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In 1933, Adolf Hitler handed the power of Jewish cultural life in Nazi Germany to his chief propagandist, Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels established a team of of regulators that would oversee the works of Jewish artists in film, theater, music, fine arts, literature, broadcasting, and the press.

Goebbels’ new regulations essentially eliminated Jewish people from participating in mainstream German cultural activities by requiring them to have a license to do so.

This attempt by the Nazis to purge Germany of any culture that wasn’t Aryan in origin led to the questioning of artists from outside the country.

Nazi book burning via Wikimedia Commons

In 1938, English author J. R. R. Tolkien and his British publisher, Stanley Unwin, opened talks with Rütten & Loening, a Berlin-based publishing house, about a German translation of his recently-published hit novel, “The Hobbit.”

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Privately, according to “1937 The Hobbit or There and Back Again,” Tolkien told Unwin he hated Nazi “race-doctrine” as “wholly pernicious and unscientific.” He added he had many Jewish friends and was considering abandoning the idea of a German translation altogether.

The Berlin-based publishing house sent Tolkien a letter asking for proof of his Aryan descent. Tolkien was incensed by the request and gave his publisher two responses, one in which he sidestepped the question, another in which he clapped back ’30s-style with pure class.

His publisher sent the classy clap-back.

In the letter sent to Rütten & Loening, Tolkien notes that Aryans are of Indo-Iranian “extraction,” correcting the incorrect Nazi aumption that Aryans come from northern Europe. He cuts to the chase by saying that he is not Jewish but holds them in high regard. “I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people,” Tolkien wrote.

Tolkien also takes a shot at the race policies of Nazi Germany by saying he’s beginning to regret his German surname. “The time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride,” he writes.

Here’s the letter sent to Rütten & Loening:

25 July 1938 20 Northmoor Road, Oxford
Dear Sirs,

Thank you for your letter. I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people.

My great-great-grandfather came to England in the eighteenth century from Germany: the main part of my descent is therefore purely English, and I am an English subject — which should be sufficient. I have been accustomed, nonetheless, to regard my German name with pride, and continued to do so throughout the period of the late regrettable war, in which I served in the English army. I cannot, however, forbear to comment that if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of literature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride.

Your enquiry is doubtless made in order to comply with the laws of your own country, but that this should be held to apply to the subjects of another state would be improper, even if it had (as it has not) any bearing whatsoever on the merits of my work or its sustainability for publication, of which you appear to have satisfied yourselves without reference to my Abstammung.
I trust you will find this reply satisfactory, and
remain yours faithfully,

J. R. R. Tolkien

This article originally appeared on 2.15.22

“Generation X” got its name in the early ’90s from an article turned book by Canadian writer Douglas Coupland. And ever since, they’ve been fighting or embracing labels like “slacker” and “cynic.” That is, until Millennials came of age and all that “you kids today” energy from older generations started to get heaped on them. Slowly, Gen X found they were no longer being called slackers… they weren’t even being mentioned at all. And that suits them just fine.

Here are 17 memes that will resonate with just about anyone born between 1965 and 1980.

Gen X basically invented “Whatever.”

SOURCE: TWITTER

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Until recently, Generation X has been sitting back and watching as Millennials and Boomers eat each other with an amused, non-confrontational attitude. But recently, Millennials and Gen Z became aware of their presence, and dubbed them “The Karen generation.”

They seem to be embracing the Karen thing.

While I”m pretty sure the “Karen” thing is not complimentary — as BuzzFeed puts it, it’s meant to communicate someone who is “the middle-aged white mom who is always asking for the manager and wondering why kids are so obsessed with their identities,” lots of people landed on a different Karen to represent the generation: the martini-guzzling, wise-cracking Karen Walker.

Get it right!

Well [expletive] me gently with a chainsaw, she’s right. The 1980s cult classic starring Winona Ryder and Shannen Doherty really is the Mean Girls of the ’80s and a much better term than Karen

The disdain is mutual…

Most of my Gen X friends have Gen Z kids and they are intergenerationally very chill with each other. However, Gen X is the generation most likely to have Boomer parents and younger millennial kids, and this meme seems to be resonating a bunch with Xers of a certain age.

