# What is a "tailgate party"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 6, 2002, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064 "2002-10-06T13:58:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/21 "2002-10-08T01:56:45Z")
**psychotropic** is not a typical representative of the Australian National, but then again neither am I. I hate beer. I hate football. I don’t drive drunk (under any circumstances). Oh, but I am pretty lazy (or apathetic more accurately). I wouldn’t attend a tailgate party if you paid me. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/22 "2002-10-08T02:05:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dinsdale \* > \*\*In a couple of hours I’ll be heading down the interstate from Chi for the Bears/Packers game in C-U. > > Let ya know tomorrow what the tailgate scene is like. \*\* They have been billing this game on the radio as “The biggest Sportin Event in Champaign History” Hope you had fun! ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/23 "2002-10-08T13:05:01Z")
Looks like da Bears were skinned, butchered and made into a rug by the Packers last night. But the tailgate party was great, right? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![psychotropic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@psychotropic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychotropic)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/24 "2002-10-08T13:22:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Caught@Work \* > \*\ ***psychotropic** is not a typical representative of the Australian National, but then again neither am I. > I hate beer. > I hate football. > I don’t drive drunk (under any circumstances). > Oh, but I am pretty lazy (or apathetic more accurately). > I wouldn’t attend a tailgate party if you paid me. \*\* I never said I was a typical rep of the “Aust’n National” but really, who is??? I also HATE beer, with a passion. I don’t particularly like footy (but do enjoy the atmosphere. Tell me u didn’t do SOMETHING on Grand Final Day). Don’t drive drunk? Are you on P-Plates? You wouldn’t attend a tailgate party if someone paid you? When was the last time u went out & had a damn good time? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/25 "2002-10-08T17:04:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Colibri \* > \*\*“Hazing” is an activity carried out at fraternities in which new members from the freshman class are forced to undergo various ordeals, often including drinking, to prove their worthiness to belong. Hazing can also be inflicted on underclassmen in general. \*\* As you note, it’s not just fraternities that haze. At my undergraduate institution, the rumor was that several of the more popular sports teams hazed much more intensely than most fraternities. My high school marching band hazed a bit too (nothing serious – we had to wear costumes one day during and camp and carry the upperclassmen’s instruments). Oh, and not all fraternities haze – mine didn’t, except that we made our pledges wear a pledge pin. If they failed to do so they were severely punished – by being told to wear it the next day. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/26 "2002-10-08T20:11:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by psychotropic \* > \*\* > > I never said I was a typical rep of the “Aust’n National” but really, who is??? > I also HATE beer, with a passion. > I don’t particularly like footy (but do enjoy the atmosphere. Tell me u didn’t do SOMETHING on Grand Final Day). > Don’t drive drunk? Are you on P-Plates? > You wouldn’t attend a tailgate party if someone paid you? When was the last time u went out & had a damn good time? \*\* Do we have a forum for dueling Australians?:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/27 "2002-10-08T23:34:48Z")
Yeah. They’re welcome to step on down to the barbie (BBQ Pit). It sure as shit ain’t here in GQ. ---
**Author:** ![psychotropic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@psychotropic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychotropic)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/28 "2002-10-09T02:14:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crafter\_Man \* > \*\* > Do we have a forum for dueling Australians?:rolleyes: \*\* Dobber. We’re not duelling. So now we can’t comment on another person’s post? Sheesh. Where was manhattan when my McDonalds thread got WAY off the topic? ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/29 "2002-10-09T21:35:06Z")
Cliffy writes: \> As you note, it’s not just fraternities that haze. At my \> undergraduate institution, the rumor was that several of the \> more popular sports teams hazed much more intensely than \> most fraternities. My high school marching band hazed a bit too \> (nothing serious – we had to wear costumes one day during \> and camp and carry the upperclassmen’s instruments). There’s probably a lot of variation in the amount of hazing that goes on. At some colleges (and even some high schools) there’s a fair amount that goes on pretty publicly. At others, it’s officially banned, but some goes on surreptiously. At other places, the ban is quite strictly enforced. At my undergrad school, hazing would have been considered the same as starting fraternities and sororities or inter-collegiate sports - not just not done, but evidence of the insanity of anyone who suggested it. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/30 "2002-10-10T14:36:06Z")
Why are we talking about hazing? The OP asked if hazing was a part of a tailgate party, and several posters have said **no, it isn’t.** So I’ll say it again: Hazing is NOT part of a traditional tailgate party, at least in my neck of the woods. It’s just a pre- and/or during-game party outdoors, with portable equipment brought to a location by auto, truck or van. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/31 "2002-10-11T03:48:33Z")
Musicat writes: \> Why are we talking about hazing? The OP asked if hazing was \> a part of a tailgate party, and several posters have said no, it \> isn’t. \> \> So I’ll say it again: Hazing is NOT part of a traditional tailgate \> party, at least in my neck of the woods. It’s just a pre- and/or \> during-game party outdoors, with portable equipment brought \> to a location by auto, truck or van. Yes, we all know that hazing is not part of a tailgate party. We’re all agreed on that, and if you had bothered to read all the posts in the thread you would have seen that we’re all in agreement about that. The stuff in this thread about hazing might be somewhat of a hijack, but the fact that some of us discussed hazing (which, after all, was mentioned in the OP) doesn’t mean that we thought that it had anything to do with tailgate parties. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Barber\_s\_Underwear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58f4c7/32.png) [@Tony\_Barber\_s\_Underwear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Barber_s_Underwear)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064/32 "2002-10-11T03:59:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by psychotropic \* > \*\* > > Unfortunately, us Aussies are a lazy bunch and I think people would rather just stand around the barbie at home with a can in one hand and a sausage in bread in the other getting BLOTTO. At least then you don’t have 2 worry about driving home & the cops here are absolute NAZI’S about drink-driving. A tailgate party sounds awesome so I might have 2 wait until my next trip to the USA before indulging in one. 😃 \*\* Actually, we do have them in Australia, they are called ‘boot parties’, and are associated with rugby (union) in particular. If you are ever in Brisbane before a Queensland match at Ballymore, you can see plenty of them going on, particularly if it is an afternoon match. They are usually attended by the tweed jacket mob, out of the back of their merc/bmw station wagons. I think it is a tradition before big matches at Twickenham in the UK as well. - Bubba. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-tailgate-party/131064.md?page=1)