Television Drinking Games: Penny Can

You know that game, Penny Can, from “Cougar Town”. Wish I knew how to play…

“Boys, the Penny Can Game is the best thing I have ever created in my entire life” — Bobby Cobb

So Penny Can…. is one of the most simple and basic games known to man. You throw a penny into a paint can and if you make it you get a point, if you miss you don’t get a point.

Pretty simple.

So there are ways to make it interesting and you can always accompany the game with drinking if you so choose to do so.

Here are the variations:
Ultimate Penny Can:
The can is set a certain distance away and every player is given a single penny. One person asks questions about a specific person, and whoever answers correctly takes a step towards the can. The penny can be thrown from any distance if desired. And the loser must do an undesirable task.
Truth or Penny Can:
Every time a player misses the can they must answer a personal question, answering truthfully.
Moving Shot Penny Can:
This variation is to increase the level of difficulty. A person holds the can and makes it a moving target for the players.
Balc-Penny Can:
This is another way to increase the level of difficulty. Players stand on a balcony and throw the pennies into small cups and bowls instead of a paint can.

If you wish you could make it a drinking game and after every time you miss you must take a drink, preferably from a large glass of wine to keep in character of the show.

Now even though the game is very basic it does, like all games, have rules.

• When a player throws the penny and it makes it into the can, all players must sing or chime, “Penny Can!”
• The first player or team to 1,000 points wins
• “Ear-Flick” is when the penny bounces off the rim of the paint can but does not land inside, the player that threw the penny must have their ear, or ears, flicked while the flicker shouts “Rimshot!”
• “Stache-Attack” or “In-and-Out Mustache” is when the penny bounces out of the can, that player must have a mustache drawn on their face in permanent marker. If said player has a natural mustache then they will be given “crazy eyebrows”.
• “Three-in-a-Row” is when a player gets three pennies in a row, when this occurs the “Penny Can!” song is performed robot-style along with the voice and dance moves.
• “Racing Stripe” happens when a player misses ten consecutive times, that player must then wear a helmet with a painted-on racing stripe.
• “Face Sandwich” if a penny misses the can but begins to spin on any surface then the two players closest to that spinning penny must smush their faces up against the thrower’s face until it stops spinning.

Now, play safe and have fun.

And remember…it’s just throwing pennies into a can.

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Alexandra Tobia | Student Media[/caption]