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New York Times
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Deep Dish Pizza and Malört in the Vatican? Chicago Pope Spurs Memes
Deep-dish pizza shall be served in place of communion wafers. Michael Jordan shall be declared the Greatest Of All Time. And the Trevi Fountain shall be dyed green. If internet memes became reality, Pope Leo XIV of Dolton, Ill., a southern suburb of Chicago, would turn Vatican City into Downtown Chicago, complete with a reflective kidney bean statue and carts serving ketchup-less hot dogs. Malört — Chicago's unofficial liquor with a burning-tires aftertaste — would replace red wine as a symbol of the blood of Christ. These and other whimsical suggestions started popping up on social media moments after Robert Francis Prevost's Chicago roots came to light on Thursday. 'Canes nostros ipse comedit,' the marquee at Wieners Circle, a famous Chicago hot dog joint, joked in Latin. 'He has eaten our dogs.' Chicago drips with personality, has larger-than-life cultural figures and its fair share of corrupt politics, all of which are mixed with a touch of little-brother syndrome, making it a uniquely meme-able city. The food is polarizing, the history is stranger than fiction, and the traditions — like dying the river green on St. Patrick's Day and playing softball without gloves — are somewhat bizarre. 'We definitely don't take ourselves too seriously,' said Shermann Thomas, 43, a Chicago historian who also goes by the name Dilla. 'The only rule is we don't want anybody else talking crap about us.' If the new pope found himself scrolling through social media, he would perhaps get a chuckle at the memes that ribbed Chicago for its quirks and poked at the paradox of a modern city entwining with a 2000-year-old tradition. The jokes were so plentiful that people started posting their drafts of jokes that didn't quite make the cut. 'The existence of Chicago Pope implies the existence of MLA Pope and APA Pope,' a user posted. Another user joked, 'Chicago Pope, Tuesdays on NBC.' In a city filled with diehard sports fans who have had little to celebrate of late, the sports jokes wrote themselves. Could this be the first time a pope has ever listened to 'The Super Bowl Shuffle' or screamed at Steve Bartman? What is his opinion about the Chicago Bulls trading Elton Brand for Tyson Chandler? 'Daaaaaa Pope,' the Chicago Bears' quarterback Caleb Williams posted on X. Artificial intelligence, which is usually contributing to brain rot or helping high school students cheat, was working overtime at making some quality memes. Fake images of the pope baptizing an Italian beef sandwich and wearing a Chicago Bears cassock circulated. For Mr. Thomas, the city historian, a lot of the city's humor comes from how many different cultures fit themselves inside such a small area. Only Chicago could be home to Al Capone, the Latin Kings and the pope, he said. This story could go on for another 500 words, filled with silly Chicago pope jokes. And it would be delightful. But we'll leave you with perhaps the most relatable meme of the day: 'The Popemobile just cut you off on I-94.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chicago brings home the papacy: City celebrates native son Pope Leo XIV with memes and hope
CHICAGO − Over 100 years passed between World Series championships for Cubs fans in this great city, but they finally got one. And now, after 2,000 years, they've got a pope, too. Chicagoans don't mind too much that Pope Leo XIV is apparently not a Cubs fan - he's from the South Side and that is squarely in Chicago White Sox territory - because right now the town is heavenly abuzz with having the first U.S. pope in history hail from their city. The Wieners Circle, a famous Chicago hot dog stand, celebrated with a sign which read "CANES NOSTROS IPSE COMEDIT" - Latin for "He has eaten our dogs." 'Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago!' Mayor Brandon Johnson posted on X. 'We hope to welcome you back home soon.' And the Onion, the noted Chicago-based publication known for its biting satire, declared that the conclave had selected its "first Chicago-style pope," with a doctored pic of Pope Leo in a Chicago-style hot dog bun, which, God forbid, did not have any ketchup. The condiment is strictly forbidden on hot dogs in Chicago. But it's not all memes and games. There's a lot of hope blowing through the Windy City as well. Chicagoans are fiercely proud of their city's working-class reputation and Pope Leo - born here as Robert Francis Prevost - has a reputation in the Catholic Church for sticking up for worker's rights and the disenfranchised, something highly valued here. Prevost was born in 1955 at Mercy Hospital, about three miles south of the city's iconic downtown Loop area. And of all people, the Cardinals elected him to lead 1.4 billion Catholics around the globe. But not the bitter rival Cardinals from St. Louis. The ones in the Vatican, who voted in Prevost as the successor to Pope Francis on Thursday, barely a day after they were locked away inside the Sistine Chapel for the historic conclave. 'In this time when Chicago has been demonized, when workers rights and immigrants rights have been attacked and people feel in fear, it's symbolic we have a pope from Chicago, who is actually also a dual citizen. It shows solidarity among countries and workers,' said Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, a South Side city council member. 'It brings hope because Chicago is a beacon of hope for the country,' he said. 