The Sims has steadily insinuated itself into pop culture consciousness since its release. In September of 2000, the game inspired New York City-based band Electric Funstuff to release a Sims-inspired anthem, appropriately titled Sim-Hilarities, about a player of the hit PC game who finds odd parallels between his life and the lives of his on-screen characters. A take-off of ``Simlish,'' the unique language of The Sims, was featured in last year's season opener of ABC Television's ``Drew Carey Show,'' as well as game footage depicting the office antics at Winfred-Louder Department Store, Drew's place of employment, in its April Fools episode. Most recently, a take-off of The Sims was featured in an episode of Fox Television's ``Malcolm In The Middle.'' Malcolm recreates his own family in a computer game called ``The Virts'' with disastrous results.

The woman sitting next to me owns the game and all the expansion packs.