# The Exciting Game With One Rule **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 9, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239 "2014-03-09T03:34:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/221 "2014-03-15T18:10:16Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Not in this particular case, no. So is this primarily the role of a male? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/222 "2014-03-15T22:21:46Z")
Yes, it is. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/223 "2014-03-15T22:29:20Z")
Does the role pertain to the general field of religion? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/224 "2014-03-15T22:59:57Z")
Not at all. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/225 "2014-03-15T23:03:42Z")
What about the field of entertainment, including sports? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/226 "2014-03-15T23:09:23Z")
Good guess, but not even close. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/227 "2014-03-15T23:33:00Z")
What about the realm of politics, including the military? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/228 "2014-03-15T23:35:58Z")
Nope. Not an occupation. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/229 "2014-03-15T23:43:07Z")
Is this some fictional character or member of a group of such “people”? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/230 "2014-03-16T01:48:56Z")
And another no, sorry. It’s a real life role. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/231 "2014-03-16T02:11:39Z")
Cops? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/232 "2014-03-16T02:39:47Z")
No, not an occupation. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/233 "2014-03-16T17:23:42Z")
Does the role we are not to mention often appear in sketches and parodies in places like SNL or National Lampoon? Could it be something like, “You never can expect the Spanish Inquisition.” ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/234 "2014-03-16T17:55:30Z")
It could, but it’s actually very common and day-to-day. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/235 "2014-03-16T18:20:30Z")
Though not quite day-to-day (or even common) there was a local area commercial many years ago promoting a local dairy (if I remember right). The punchline in at least 20 iterations of the basic theme was “Don’t pay no 'tention to kangaroos.” As I recall it was along the lines of the little character in the Hawaiian Punch things that was always punching some other character. Anything like that that we’re trying to identify? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/236 "2014-03-16T19:00:10Z")
No, here’s a clue: think along the lines of friends and family. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/237 "2014-03-16T19:07:17Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > No, here’s a clue: think along the lines of friends and family. Here’s a sample of those thought: Don’t mention the black sheep of the family. Who is the red-headed stepchild? Who’s yo’ daddy? ============== Would the typical American 21st Century family have at least one of these unmentionable types as members? Have we established that the unmentionable is a male? If so, would he be under the age of 40? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/238 "2014-03-16T19:08:21Z")
Male, possibly under 40, but not necessarily. The samplings are much, much closer, but these don’t violate the exact rule. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/239 "2014-03-16T19:26:07Z")
I didn’t see your answer to > [@](#): > > Would the typical American 21st Century family have at least one of these unmentionable types as members?] Is the unmentionable aspect due to some illegal behavior? ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239/240 "2014-03-16T20:41:25Z")
Nobody talks about Uncle Joey’s transgressions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-exciting-game-with-one-rule/683239.md?page=13)