'It's very symbolic we have one of our own up there.' Aside from a brief tussle over Leo's baseball allegiances, Cubs and White Sox fans alike were ecstatic for the new pope raised just south of the city and whose early life revolved around the South Side church his family attended. They toasted 'Da Pope,' a reference to the iconic Saturday Night Live 'Da Bears' sketch, and joked that in place of the wine and bread at mass, the world should expect Malört – a bitter liqueur knocked back like a rite of passage in the city – and deep-dish pizza or tamales. Throughout the city and social media on Thursday, Chicagoans quickly embraced the USA's first pope as a cultural icon, with memes and doctored photos showing Pope Leo holding Chicago hot dogs and other city food favorites. "Chicago loses mind over homegrown pontiff," read an Instagram post. Photoshopped images of the new pope wearing Chicago Bears, Cubs or White Sox garb made the rounds. Both the Cubs and the White Sox used their lighted scoreboards to announce the pontiff supported one or the other. (The pope's brother said he's a White Sox rooter.) Chicago, dubbed the City of Big Shoulders by poet Carl Sandburg, cheered that it may have a working-class champion to stand up to President Donald Trump's criticisms of the city over the years. In his first presidential term, Trump called Chicago a haven for criminals that is 'embarrassing to us as a nation' and he threatened to "send in the feds." In January, Trump's border czar said Chicago would be 'ground zero' for mass deportations, and Chicago officials braced for a showdown. The new pope from Chicago brings some optimism that the city has an ally in a high place. 'Hopefully it's going to be a factor in fighting back,' said Sara Izquierdo, a Chicago native who runs a medical clinic frequented by migrants on the city's South Side. 'Francis was really good at standing up for people so I'm really hoping we see that same courage in this pope, too.' Izquierdo, 30, said that since Trump came into office, her medical clinic has had to screen people to make sure they are who they say they are - and not Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents looking to make an arrest. 'I'm hoping this will alleviate some of that anxiety that is just rampant right now,' she said. 'There's a lot of fear in going to a good pantry or doctor.' Izquierdo, a Chicago native whose father is from Peru, saw only one glaring flaw in the new pope. "I heard that he's not a Cubs fan," she said. "Can't have everything I guess." Father Michael Pfleger, the longtime pastor of a South Side Catholic church who is known nationally for his anti-violence work, said the choice of an American cardinal was unexpected but could not have come at a better time. 'As I look at the world and the immorality going on with fascism and tyranny, we need a moral voice of conscience and of concern for the poor,' Pfleger told USA TODAY. 'What a great time for an American to be in a position to be a moral voice.' Leo's moral voice, he expects, will be distinctly that of his native city. 'He has all the right ingredients— he comes out of Chicago, which is unique to the country, the big city with a small city feel,' Pfleger said. 'The city is the heart of America, it's real people, it's got all the issues of a city but it's a place where people try to do right.' Trump celebrated the news of an American's election to head the church. But Pfleger said he may be surprised at how their views differ. Already Chicagoans are noting Leo's recent posts on social media were critical of Trump and Vice President JD Vance. 'I'm sure the president doesn't know what this guy really stands for and I think he's gonna find out,' the St. Sabina pastor said. Chicagoans also noted the name the new pope took: Leo, an apparent reference to Pope Leo XIII, who was known as the 'Pope of the Workers.' The turn of the century pope 'outlined the rights of all workers to a fair wage, safe working conditions and collective bargaining,' the Chicago Federation of Labor announced. 'We are excited by this message sent to workers around the world and look forward to Pope Leo XIV presiding and serving people of all faiths.' Sigcho-Lopez rode into City Council as a champion of working people and echoed the boasts of the Chicago Federation of Labor. 'People have encountered him as someone who can truly reflect the aspiration of workers,' the South Side alderman said. 'I'm proud to have someone like Pope Leo XIV who reflects those values.' Leo was born in Chicago but he served for decades in Peru, earning dual citizenship with the South American country. The nation also celebrated the new pope's election on Thursday. Peruvian President Dina Boluarte called it historic and noted Leo is a Peruvian by choice. 'His closeness to those most in need left an indelible mark on the heart of Peru,' Boluarte said on Facebook. 'The Peruvian people, a nation of faith and hope, is united in prayer for the pope and gratefully celebrates that a pastor who loved Peru now guides the universal church.' He was the bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023, part of a nearly four-decade stretch when he went back and forth between serving in Peru and Chicago, starting in 1985. Celine Woznica was at the Catholic church just outside Chicago, where she helps run a free store and legal aid clinic for migrants. Suddenly Bells began ringing, she recalls, though it wasn't clear which papal candidate prevailed. She took heart when she learned who it was. 'He came from a working class neighborhood of Chicago, so that gave him a good start,' said Woznica, 71. 'But he so identified with workers and marginalized people of Peru that he added Peruvian citizenship.' The site Woznica helps run sees about 600 migrants a month. In recent months, staffers shared the words of Francis to console people entering the doors looking for help. She expects that in Leo, the people they served will have a new beacon of hope. 'We got guidance and strength from Pope Francis' words and I think we'll be able to continue to give strength and guidance through Pope Leo,' she said. 'He's definitely going to keep up the passion for the rights of human dignity.' This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chicago brings home the papacy with native son Pope Leo XIV
