NFL fans jumped to their X accounts to rip an ESPN reporter for joking that the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor during the Chiefs-Dolphins game. But the fans were clearly clueless that the reporter’s joke was a reference to a famed Animal House bit.
During the game, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington wrote, “A mere history lesson here in Germany should provide the Dolphins all the hope they need in the second half. After all… Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??”
A mere history lesson here in Germany should provide the Dolphins all the hope they need in the second half.
After all… Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) November 5, 2023
Darlington was, of course, riffing on the famed scene in the 1976 film Animal House where college character Bluto Blutarsky (John Belushi) cluelessly bloviated, “Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?”
Unfortunately, many younger X users did not get the reference and jumped to X to blast Darlington as apparently not knowing the history of World War Two.
The Japanese?
— The Coochie Chiropractor 999 (@kingdbtrev) November 5, 2023
Dumbass analyst thinks the germans bombed pearl harbor https://t.co/LGdLOnYKLn
— Zach (@LockedInMiami) November 5, 2023
Worst tweet ever??? https://t.co/GLnYzMczRo
— Dylan 🏴 (@DylanMcLeish1) November 5, 2023
I’m not fucking historian but I’m pretty sure the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor you fucking muppet https://t.co/UaKMey05Gc
— Nick Scala (@Scala_Swag) November 5, 2023
Germans?
— Richardactor (@RichardActor17) November 5, 2023
While Gen Z and Gen Y NFL fans seemed utterly clueless that Darlington was referencing Animal House, many others were laughing at ignorance of the detractors who thought Darlington was the idiot.
What I’ve learned this morning is that an alarming amount of people have never seen Animal House…. https://t.co/YVYbg2u0z8
— Matt (@Lebs52) November 5, 2023
Guys it’s a joke lmao.
Not enough people have seen Animal House on my timeline. https://t.co/Z4YxHEXMyx pic.twitter.com/6EnSi5PJ2p
— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) November 5, 2023
If you get this joke, we can be friends https://t.co/Fm0yHPz5WR
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) November 5, 2023
This app is too young to understand this reference https://t.co/gRZik08RFh
— Casey Zeiders (@thezeiders) November 5, 2023
Whatever you think of Darlington’s Animal House reference, it didn’t help the Miami Dolphins beat the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs won 21-14.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston