Cats That Look Like Hitler

Last updated

A cat with a black splotch underneath its nose that somewhat resembles Hitler's toothbrush mustache KITLER.jpg
A cat with a black splotch underneath its nose that somewhat resembles Hitler's toothbrush mustache

Cats That Look Like Hitler is a satirical website featuring photographs of cats resembling Adolf Hitler, dictator of Germany from 1933 to 1945. [1] Such cats are often referred to as kitler on the Internet. [2] Most of the cats are piebald, with a large black splotch underneath its nose, much like the dictator's toothbrush moustache, and other features that suggest a typically stern expression. Some have diagonal black patches on their heads resembling Hitler's fringe. The site was founded by Koos Plegt and Paul Neve in 2006 [3] and became widely known after being featured on several television programmes across Europe [3] [4] [5] and Australia. [6] The site is now run only by Neve; as of February 2013 he had approved photographs of over 7,500 cats. [7] The site is seemingly no longer maintained, as the webpage has not been updated since April 2014.

Contents

Stephen Colbert mentioned the site in his The Colbert Report in July 2010. [8] The site was commonly referenced in the now defunct Australian gaming magazine Total Gamer and has become well known in New Zealand since it was mentioned on the Edge Nightshow by Brad Wattson that his cat 'Piggles' was the No. 1 "kitler" (kitty Hitler) in the world. The site was also mentioned fleetingly in The Social Network . [9]

Cats are a popular staple of Internet culture, and Cats That Look Like Hitler can be considered an offshoot of a broader cultural fascination with cats on the Internet. In 2011, The Daily Telegraph reported on a "kitler" that was unable to find adoption due to its facial resemblance to the dictator. [10]

Writer for The Times , Ben Machell, has interviewed the owners of sensational cats such as those on the site and has come up with various possible explanations for the creation and popularity of cats on the Internet, including Cats That Look Like Hitler. Machell mentions the cat's mysterious nature and personality as a perfect target for projecting personality and emotion on, and recalls the worship of cats by the ancient Egyptians. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dictator</span> Political leader who possesses absolute power

A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a small clique. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to rule the republic in times of emergency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacha Baron Cohen</span> British comedian, actor, producer, and writer (born 1971)

Sacha Noam Baron Cohen is an English comedian, actor, writer and producer. He is best known for his creation and portrayal of the fictional satirical characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral General Haffaz Aladeen. At the 2012 British Comedy Awards, Baron Cohen received the Outstanding Achievement Award and accepted the award in-character as Ali G. In 2013, he received the BAFTA Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy. In 2018, The Times named him among the 30 best living comedians.

<i>The Great Dictator</i> 1940 American film by Charlie Chaplin

The Great Dictator is a 1940 American anti-war political satire black comedy written, directed, produced, scored by, and starring British comedian Charlie Chaplin, following the tradition of many of his other films. Having been the only Hollywood filmmaker to continue to make silent films well into the period of sound films, Chaplin made this his first true sound film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neve Campbell</span> Canadian actress (born 1973)

Neve Adrianne Campbell is a Canadian actress. She is known for her performances in the horror and slasher genres, which have earned her recognition as a scream queen and in popular culture, and for playing roles in several comedy and drama projects. She is among the highest-grossing actresses and acclaimed heroines in horror, and has won two Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for Best Actress, a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actress, a MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance, and a Saturn Award for Best Actress, among other accolades.

<i>The Daily Show</i> American late-night satirical news television program

The Daily Show is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central with release shortly after on Paramount+ of extended episodes. The Daily Show draws its comedy and satire from recent news stories as well as political figures, media organizations, and often uses self-referential humor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Stewart</span> American comedian and television host (born 1962)

Jon Stewart is an American comedian, writer, producer, director, political commentator, actor, and television host. The long-running host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central from 1999 to 2015, Stewart returned to the satirical news program in 2024. He hosted The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+ from 2021 to 2023. Stewart has received numerous accolades, including 22 Primetime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and five Peabody Awards. He was honored with the Bronze Medallion in 2019, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Colbert</span> American comedian and TV host (born 1964)

Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program The Colbert Report from 2005 to 2014 and the CBS talk program The Late Show with Stephen Colbert since September 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black cat</span> Domestic cat with black fur

A black cat is a domestic cat with black fur that may be a specific breed, or a common domestic cat of no particular or mixed breed. All-black fur pigmentation is slightly more prevalent in male cats than female cats. Most black cats have golden irises due to their high melanin pigment content. Black cats are the subject of myth, legend, and superstition. They are often associated with witches and bad luck in European folklore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adolf Hitler in popular culture</span>

Adolf Hitler, dictator of Germany from 1933 to 1945, has been represented in popular culture ever since he became a well-known politician in Germany. His distinctive image was often parodied by his opponents. Parodies became much more prominent outside Germany during his period in power. Since the end of World War II representations of Hitler, both serious and satirical, have continued to be prominent in popular culture, sometimes generating significant controversy. In many periodicals, books, and movies, Hitler and Nazism fulfill the role of archetypal evil. This treatment is not confined to fiction but is widespread amongst nonfiction writers who have discussed him in this vein. Hitler has retained a fascination from other perspectives; among many comparable examples is an exhibition at the German Historical Museum which was widely attended.