A lot of Xers are enjoying the “OK boomer” squabble.

The media tends to ignore Generation X as a whole — as a few tweets coming up demonstrate — and this pleases Gen X just fine. After all, they’re used to it. They were latchkey kids whose parents both worked long hours, so they’re used to being somewhat neglected.

A whole mood.

Gen X: “Look, don’t pull us into this. You’ll make me spill my beer.”

Gen X: Get used to it.

Perhaps Gen X’s blasé attitude to the generation wars has something to do with being called “Slackers” for a full decade.

Pass the popcorn.

Aside from this whole “Karen generation” blip, Gen X continues to be largely overlooked, and that fact — as well as their silent delight in it — is possibly one of the most Generation X things to happen to the class of 1965 to 1980.

Pay no attention to the man behind the venetian blinds.

Back in the ’90s, Gen X bore the same kind of criticism Boomers tend to heap on Millennials and Gen Z now. It’s not necessarily that they want to watch a cage match. It’s just they’re so relieved it’s someone else being called slackers and downers for a change.

See?

Although this chart doesn’t list the generation names, the approximate age ranges are all there… except for a big gap between the ages of 34 and 54 where apparently no humans were born? Poor Gen X (and some elder Millennials) apparently don’t have political beliefs worth examining.

Don’t you forget about me…

If Millennials are the “burnout generation,” I guess Gen X is truly the invisible generation. I’m starting to feel inspired to write a science fiction novel where everyone born from 1966 to 1980 inhabits a totally different dimension.

There are perks to being invisible…

Being overlooked can be an advantage when you just want to sit in the corner and be immature. Gen X spent all of the 90s being told they were immature slackers, and in their 40s, a lot of them are really leaning into that description, because what does it matter?

“No one cares what we think anyway…”

via GIPHY

This GIF of Janeane Garofolo mocking her classmates at the high school reunion is basically a whole Gen X mood and definitely captures how a lot of this generation caught in the middle feels about the “OK boomer” wars.

Party on.

Before Brené Brown was telling us all how to dare greatly, Gen X got their inspirational advice from a different kind of TED and his pal Bill, who taught us all how important it is to learn from history and be excellent to each other.

Too late and yet too early.

Romance — or getting lucky — was never easy for Generation X. They were the generation most impacted by the AIDS epidemic when it comes to anxiety about casual sex. Whereas Boomers had the free love of the late ’60s, Gen X was about safe sex, which usually meant less sex. And even when having safe casual sex, singles in the ’90s had to meet people the old-fashioned way or, if they did meet online, they felt shame over it. Now online dating is the norm.

When Gen X replaces the Boomers.

This is probably an optimistic view — because the truth is there are “Boomers” in every generation, and many of them tend to find their way into powerful positions. Let’s call this a best case scenario, though.

The Nihilism Generation

There is no generation more over it than Gen X. They are ready for the apocalypse, but don’t expect them to, like, help or anything!

This article originally appeared on 3.18.20

USA Basketball got its 2023 FIBA World Cup started with an eventual runaway victory over New Zealand, largely due to a big game by the bench unit, headlined by Paolo Banchero.

Banchero scored 21 points in the win off of the bench, helping Team USA erase an early double-digit deficit and run away to a 99-72 win. Austin Reaves (12 points) and Tyrese Haliburton (10 points) continued to provide big lifts off the bench as well, with Anthony Edwards (14 points) as the best of the starting unit. While there aren’t many real threats to the U.S. squad in the first round of group play, the starting unit is under some scrutiny as it’s not been firing on all cylinders even going back to some of the tune-up games.

