Iced, Iced Baby: Bros of the White House Have a Penchant for Forced Chugging of Smirnoff Ice
Oh, Smirnoff Ice. That alcoholic nectar preferred by 14-year-old kids and your Aunt Linda. Now it even has the White House’s unofficial seal of approval, and we’re left with so many questions. Isn’t the true American bro ‘ice’ that of the Natty variety? Could this be another sign of collusion with Russia? Is this what finally makes America great again? Let’s explore.
According to a story by the Washington Post looking into the lack of experience in the Presidential Personnel Office (PPO), a department holding influence over access to political appointees — and most likely as caucasian as the White House intern pool — workers in the office celebrated the 30th birthday of the PPO’s Deputy Director by “icing” him.
For those unfamiliar with the term, “icing” someone involves presenting a hidden Smirnoff Ice and making the recipient chug the sweet malt beverage, usually while they take a knee. (Funny enough, conservatives have yet to protest this reverent act.)
Most commonly performed while kneeling on a sticky frat house floor, “getting iced” seems a little out of place for the White House.
Not only did the White House confirm that PPO officials were “icing” one another, but is also says icing and attending happy hours “are not unique to the PPO and are a way to network and let off steam.”
Which leaves us to wonder, what’s next for the White House? Ice luges and Jaeger Bombs with a foreign prince? Supreme Court wet T-shirt contests? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Below is the full section of the Washington Post’s coverage on the White House’s Smirnoff Ice penchant:
Even as the demands to fill government mounted, the PPO offices on the first floor of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building became something of a social hub, where young staffers from throughout the administration stopped by to hang out on couches and smoke electronic cigarettes, known as vaping, current and former White House officials said.
PPO leaders hosted happy hours last year in their offices that included beer, wine and snacks for dozens of PPO employees and White House liaisons who work in federal agencies, White House officials confirmed. In January, they played a drinking game in the office called “Icing” to celebrate the deputy director’s 30th birthday. Icing involves hiding a bottle of Smirnoff Ice, a flavored malt liquor, and demanding that the person who discovers it, in this case the deputy director, guzzle it.
The White House confirmed that PPO officials played the Icing game but said it and the happy hours are not unique to the PPO and are a way to network and let off steam.
Little is publicly known or disclosed about the office’s inner workings under Trump. The White House declined requests from The Post for details about composition of the staff.
