The provenance of the modern exercise in question is rooted in the time honored tradition of the original rustic game known in most agrarian regions as ‘Hey, Cow’, wherein members of the local population will, when confronted with a field full of grazing cattle, take alternating turns yelling the memorable phrase, “Hey! Cow!” towards said field in an effort to get one of the cud chewing bovines to look up.  If and when one of the grazers does indeed show an interest, whoever is responsible for the successful shout is deemed the winner.

The winning prize is usually declared prior to commencement of the rotational shouting and may include items such as a 6-pack of cold beer, an extra slice of pizza, or what is known as ‘free shots’, which is understood to be a single blow delivered by the winner to the upper arm or shoulder area of each of the other non-winners of the match.

The updated variation of this game, undoubtedly carried to city centers by transplanted country folk, is known as, ‘Hey, Whore’.

This new contest begins when a group of urban sophisticates happens upon the scene of a woman of ill repute plying her trade in a back alley or behind a dumpster, or what have you, and then take turns shouting, “Hey!  Whore!” in an attempt to get the carnal entrepreneur to disengage from her activity and look up.

Unlike its rural progenitor, when playing a round of ‘Hey, Whore’, there are no winners.