Among the players struggling in the starting lineup is Brandon Ingram, who had 2 points against New Zealand and just doesn’t look comfortable playing a tertiary role alongside Edwards and Jalen Brunson, who have the ball in their hands far more often. The result is an offense that can get stagnant and doesn’t have the balance you’d like between on-ball scorers and guys more comfortable off the ball moving and knocking down spot up shots, and one has to wonder if Kerr will explore a lineup change going forward.

For Ingram’s part, he admitted it’s been “a little frustrating” early on, noting he’s just not playing a role he’s used to and is struggling to find a rhythm. The Pelicans star forward did say that he’s trying to figure out how he can be more effective and is trying not to let his frustrations individually impact a team that’s undefeated this summer, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.

“This is totally different than what I am used to,” Ingram told The Athletic Sunday, prior to the Americans’ practice at a Manila business district hotel. “The team is winning right now, so I can’t be selfish thinking about myself. But it’s a little frustrating right now for me, and I’m just trying to figure out ways I can be effective.”

Steve Kerr told Vardon he expects Ingram to figure it out and isn’t concerned about him, noting there’s always an adjustment to the FIBA game, but it could be that Monday’s game against Greece sees a lineup change to try and get Ingram in a more prominent role with the bench unit. Banchero would give the Americans some more size alongside Jaren Jackson Jr., and is a different kind of scoring threat from that position, capable of a more physical, downhill attack. Ingram could then be freed up a bit more on a bench unit playing opposite Edwards, as he and Haliburton would be the on-ball leaders, with floor spacers around them like Reaves and Cam Johnson.

Whether Kerr makes an early starting unit change or not, Team USA will need Ingram to find his rhythm at some point if they’re going to hit their ceiling as a team. He’s too good and plays too large a role not to be an impactful player, whether that’s as a member of the starting lineup or coming off the bench. As for his mindset, Ingram’s trying to be open-minded in a new environment, which figures to bode well for the prospects of him figuring it out sooner than later.

“I know who I am,” Ingram said. “In ways, I can get stuck and think my way is the best way. This is a learning experience. … I get to see everybody work, get to see everybody’s strengths and everybody’s weaknesses, so I can take it back to my team, be smart about it.”

Team USA plays Greece at 8:40 a.m. ET on Monday, and we’ll see if Kerr stays patient or tries to make a bigger adjustment to get the pieces all in the right place.

Unlike most people, Joe Biden hasn’t said much about Donald Trump’s towering legal woes. He’ll troll the Republican party with his “Dark Brandon” antics, but he’s played it cool when it comes to his presumptive rival for the 2024 presidency. (That is, if Trump can even run.) Even when reporters asked Biden what he thinks of Trump becoming the first American president to score a mugshot, he only offered four words.

As per HuffPost, Biden took a break from vacationing in Lake Tahoe, California, to field questions from reporters. One asked if Biden had seen the mugshot. Biden let out a chuckle, replying, “I did see it on television.” Asked to elaborate, Biden did, sort of, saying, “Handsome guy. Wonderful guy.”

Trump’s historic mugshot came during his fourth arraignment in only the last six months. This one was in Fulton County, Georgia, where he and 18 other defendants were charged in relation to alleged election interference in 2020. It wasn’t only Trump’s mug that was photographed; he also reported his height and weight, claiming the latter to be 215. A lot of people were not buying that one, though at least his mugshot scored some, uh, pretty decent reviews from Fox News.

(Via HuffPost)

The extension of Adele’s Las Vegas residency has given fans even more time to cut loose with the Grammy Award-winning singer. On each of the singer’s albums, she explores gut-wrenching topics, but in her Weekends With Adele performances, she allows people to see a softer and even, at times, comic side of her.

However, on Saturday, August 26, Adele was forced to step outside of her bubble to defend a fan from an overly aggressive security guard. In a clip posted by a fan, Adele stopped mid-performance, ready to set fire to the rain. “What is going on with that young fan there that has been bothered so much since I came [on stage] for [just] standing up,” she shouted.

As the crowd turned their attention to what was going on, Adele focused in on the security guard, asking, “Why are you bothering him? Could you leave him alone, please?”