<i>The Colbert Report</i> American late-night talk show (2005–2014)

The Colbert Report is an American late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December 18, 2014, for 1,447 episodes. The show focused on a fictional anchorman character named Stephen Colbert, played by his real-life namesake. The character, described by Colbert as a "well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot", is a caricature of televised political pundits. Furthermore, the show satirized conservative personality-driven political talk programs, particularly Fox News's The O'Reilly Factor. The Colbert Report is a spin-off of Comedy Central's The Daily Show, where Colbert was a correspondent from 1997 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Colbert at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner</span> 2006 satirical speech

On April 29, 2006, American comedian Stephen Colbert appeared as the featured entertainer at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, which was held in Washington, D.C., at the Hilton Washington hotel. Colbert's performance, consisting of a 16-minute podium speech and a 7-minute video presentation, was broadcast live across the United States on the cable television networks C-SPAN and MSNBC. Standing a few feet from U.S. President George W. Bush, in front of an audience of celebrities, politicians, and members of the White House Press Corps, Colbert delivered a controversial, searing routine targeting the president and the media. He spoke in the persona of the character he played on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a parody of conservative pundits such as Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity.

References to Wikipedia in popular culture have been widespread. Many parody Wikipedia's openness, with individuals vandalizing or modifying articles in nonconstructive ways. Others feature individuals using Wikipedia as a reference work, or positively comparing their intelligence to Wikipedia. In some cases, Wikipedia is not used as an encyclopedia at all, but instead serves more as a character trait or even as a game, such as Wikiracing. Wikipedia has also become culturally significant with many individuals seeing the presence of their own Wikipedia entry as a status symbol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Colbert (character)</span> Persona of political satirist Stephen Colbert

The Reverend Sir Dr. Stephen T. Mos Def Colbert D.F.A., Heavyweight Champion of the World, is the fictionalized persona of political satirist Stephen Colbert, as portrayed on the Comedy Central series The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, and occasionally on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS. Described as a "well-intentioned, poorly informed high-status idiot" and a "self-important right-wing commentator", the character incorporates aspects of the real Colbert's life and interests but is primarily a parody of cable news pundits, particularly former Fox News prime time host Bill O'Reilly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Corden</span> English comedian, actor, singer and former television host (born 1978)

James Kimberley Corden is an English actor, comedian, singer, writer, producer, and former television host. In the United Kingdom, he is best known for co-writing and starring in the critically acclaimed BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey. In the United States, he is best known as the host of The Late Late Show with James Corden, a late-night talk show that aired on CBS from 2015 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lolcat</span> Image combining a photograph of a cat with text intended to contribute humour

A lolcat, or LOLcat, is an image macro of one or more cats. Lolcat images' idiosyncratic and intentionally grammatically incorrect text is known as lolspeak.

<i>Keyboard Cat</i> Internet meme

Keyboard Cat is a video-based internet meme. Its original form was a video made in 1984 by Charlie Schmidt of his cat Fatso seemingly playing a musical keyboard to a cheery tune. While Schmidt had uploaded the video himself to YouTube in 2007, Brad O'Farrell, with Schmidt's permission, appended the video to the end of a blooper video uploaded in 2009 as if to have the cat "play" the person offstage after the gaffe as they had done in Vaudeville. The idea of this quickly expanded on the Internet by numerous other users, typically under the name "Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat", and became a popular meme on YouTube.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cats and the Internet</span> Popular part of Internet culture

Images and videos of domestic cats make up some of the most viewed content on the World Wide Web. ThoughtCatalog has described cats as the "unofficial mascot of the Internet".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heike B. Görtemaker</span> German historian (born 1964)

Heike B. Görtemaker is a German historian known mostly for her biographies of Margret Boveri, German journalist and writer of the post-World War II period, and Eva Braun, the partner and wife of Adolf Hitler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hitler teapot</span> Kettle perceived to resemble Adolf Hitler

The Michael Graves Design Bells and Whistles Stainless Steel Tea Kettle, colloquially known as the Hitler teapot, was a stainless-steel kettle sold in 2013 by the American retailer and department store chain JCPenney. It attracted attention on social media due to its perceived resemblance to the Nazi German dictator Adolf Hitler.

References

  1. Finkelstein, Daniel (February 26, 2007). "Cats that look like Hitler". The Times. Archived from the original on July 19, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2008.
  2. "Researchers find why some cats look like Hitler | The Times of Israel". www.timesofisrael.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Mikita Brottman (February 7, 2007). "Mein Kat". PopMatters. Archived from the original on July 21, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2008.
  4. Jonathan Ross (2006). The Jonathan Ross Show (TV-series). UK: BBC.
  5. The Graham Norton Show (TV-series). UK: BBC. 2008.
  6. Dan Walmsley (2006). The Breakfast Show Live: A History of the Web (TV-series). Australia: Dan Walmsley.
  7. Neve, Paul. "Frequently Asked Questions|Cats That Look Like Hitler". Archived from the original on October 3, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  8. Moos, Jeanne (July 28, 2010). "Cats that look like Hitler". CNN. Archived from the original on December 30, 2010. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  9. "The Social Network (2010) – IMDb". IMDb . Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  10. "Hitler cat 'overlooked for adoption because of markings'". www.telegraph.co.uk. July 29, 2011. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  11. Machell, Ben (October 6, 2012). "What Is It About Cats?". thetimes.co.uk. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013.