Liquid yeast sitting at room temp for 8 days...

I was expecting a package on the 13th with a SmackPack and vial of White Labs yeast that was 'delivered' according to UPS but I never actually received. It turns out one of my neighbors took the box and left it in their bedroom for 8 days b/c they thought it was a shipment of their own brewing supplies. On top of that the yeast had already been in transit for 5 days with an ice pack. When I FINALLY got the package back in my own hands the yeast in the White Labs vial looked a little bit on the 'chunky' side (no better way to put that, sorry), and the Wyeast pack is already ~1/2 way bulged. Clearly my neighbor was not expecting his package to have any liquid yeast inside...

Since I am already 9 days behind on my brewing schedule I would love to brew up these beers BUT I am concerned that the yeast may be a little bit stressed out and cause some off flavors.

I have already heard that liquid yeasts can withstand temps into the 90's for three weeks but I have no experience torturing these single-celled organisms to that degree...

This all really boils down to 2 questions:
1. Should I just go for it, make the starter, and if the yeast is bad curse my neighbor for all eternity?
2. I had planned on washing both of these yeasts but if they are starting out bad do I want to pass that on to future generations?

If you make it, they will come

In my opinion the yeast should be just fine. It can sit at room temperature for weeks at a time in the carboy after fermentation is complete, and still springs back to life to consume the bottling sugar. Same situation with harvesting yeast from commercial beers; it likely sat at room temperature for much longer than 8 days without any food.

I say smack and let it swell, then throw it into a starter. Try to pitch 12 - 14 hours after making the starter, when it has reached high krausen.

Thanks guys for assuring me that everything will work out OK - I would hate to brew up a batch and then throw some junk yeast on it. I should be brewing these this coming weekend and will post the results a few months after that.

Same thing hapenned to me this summer with a mail order package that was stuck in a warehouse somewhere for a few days at high temps. A few days later, I made a starter, pitched it after 15 hours and it took off fine. I don't think you should be concerned.

The only way to know is to make a starter. Making one to check liquid yeast viability is like using a hydrometer, you should THAT before you think of asking online what to do. It's one of those intrinsic things, that can really answer your question better than we can with our conjecture. We can only guess at the outcome....you can know for sure.

Keep an eye on your yeast, more importantly I would be watching that neighbor of yours!