From the mid-‘90s through the aughts, one of the most popular SNL segments was “TV Funhouse,” an animated series of parodies from writer Robert Smigel. Smigel and team got away with a lot. It’s responsible for such classics as “The Ambiguously Gay Duo,” “Fun with Real Audio,” “The New Adventures of Mr. T” (including one where he plays Torvald in a production of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House), and numerous Disney parodies, including one that toured the shocking secrets concealed in the “Disney Vault.” Then there’s the holiday favorite “Christmastime for the Jews.”

One segment, however, only aired once. On the March 14, 1998 episode, featuring Julianne Moore and The Backstreet Boys, the week’s “TV Funhouse” consisted of a Schoolhouse Rock! send-up called “Conspiracy Theory Rock.” What was the conspiracy theory? That there was a “media-opoly,” in which a small number of corporations control everything people see, read, and consume, and can even control what gets covered on the news. Crazy, right?

After the sketch aired, SNL honcho Lorne Michaels announced it would be yanked from reruns, replaced by a second Backstreet Boys performance. The cartoon has long been the subject of its own conspiracy theory, namely that NBC effectively deep-sixed it over its edgy truth-telling, especially considering it directly roasted NBC and its then-parent company General Electric.

The debunkers over at Snopes worked their magic on this one ages ago, but theories rarely stay dead for long. The sketch recently made the rounds again, prompting Smigel to do two things: post a decent version of it on the Instagram page for arguably his most famous creation, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog; and tell the “actual story” behind why it was disappeared from syndicated reruns.

“Yes, it was pulled after its initial airing & it’s easy to see why. BUT what always amazed me was that NBC let it on in the first place,” Smigel wrote in the caption. He also says that among the NBC/General Electric highers-up, there was “a real willingness not to censor the piece.” It did go through an “extensive note process,” even “beyond the Standards dept & up the executive ladder.”

To cover his back, Smigel added the “voices in my head” line for the narrator, to make him seem crazier — “not that it made a big difference.” Still, he was surprised that even “NBC West Coast” top brass Don Ohlmeyer even allowed a joke about NBC firing Weekend Update host Norm Macdonald for doing too many O.J. Simpson jokes.

Still, Michaels tried to cover his butt. The segment aired much later than usual, as Michaels said NBC’s then-president Bob Wright usually turned it off after Weekend Update. “On this night, however, Bob Wright got home late, and saw what he saw,” Smigel recalled. Nothing happened for months, until word broke that it was being cut from the rerun. “I wasn’t especially surprised but Adam was fired up. He leaked the story to a few TV journalists who’d written about the cartoons, NBC claimed it wasn’t funny (not that it was)and that’s why people know & still talk about it today.”

Smigel ended by pointing out the sketch made it to the “TV Funhouse” best-of DVD, “so it’s only been Kinda Banned since 2006.”

You can watch the sketch in the embedded Instagram post above.

Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan were once close friends, spending extensive time together whether it be on a golf course, in a casino, or elsewhere. However, that relationship publicly deteriorated a decade ago, and Barkley has discussed the desire to make amends with his former confidant on numerous occasions.

That sentiment was again expressed this week when Barkley spoke to Taylor Rooks about the long-term rift, and he expressed the wish to “get past this bullsh*t” and bury the hatchet.

Within the conversation, Barkley spoke about the friendship effectively ending due to on-air comments about Jordan and his performance as the owner of the then-Charlotte Bobcats. “I’m going to do my job first and foremost, because I can’t criticize other coaches and general managers and give him a pass because he’s my best friend,” Barkley said. “I just can’t do that.”

Barkley also referred to it as “a really unfortunate situation for me and him,” and said he “thought it would blow over” before attributing it to mutual stubbornness. When pressed by Rooks on what he might say if given the opportunity, Barkley ended with the hypothetical sentiment of “Let’s get past this bullsh*t and get back to playing golf and having fun.”

Obviously, any relationship is complex, even before getting into the dynamics with two of the most famous people in the country and public grievances over a period of years. Rooks is also right that it seems quite sad from an outsider’s standpoint, but perhaps things can be mended if the two men can sit down and have a conversation with the benefit of time to heal some wounds.

The United States men’s national team made it out of its group at the 2022 World Cup on Tuesday. It wasn’t easy, but the Americans were able to pick up a 1-0 win over Iran that secured a second-place finish in Group B behind England. As a result, the USMNT secured a date with the Netherlands in the knockout stage on Saturday.

The only goal came by way of Christian Pulisic, who finished a lengthy sequence by the Americans which saw Sergiño Dest serve him the ball on a platter in the box. The issue was that Pulisic and Iran’s goalkeeper, Alireza Beiranvand, went for the ball and collided with Pulisic, which meant his leg went to a place that doesn’t feel good when another person’s leg makes contact with it.

