As a Chicago native, I like to keep tabs on what’s going on back home. Each morning in my mailbox I receive the latest Sun-Times news stories, including this morning’s alarming headlline:

Woman hospitalized after Trivial Pursuit game

WHAT?!

According to the article, the 21-year-old woman’s admission was not a result of game-associated violence or heart attack–it was because of what we’ll delicately refer to as a drinking game involving the 2006 Current Events edition.

“If a player provided an incorrect answer,” says the article, “that person would take a shot of… brandy and take a hit off a [marijuana cigar].”

I’m all for a bit of friendly wagering between friends. But for a marriage of using your brain while using, I thought quarters was the way to go. You know–the college drinking game. Beer and brains and technical skill. Partying and higher education and trajectory applications. But now, I have to say that nothing says “negative reinforcement” like getting drunk and stoned to the point of hospitalization, just because you can’t get the right answer in Trivial Pursuit. It’s not like strip Scrabble, after all.

The best part of the article, in my opinion, was the statement that the player was “the yellow piece.” Just in case anyone was curious. Trivia, you know.