Truth or Dare

One of my absolute favourite party games to play is Truth or Dare.

The funny thing is, when I offer this as a suggestion at festive gatherings, I frequently get eyebrow raises or eyeball rolls in return. Regardless, I can be very persuasive, even if faced with a room of nay-sayers, thus the game often commences and everybody has a fantastic time.

Maybe you too are sitting here trying to read this post but struggling because your eyes are straining over the effort of not rolling in a deep sarcasm spasm. If this is the case, then this entry, my friend, is dedicated to you, and The Problem of Truth or Dare. The Problem is, most people seem to have limited this beautiful masterpiece of a game into one truth and one dare, both in the halted mindset of pre-pubescent youths trying the "adult" (and sketchy) party life for the first time in their basements. The truth: "Who do you like??" and the dare: "kiss so-and-so on the MOUTH!"

As a seasoned Truth or Darer myself, I have not played a game which included either of these since I retired my first training bra. It is time for you to do the same, and embrace whole heartedly the beauty which is T&D.

The Truths 

First things first, Truths should avoid delving into love lives at all cost. Ultimately, no one really CARES who likes who, and if they do, that usually means your players don't want this truth to be revealed publicly yet. The art of T&D is being able to embarrass everyone a little bit, but by embarrassing yourself along with them. Therefore, don't ever force someone to answer a truth that you yourself would cringe if it was asked you (same rule applies to dares).
Think about embarrassing things, but do not ask "what's something embarrassing that has happened to you?" People usually repress embarrassing events so that they can function throughout an average day, without needing to go home and cry in their bed. That being said, embarrassing memories are the type which get burned into everyones' brains, so your function in creating a Truth is finding ways to discover these traumas, so that you can enjoy their stories.
Thus, what is something which has happened to you which was traumatising?
Good truths can be things such as:

• Have you ever, in your teenage or adult life, messed your pants in public? Tell us the story.
• What has been your most terrifying moment in someone else's bathroom? 
• Have you ever been under anaesthesia? What did you do/say as the drugs were wearing off?
• Have you ever used a word incorrectly to an embarrassing degree? In your first language or another? 
• When did you first learn about sex? What was your reaction? (People usually have hilarious anecdotes about their 7 year old self first being told about the Birds and the Bees. I do (okay, I was 9).) 
• What was the most embarrassing/painful/uncomfortable date you ever went on?

Another category of Truths goes into the hypothetical. These can be in "If" forms or "Would you rather" forms. Again, think outside of the usual. You want questions that will make people debate and think, and definitely questions that will make them cringe and laugh.

• Would you rather streak naked through a crowded place filled with your friends and people you admire and have EVERYONE see, or, have your parents streak naked through a crowded place where you see, and you cannot close your eyes or look away?
• If you had to add an extra limb to somewhere on your body, what would it be and where would you put it? 
• Would you rather receive $1 million dollars once, or receive $50,000 every time you sneezed, but you also change genders automatically with every sneeze? 
• If you could be in any movie what movie would it be, and what MINOR or supporting character would you play? 
• Would you rather eat ice-cream flavoured poop, or poop flavoured ice-cream? 
• If you were one of the Muppets who would you be? 

The Dares 

Dares are usually the more tricky ones for people to think up, which is a shame, because they also have the potential to be the best and most hilarious part of every game. Again, you want to focus on finding tasks for people to do which will be embarrassing and fun, but not humiliating or degrading. Think of things that people have to put effort into doing, because often their effort alone will be laughter ensuing for everyone involved. Adding time limits to tasks which need a completion can also be helpful because everything is a tad more entertaining when done in panic and desperation. Maybe that's why dating is so side-splitting... 

Favourite dares: 

• Put something in your back pocket and twerk or dance until it falls out. 
• Find lipstick and apply it to another player without using your hands. 
• Attempt to lick your own armpit. 
• Eat a food of another player's choosing without using your hands. 
• In your best Gollum/Smeagol impersonation, attempt to seduce another player of your choice. 
• Blindfolded, apply makeup or nail polish on another player. 
• Perform a sock-puppet show of Lés Miserables or another lengthy and well known story. 
• Pick the nose of another player. If no other player is willing, pick your own nose, and show the results like it is a piece of art and you are an art expert/tour guide.  
• Trade outfits with another player and remain like that for the rest of the game. 
• Lick the belly button of another player. 
• Allow someone to post a status on your Facebook, or poke someone of their choice, your friend or not.

Tonight I spent time at a friends house with a group of fantastically creative people. They were not at all hesitant to play T&D and I am glad, because it was legendary. Hopefully this post will have inspired you to get out there and play yourself. 

I believe in you and your creativity.