It was a totally clean play that unfortunately just happens sometimes when humans are flying around like that. Pulisic tried to continue playing, but was unable to return to the pitch after halftime. We eventually learned what happened: He went to a hospital to get examined, which we knew because he posted a picture celebrating the effort in which he made clear that he’ll do what he can to play against the Dutch.

Pulisic is officially listed as day-to-day with a pelvic contusion. According to ESPN, USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie texted Pulisic after the game to check in, with Pulisic telling him “best believe I’ll be ready on Saturday.” The game against the Netherland will kick off at 10 p.m. ET on Fox.

Yesterday, an interview with Pusha T was published in which the rapper spoke out against Kanye West’s recent behavior. “It’s definitely affected me,” he said. “It’s been disappointing. As a Black man in America, there is no room for bigotry or hate speech. So yeah. It’s been very disappointing, let’s talk straight.”

West is in the headlines again today, this time regarding his notorious divorce from Kim Kardashian. TMZ reported that the pair finally settled the divorce. The kids will stay with Kim but both she and West will have “equal access” to them, though West will have to pay $200,000 a month, as well as half the costs for their education and security. Neither has to pay the other spousal support and their assets will be divided according to their prenuptial agreement.

In April of this year, Kim revealed that they weren’t exactly in communication following their divorce. “We went about eight months without even speaking to each other at the beginning of the divorce,” she said. “And then, you know, we started talking again and I went to the Donda premiere. He would still see the kids and stuff, just him and I took a minute of not talking. And I think it all, in relationships, it’ll be like that. I only hope for, I hope we are the ‘co-parenting goals’ at the end of the day.”

It’s been almost two years since the Jan. 6 riot, and though the wheels of justice tend to roll slowly, they don’t roll that slow. Indeed, in that time nearly 1,000 people who stormed the Capitol have been charged with crimes. To that list, add Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, the far-right militia group that played a big part in that fateful day. Rhodes was found guilty of seditious conspiracy in his attempts to keep former president Donald Trump in office. But one person is arguably happier about the conviction than most.

The Daily Beast spoke to Rhodes’ estranged wife, Tasha Adams, who is busy finalizing her divorce from someone who may serve 20 years in the clink. How does she feel about it? Pretty darn good!

“I am beyond happy,” Adams told the Beast. “He has absolutely never had to face a consequence in his entire life. This will be the very first time. He’s spent his life making others pay—this was past due for him.”

Rhodes, who was acquitted of two separate conspiracy charges, wasn’t the only Oath Keeper convicted on Tuesday. One of his subordinates, Kelly Maggs, was as well, though three others were found not guilty. Still, this is a big deal: As The New York Times noted, it’s the first time in nearly 20 Jan. 6 trials that the jury decided the violence was a result of an organized conspiracy. Seditious conspiracy, which dates back to the Civil War, is the most serious crime yet brought upon a Capitol attack participant.

Rhodes emerged as one of Jan. 6’s most memorable characters, which is saying something. He’s distinguishable from the eyepatch he sometimes, but not always, wears, as well as the Descendents t-shirt he wore at the trial — a sartorial choice condemned by the punk band themselves. Perhaps Rhodes can ask Elon Musk what it’s like to be hated by (a) musician(s) they like.

(Via The Daily Beast and NYT)

Every year, six million lost or abandoned animals end up in shelters or rescues. Thankfully, 76% of those pets are adopted by their forever family. Of course, the dream is to find every stray animal a loving home, but getting there takes time, money, and resources.

If you’re a dog lover, especially with a rescue pup, you understand the importance of supporting animal rescue organizations and shelters. Like you, Furbo Dog Camera wants to ensure all dogs are safe and happy at home. That’s why they founded Furbo For Good, the company’s charitable initiative that supports rescued dogs. And this Giving Tuesday, they’ll be doing more for pets in need than ever before!

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Helping Other Dogs In Need

Image via Furbo

Throughout the year, for every Furbo Dog Camera purchased, Furbo for Goodsponsors one rescued dog by providing meals, healthcare, training, and all the love a good boy/girl needs. That’s because it’s their mission to actively make a difference in pets’ lives before they’ve found their forever home. However, Furbo wants to contribute even more for Giving Back Tuesday.

Furbo For Good x Giving Tuesday

Image via Unsplash

First and foremost, Furbo understands that they provide pet owners with peace of mind. Now they want to give that same peace of mind to the places that help stray animals the most. That’s why during Giving Tuesday this year, Furbo For Good will donate two Furbo Cameras to a dog rescue, animal shelter, or medical charity for each Furbo purchased. We all know how much our dogs do for us, which is why Furbo wants to double the happiness.

