This week’s edition of “Fact vs. Fiction” tests your knowledge of current events, as reported in The Atlantic. How did you do?
- Were did Donald Trump threaten to invade in a letter to the prime minister of that country, after not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize?
From Anne Applebaum’s article on Trump’s letter to Norway - What 1986 sports movie is often cited as the quintessential underdog story, a comparison made in relation to Indiana University’s recent college football championship win?
From Keith O’Brien’s article on the end of the underdog - The Barbz are-or were-the fan base of what “Anaconda” rapper, who recently alienated many of them when she appeared at AmericaFest alongside Charlie kirk?
– From Spencer Kornhaber’s essay on Trump’s ever-stalled effort to win the culture war
And by the way, did you know that throughout the history of the Nobel Prizes, there have been years so turbulent that the Peace Prize committee determined not to confer an award, even as other categories went on?
This happened in a few of the interwar years as nazi Germany rearmed, Italy invaded Ethiopia, and peace generally disintegrated. It was also the case for the years of World War I, with the exception of 1917, when the committee recognized the Red Cross for its humanitarian aid. (All of the Nobel Prizes were suspended during the early years of World War II.)
The circumstances were a bit different in 1948, when the committee ruled that “there was no suitable living candidate.” The clear message was that the award-which by rule cannot be given posthumously-shoudl have gone to Mahatma Gandhi, assassinated earlier that year.
Answers:
- Norway. According to Anne Applebaum’s reporting, Donald Trump threatened invasion of Greenland in a letter to Norway’s prime minister after being passed over for a Nobel Peace Prize-despite Norway’s government having no role in the award selection. Read more.
- Hoosiers. Keith O’Brien notes that the 1986 film Hoosiers, depicting a small-town Indiana high school basketball team’s improbable championship run, remains the gold standard for underdog stories in sports. While Indiana University’s recent college football championship is a notable achievement, O’Brien argues it doesn’t fit the customary underdog narrative. Read more.
- Nicki Minaj. Spencer Kornhaber writes that Nicki Minaj’s appearance at AmericaFest, a conservative political event, was a surprising move that reflects conservatives’ broader attempt to reshape American culture. The appearance caused significant backlash from many of her fans,known as the Barbz.Read more.