Apparently, the staff member must have obliged the request, because as Adele returned to the center of the stage, she was heard apologizing to the ticketholder. “They won’t be bothering you anymore, darling,” she declared.

In the past, Adele discussed show etiquette with fans when it came to tossing items on stage. Now, she’s letting staffers know her standards regarding how to handle excited fans.

Adele’s Weekends With Adele residency at The Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas will run through November 4. Shows will be held on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, click here.

France was a co-favorite to win Group H with Canada entering the 2023 FIBA World Cup, but after getting absolutely blasted by the Canadians in the opener, the French side found itself in a precarious position entering Sunday’s game against Latvia.

Latvia, despite not having star Kristaps Porzingis, had won their opener against Lebanon and, as such, could eliminate France with an upset win. Early on, Evan Fournier seemed determined to right the wrongs of the opener, after which he said that France simply got their “asses kicked,” as the Knicks guard dropped 15 of his 27 points in the first quarter to push France into the lead.

However, the Latvian side would not go away, as Davis Bertans knocked down four threes off the bench, but it was Rolands Smits and Arturs Zagars that led the way, combining for 42 points on 16-of-21 shooting to keep Latvia back into the game.

Still, France held a comfortable lead with seven minutes to play when starting point guard Nando de Colo was ejected for his second technical foul with France up 75-66. From there, Zagars, Bertans, and Smits would lead a furious comeback that pushed Latvia in front 87-86 with 34 seconds to play, as they grabbed their first lead of the second half in the final minute. France would then miss two from close range, allowing Latvia to push their lead out to two as Zagars split two free throws with 10 seconds to go, and then a Sylvain Francisco three went begging at the buzzer to give Latvia the stunning upset and advance to the second group stage.

With the win, Latvia moved to 2-0 and secured their spot in the second group stage alongside Canada (which blew out Lebanon on Sunday as well). France, meanwhile, is eliminated and will now have to look at a number of things as they get ready for a home Olympics where they expect to compete for gold but clearly have some work to do (and need to get all their stars on the floor) to have a chance at bouncing back from a massive disappointment.

Ever since becoming the first American president to score a mugshot, Donald Trump has been living his best life. He’s gotten great, even pervy reviews from Fox News. He’s won a golf tournament (maybe). And, of course, he’s made a fortune off his sometimes cash-strapped supporters. Trump was quick to fundraise off the instantly infamous image, and the purportedly wealthy guy has done quite well for himself.

As per Politico, since being booked at Fulton County, Georgia’s jail, Trump has raked in a record-breaking $7.1 million. A whopping $4.18 million of that came from Friday alone — the most he’s ever made in a 24-hour period.

Some of that dough comes from merchandising. Trump’s team has been plastering items with the words “NEVER SURRENDER,” which ring in the time that he literally surrendered to authorities, who then let him out on bail.

Visitors to the Trump campaign’s landing page are greeted with claims he’s been making about his multiple indictments, including “I was ARRESTED despite having committed NO CRIME” and “What has taken place is a travesty of justice and ELECTION INTERFERENCE.”

It can be hard to keep Trump’s multiple indictments straight, but the one he’s referring to involves his alleged interference in Georgia’s 2020 election. Though he was arraigned three times before, this one was the first time he — and the 18 other defendants in the case — received a traditional mugshot. He also had to report his weight, which many weren’t buying.

(Via Politico)

Donald Trump isn’t so hot at winning national elections, but maybe he’s better at golf? The ultra-bougie sport is perhaps his biggest side passion. After all, it’s a golf course where his late wife Ivana is buried. But what if he’s not the 18-course master he professes to be? What if he “performed” so well at a tournament this weekend that even he had to claim he didn’t cheat?

On Saturday, apropos of nothing, the former president took to his rinky-dink Twitter clone with some good news: ““I am pleased to report, for those that care, that I just won the Senior Club Championship (must be over 50 years old!) at Bedminster (Trump National Golf Club), shooting a round of 67.”