This Tuesday, one Furbo for your home = two Furbos for dogs waiting for their forever homes. That’s a reason for happy zoomies.

What makes the Furbo Dog Camera unique?

Image via Furbo

From new puppy woes to senior dogs recovering from surgery – Furbo helps pet parents know what’s happening when they’re not at home. Adoptive dog parents have shared countless stories of the change Furbo has made when getting a new family pet adjusted to their forever home, and we’re honored to be part of that transition. That’s because, at its core, the Furbo Dog Camera provides connection, comfort, and ease of mind for you and your pets when you are not home. Most importantly, these features have helped keep dogs safe when they’re home alone. Last year, Furbo Dog Camera helped save 27,865 dogs’ lives, and thanks to Furbo For Good x Giving Tuesday, it can be even more.

This Giving Tuesday, give yourself peace of mind and give dogs in need something special. Click here to learn more about Furbo Dog Camera.

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He explained that back in ‘87, his family had been evicted from their home and was struggling financially. He was already an avid gym goer by that time, and his pre workout snack of choice was a king size Snickers bar. So, being “broke as hell,” he would steal one everyday for almost a year. Relatable for anyone who has been struck with the difficult choices that come with poverty, to be sure.

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Johnson always regretted doing it, however, and now that things have turned around for him, he decided to go back and “right a wrong.” The clip shows him, all smiles, filling a large paper bag with the candy bars, which came out to a total of $298. He also bought some items for any customers in the store and tipped the cashier as well.

Though it has nothing to do with this uplifting story—obviously the best moment is when a passerby is heard saying “gotta go, the Rock is here.” This woman has her priorities straight.

Johnson post concluded with the words: “We can’t change the past and some of the dumb stuff we may have done, but every once in a while we can add a little redeeming grace note to that situation — and maybe put a big smile on some stranger’s faces.”

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Judging by the looks on everyone’s face in the video, I’d say mission accomplished, and wrong righted. Mistakes are part of the human experience, and as this story shows, they do have the potential to not only teach us, they help us become an even better version of ourselves.

Joseph Cook, 37, is a popular metal detectorist on social media where he shares videos of the many treasures he finds on Florida beaches. But what’s even more engaging than his finds is the incredible excitement he brings to the hobby. It’s like watching Steve Irwin, but with a Florida accent.

Not only is his attitude infectious but he also makes a point of doing good when he finds lost items. He wears a necklace around his neck with multiple rings that he’s found to remind him of his mission to return lost treasures.

Recently, he told SWNS that he dug up “the biggest diamond I ever found” on the beach. “When I first found it I thought it would just be a nickel, but then I dug it up and it was just this big old diamond and platinum ring,” he said.

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Even though the diamond ring appeared to be valuable, he had no intentions of keeping or selling the sparkler. He got right to work posting about it on social media and contacted 100 jewelry stores in the area asking if anyone came in asking for a lost ring.

He kept the ring in his scooter until he had it appraised by a local jeweler and found it was worth about $40,000. “Honestly, I had no clue it was even worth that much. I literally put it in my scooter, I thought maybe a grand, two grand or something,” Cook told Fox News Business. “It was in my scooter for a week until I took it to a jewelry store to get them to look at it.”

Two weeks after finding the ring, Cook received some calls from an unknown number and thought it might be the ring’s owner. The calls were from a husband who claimed it was his wife’s lost engagement ring. His jeweler told him that someone had found a similar ring to the one they had lost.

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The man sent Cook pictures to prove his claim was legitimate.

“They were pretty happy. The wife was on a FaceTime call, and she just said, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe it,’ and then she just started crying,” Cook told The New York Post. Three weeks later, he met up with the couple to return the ring.

Based on a quote from the alleged owner of the ring, it went through a lot before it was found by Cook.

“I am still in shock that my engagement ring spent several months in the ocean, churned up by a hurricane and found by YOU!” the ring’s alleged owner, Tiffany Howard, wrote on Instagram. “Even more shocking is your persistence in finding me to return it!”

“I really wasn’t disappointed that I had to return it,” Cook said. “Karma’s always good, every time I return an item, I find something better, so I’m happy I could give it back.”

Cook’s good deed was a tremendous act of generosity. He could have easily pocketed the ring, pawned it and made himself a nice chunk of change. But instead, he decided to use his treasure-hunting talents for good and he did all that he could to track down the ring’s owner.

When asked if he received a reward he said, “I got nothing.”

However, Cook’s belief in metal detecting karma paid off right after he returned the treasure to its rightful owners when he found another diamond ring on the beach. “Karma is real,” he wrote on Instagram.

