so wrong. So very, very wrong.
I voted for “slug bug”, but I never heard it until I was about 15 or 16, from a friend. I was startled as hell when she punched me while we were in the car one day. I didn’t play it growing up. (I can’t imagine my hippie parents encouraging a game that involved punching people.)
Before the commercial, I’d never heard of this practice. I don’t get it…
In my family, we always played “Bebop”.
It was a few decades before I considered this might be a reference to the sound the horn might make (I’ve never had someone in a Bug honk at me, I’ll have to find one to try that…)
Now I got a funny visual of a Volkswagen Beetle wearing a big cowboy hat.
I never played it as a kid; I think my kids may have played it with their friends. But I don’t remember which thing they called it.
I’m just happy I got a spin-off.
“Punch bug” here, not “buggy.” Born raised Chicago, 34.