Thaindian News

Melbourne, Jan 14 (ANI): A new TV drinking game created in the wake of the Queensland flood disaster in social networking site Facebook is creating ripples among its more than 19,000 fans.

An anonymous Queenslander set up the Queensland Flood Channel 9 News Drinking Game less than 48 hours during the channel’s extended coverage on Tuesday night.

The game, designed to ‘make light of a bad situation’, asks its viewers to ‘take one drink’ at various cues in the coverage, reports News.com.au.

The cues include when a news reporter delivers their story standing in water, makes reference to the 1974 floods, or says certain words including ‘inundated’, ‘unprecedented’, ‘evacuation’ and ‘rolling coverage’.Two, three, four and five drinks are allocated to other televised references like footage of people sitting on their roof, the SES helicopter or Suncorp Stadium, or when the phrase ‘Queensland’s Darkest Hour’ is used.

While the majority of comments have been supportive, some Facebook users have slammed the game as insensitive and inappropriate.

“It makes me sick to see someone made a 9 news floods drinking game, you people don’t take this seriously do you?! And I’m more mature at the age of 12,” wrote Konan Konana.

“I think it’s pretty tasteless… it’s a shame that all those people making light of it playing drinking games can’t go down and help people out somewhere,” said Stephen Paice.

For Sarah Bartlett it was just too insensitive.

“Channel Nine you should report the heartless idiot on national TV who made up a drinking game about qld’s disaster floods! I think it’s wrong … who would wanna drink to something so tragic, people losing their lives, homes etc,” she wrote.

Meanwhile, the game’s creator has hit back at his critics and claimed he was ’shocked by all the support’.

Residents who had lost their houses were among the fans who agreed they could see the funny side.

“My house is gone and I’ve lost everything and this is cheering me up. So shut the **** up haters. If I can find this funny than so can you,” wrote Liz Placanica.

“A light hearted joke in a serious situation. people to need to chill. Obviously it’s a serious situation.. but i have been stuck in my house for days going crazy wanting to get out and help. i live in brissy! but this still made me giggle!” said Ashleigh Kristina.

“Classic, great idea this page, everyone is going a bit stir crazy stuck at home so if we can a bit of a laugh in the face of adversity thats a good thing,” wrote Helen Reeves.

“This page is an indication of the aussie spirit really, no matter the adversity or tough situation that aussies will always have high spirits, a good sense of humor and the typical laid back attitude,” said Ed Boyacs. (ANI)