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Odds are, seeing a swastika invokes only the most unsavory images of hatred, fascism and flagrant racism—both of Nazis and death camps from WWII, and, sadly, of white supremacy groups of today. There’s good reason that many note it as a physical manifestation of evil.

However, even if it isn’t widely talked about, it’s no secret that this symbol once had a far more sacred and benevolent meaning among the cultures that actually created it a millennia ago. And as the diaspora of minority faiths continues to diversify the West, these cultures are speaking out in an effort to reclaim the swastika’s original intent. It’s a conversation worth having.

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The word “swastika”—or “svastika,” more accurately—comes from Sanskrit, meaning “good fortune” or “wellbeing,” and has been a benevolent staple of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religions since ancient times. In Hindu religions, it is associated with Lord Ganesh, the deity who removes all obstacles, and is prominently seen throughout India and Indonesia as families gather to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights.

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It’s also not uncommon to see it marked on a Buddhist temple under the name “manji” or throughout China under the name “wan”—both having auspicious connotations. In Jain faith, a swastika represents the four types of birth that an embodied soul might attain until liberation: heavenly, human, animal, or hellish.

Though Asia has the most long-lasting relationship with the swastika, its influence has appeared throughout Eastern Europe, Rome, northern Africa, South, Central and early North America under different names. For example, Indigenous tribes like the Navajo, Hopi and Passamaquoddy call the symbol ‘whirling logs’, again denoting luck and protection.

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So positive was the swastika that up until the rise of Nazi Germany, the West wholeheartedly adopted the motif for advertising—it could be found on Coca-Cola memorabilia, beer cans, even on Boy and Girl scout badges. It was always a symbol for peace. That is, until it was stolen, reversed and appropriated to enact unspeakable cruelty.

For many who practice these minority faiths in America, using a swastika in religious practice is met with protests demanding removal, or even defaced property after people assume they are seeing neo-Nazi propaganda. It’s understandable that those whose religions actually created the symbol would find these assumptions unfair, along with the notion that this well intentioned practice should be compromised due to it being associated with heinous acts in only a very recent chapter in the symbols enduring legacy. After all, wouldn’t that be another unjust casualty in a needless war?

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On the other hand, there’s no denying that for many, the swastika remains to be a painful symbol of trauma, with no hope of rehabilitation. As New York-based Steven Heller, a design historian and author whose grandfather perished during the Holocaust, said in his book, “Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption?”: “A rose by any other name is a rose. In the end it’s how a symbol affects you visually and emotionally. For many, it creates a visceral impact and that’s a fact.” And with the rise of white nationalists and Holocaust denial, it feels particularly important to remain sensitive and validate the history of those affected by Hitler’s horrors.

One potential solution might be using intentional semantics. Hitler only called the symbol a hakenkreuz, or “hooked cross,” and that was the word used in US newspapers up until the early 1930s—ten years after the symbol was introduced as a Nazi emblem. Differentiating Hitler’s red, white and black hakenkreuz from the colorful, sacred swastika’s of faith groups could help shift the language and understanding around it.

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Even more to the heart of the matter, perhaps this allowance for distinction—and therefore, nuance—invites a deeper understanding between both sides heavily affected by the symbol. For example, Greta Elbogen, an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor who lost family members at Auschwitz, found great healing after learning abut the swastika’s original meaning. She told AP News that “hearing that the swastika is beautiful and sacred to so many people is a blessing. It’s time to let go of the past and look to the future.”

Obviously, there’s no easy fix here. Each perspective has a compelling reason to feel the way they do, and a lot of it comes from a valid desire to not see their history erased. The real obstacle is being able to have these types of conversations which honor both concerns without demonizing. As the perverted use of the swastika has shown us, extreme bias breeds hate, and hate is dangerous. The key to moving forward, it feels pretty safe to say, will be compassion.

Beabadoobee is having a big year, what with the release of her new album Beatopia and her taking it on the road on a massive tour alongside Lowertown. Though she’s still out doing shows, the musician just stopped by NPR’s office to do a Tiny Desk performance.

The stripped-down session is enchanting and shows off the natural beauty of Bea’s vocals. She sang “See You Soon,” “The Perfect Pair,” “Ripples,” and “Glue.” There’s even a gorgeous string section to make the songs even more sprawling and bright.

Upon releasing the song “See You Soon,” Bea said about the track, “I feel like the idea behind ‘See You Soon’ is that it’s meant to make you feel like you’re tripping on shrooms. Or, I feel like the chorus especially, I want it to sound like a breath of fresh air, like a realization of some sort. I wrote it during a time where I was away a lot and making a lot of mistakes and doing a lot of things to help me figure a lot of stuff out. And I feel like I found the importance of doing that really, it was really therapeutic because it made me appreciate everything around me so much more.”

Watch her Tiny Desk performance above.