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pritzker digs at Trump, proposes Illinois annex Green Bay, rename Lake Michigan to ‘Lake Illinois'
CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — Gov. JB Pritzker said Friday that Illinois plans to annex Green Bay and rename Lake Michigan to 'Lake Illinois' in his latest dig at the Trump administration. In a straight-faced on Friday, billed as an 'Important Announcement from the Governor of Illinois,' Pritzker made the apparently satirical reveal, saying: 'The world's finest geographers, experts who study the Earth's natural environment, have concluded a decades-long council and determined that a great lake deserves to be named after a great state. So today, I'm issuing a proclamation declaring that hereinafter, Lake Michigan shall be known as Lake Illinois. The proclamation has been forwarded to Google to ensure the world's maps reflect this momentous change,' he said. 'In addition, the recent announcement that to protect the homeland, the United States will be purchasing Greenland … Illinois will now be annexing Green Bay to protect itself against enemies, foreign and domestic,' Pritzker said. 'I've also instructed my team to work diligently to prepare for an important announcement next week regarding the Mississippi River. God bless America and bear down. Thank you.' The 'announcement' follows executive orders issued by President Donald Trump to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and return Mount Denali in Alaska to its former name, Mount MicKinley. 'America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world. A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and we will restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs,' Trump said. Trump has also floated the idea of acquiring Greenland and making Canada America's 51st state. Elon Musk, who owns X, responded by writing, 'Nothing is more dangerous than getting between JB Pritzker and the buffet table!' Pritzker responded by posting a photo of himself buying a hot dog from Chicago's Wieners Circle, writing: 'I salute @The WienerCircle, not Nazis.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Illinois Gov. Pritzker pokes fun at Trump's Gulf of America by renaming Lake Michigan, annexing Green Bay
GREEN BAY — A minute-and-five-second video posted to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's official X account Friday afternoon was all it took to poke fun at President Donald Trump's order to rename the Gulf of Mexico and desire to purchase Greenland. The Illinois governor joked about annexing Green Bay as well. The governor, eyes set on the camera, stern-faced, tone solemn, declared that after Trump talked about purchasing Greenland, "Illinois will now be annexing Green Bay to protect itself against enemies, foreign and domestic." A Green Bay Packers logo then appears in the bottom of the video. The tongue-in-cheek announcement makes the Illinois governor one of the latest public figures and organizations to jump on the Internet bandwagon of renaming various geographies. Oh, and Green Bay, Illinois will no longer sit along Lake Michigan anymore. Per the governor's message earlier in the video, Lake Michigan will henceforth be named Lake Illinois. "A Great Lake deserves to be named after a great state," he said. Pritzker used X to respond to Elon Musk, who tweeted, 'Nothing is more dangerous than getting between JB Pritzker and the buffet table!' Elon Musk wrote from his personal account on the X platform that he owns. X is formerly known as Twitter. Pritzker responded with an image of himself purchasing a hot dog from the Wieners Circle. 'I salute @The WienerCircle, not Nazis.', he wrote. Jesse Lin is a reporter covering the community of Green Bay and its surroundings, as well as politics in northeastern Wisconsin. Contact him at 920-834-4250 or jlin@ This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Illinois governor pokes fun at Trump, renames lake, annexes Green Bay
USA Today
07-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Illinois Gov. Pritzker pokes fun at Trump's Gulf of America by renaming Lake Michigan, annexing Green Bay
Hear this story GREEN BAY — A minute-and-five-second video posted to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's official X account Friday afternoon was all it took to poke fun at President Donald Trump's order to rename the Gulf of Mexico and desire to purchase Greenland. The Illinois governor joked about annexing Green Bay as well. The governor, eyes set on the camera, stern-faced, tone solemn, declared that after Trump talked about purchasing Greenland, "Illinois will now be annexing Green Bay to protect itself against enemies, foreign and domestic." A Green Bay Packers logo then appears in the bottom of the video. The tongue-in-cheek announcement makes the Illinois governor one of the latest public figures and organizations to jump on the Internet bandwagon of renaming various geographies. Oh, and Green Bay, Illinois will no longer sit along Lake Michigan anymore. Per the governor's message earlier in the video, Lake Michigan will henceforth be named Lake Illinois. "A Great Lake deserves to be named after a great state," he said. Pritzker used X to respond to Elon Musk, who tweeted, 'Nothing is more dangerous than getting between JB Pritzker and the buffet table!' Elon Musk wrote from his personal account on the X platform that he owns. X is formerly known as Twitter. Pritzker responded with an image of himself purchasing a hot dog from the Wieners Circle. 'I salute @The WienerCircle, not Nazis.', he wrote. Jesse Lin is a reporter covering the community of Green Bay and its surroundings, as well as politics in northeastern Wisconsin. Contact him at 920-834-4250 or jlin@