Sounds like a low score, huh? Well, maybe it’s too low. Two weeks back, the same course saw a Saudi-backed tournament featuring some of the greatest golfers on the planet. One of them, Phil Mickelson, shot a 75 that day — eight fewer than Trump later claimed to do. Perhaps that’s why he then went into defensive mode.

“Some people will think that sounds low, but there is no hanky/lanky,” Trump said. “Many people watch, plus I am surrounded by Secret Service Agents. Not much you can do even if you wanted to, and I don’t. For some reason, I am just a good golfer/athlete – I have won many Club Championships, and it is always a great honor!”

Now, there’s a chance the golfers during the previous tournament weren’t playing the same tees, that the grass could have been not as short, that they made it harder on the pros than they did on folks like Trump. Still, people weren’t buying that Trump out-performed one of the best at the sport.

Trump’s been having a hard time convincing people of his tall claims these days. Last week people really weren’t buying the weight he self-reported during his fourth arraignment.

(Via Mediaite)

Every single week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.

TIE: 10. Star Wars: Ahsoka ( Disney+ series)

Tales from a galaxy far, far away may have taken a turn upward after The Mandalorian‘s downswing. Perhaps that’s owing to Rosario Dawson being initially cast by the Internet as the title character, and the reviews have indicated that this was an idea that has lived up to its potential. The series co-stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Lars Mikkelson, and Eman Esfandi, and the story follows up on Ashoka’s The Mandalorian appearance as well as the character’s place at the end of Star Wars: Rebels.

TIE: 10. Red, White & Royal Blue (Amazon Prime movie)

Uma Thurman’s deep-fried Southern accent might be the best reason to watch this film if you aren’t already familiar with the source material of Casey McQuiston’s bestselling novel. The narrative follows as Uma’s portrayal of the first female U.S. president as her son, Alex Claremont-Diaz (Zakhar Perez), ends up entangled with Henry, a Harry-like British prince, Henry (Nicholas Galitzine). There’s annoyance followed by a change of heart, and then there could be a dilemma over duty to country. You know the drill, Bridgerton fans.

9. Invasion ( Apple TV+ series)

As the title suggests, we’ve got an alien invasion here. The story unfolds in real time over several continents, so get ready for an intense collision of crop circles with civilization’s impending collapse and humanity at its best and worst at the same time. There’s a pivotal sheriff, along with civilians attempting to find their way alongside soldiers and people supposedly in charge. The series hails from Simon Kinberg (of many X-Men films) and David Weil (Citadel, Hunters), and the story hovers right into the second season like no pause ever existed.

8. No Hard Feelings (Columbia Pictures film streaming on VOD and Amazon Prime)

Jennifer Lawrence did her part to try and bring R-rated movies back to theaters, although Apple TV+’s Platonic may have cemented that there’s an audience there, but it might simply be one that prefers streaming. So, here’s your chance to watch her as a fail-hard woman who answers a Craigslist ad that was placed by helicopter parents who are worried that their 19-year-old son will never get lucky. Although the assignment seems easy, that’s not the case, and there’s a fun supporting turn from The Bear‘s Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who makes everything better.

7. Billions (Showtime series streaming on Paramount+)

Axe is back, baby. He’s here for the final round of this seemingly never-ending series that will finally come to a close, thereby spawning several spinoffs, so this is kind-of like Showtime’s The Walking Dead only less revolting and with hedge funders. As stated already, Damian Lewis returns alongside Paul Giamatti, and Maggie Siff still deserves more roles and awards forever.

6. Elemental (Pixar movie streaming on Disney+)

Here’s another movie that found more life on streaming than in theaters. Pixar’s latest follows the occupants of Element City, where air, fire, and water-themed character co-exist but could probably stand to do so more together. Fiery Ember Lumen and Wade Ripple may come from two different worlds, but we’ll see if they can bring their worlds together at some point. Expect some melting-pot metaphors and difficulties along the way, here’s some more good news: this film runs a mere 102 minutes, although if you’re a parent, you know that this might mean it will play over and over again in your living room.

5. Justified: City Primeval (FX series streaming on Hulu)

Sure, this spinoff is fantastic and all that, but wouldn’t you also love to see Raylan Givens in several other shows, too? Our own Brian Grubb has dreamed up plenty of scenarios where this could conceivably work. Heck, he shouldn’t be limited to Miami now, if he manages to get out of Detroit alive. Just for kicks, we also asked Boyd Holbrook where he would like his character, Clement Mansell, to pop up, given the chance. He had an answer. I’m also hoping for him to appear in some future reunion video for The White Stripes

4. Heart of Stone (Netflix film)

Netflix movies starring Gal Gadot simply seem to get those clicks regardless of content. She formerly starred in Red Notice (alongside two dude powerhouses in what maybe was the only film that mattered during one specific moment in time). Here, she portrays someone actually named Rachel Stone, who happens to be an elite MI6 elite agent with secrets. Never been a movie like that before, nope. As well, Jamie Dornan plays Rachel’s agent boss, and it’s impossible to resist the glossy-fluffy action movies, so give ’em a shot.

3. Suits (USA series streaming on Netflix)

This show ended years ago, and yet, people will not stop resurrecting it on streaming. This might tell us a lot, like that people seem to dig watching Meghan Markle in her professional life before she married that prince guy. The show is destined to sit on the Top 10 most-watched shows on Netflix of all time, so consider this the summer of Suits, even if Harry will probably never watch again after accidentally stumbling upon one of his wife’s sex scenes. Such an occupational hazard.

2. Only Murders in the Building (Hulu series)

Selena Gomez has new music out as well, so she’s ruling all the quadrants with her deadpan character alongside the more eccentric ones portrayed by Steve Martin and Martin Short. They’re not exactly “two wild and crazy guys” like a certain SNL skit starring one of them, but they’re certainly still entertaining. Although Bunny’s murder is no longer an obsession for this trio, there’s a new crime that needs solving. Also look forward to Meryl Streep and Ashley Park and some musical moments, alongside a collection of cameos that could rival those in this year’s season of The Bear.

1. You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah (Netflix film)

Another Adam Sandler movie has hit the Netflix airwaves, and this time, The Sandman reunites with Idina Menzel (also of Uncut Gems) and Sandler’s two daughters, Sunny and Sadie. Sunny’s Stacy is planning her Bat Mitzvah, but she runs into some betrayal (involving, yes, a boy) before the all-important event happens. Fortunately, there’s always Dua Lipa to make things better.

Anthony Edwards is spending this summer with USA Basketball at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which means Edwards is spending this summer around some of the best coaches in basketball. Team USA has put together a stellar staff of coaches for this tournament, as Steve Kerr is flanked on the bench by Mark Few, Tyronn Lue, and Erik Spoelstra.

One coach, in particular, has spoken incredibly highly of Edwards based on their time together this summer. Earlier this week, Spoelstra was asked what player on the roster most reminds him of Dwyane Wade, and while he stressed that he doesn’t like to make comparisons, Spoelstra said of Edwards “the way he moves, the way he competes, the way he electrifies a crowd, yes, that reminds me of number 3.”

As it turns out, Edwards has some pretty high praise for Spoelstra, as well. While meeting with the media after the team’s win over New Zealand on Saturday, Edwards said that being around Spoelstra gave him a glimpse at what it means to be in the revered culture of the Miami Heat.

“He’s been dope, man,” Edwards said of Spoelstra. “Bringing a lot of energy, the Heat Culture. It’s exciting to see. His first day with the scout, I was like, ok, I see what they mean when they say Heat Culture. He came in with a lot of energy, getting right to the point. So precise with the details. So, it’s dope.”

It is very cool to see the way USA Basketball brings guys from different teams — whether they be players or coaches — together like this. Edwards finished the team’s 99-72 win over New Zealand with 14 points and seven rebounds.