In a recent Late Night interview, Stephen Colbert called New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern “basically a hobbit.” This little quip, connecting New Zealand (once again) to the Peter Jackson films, caused Ardern to admit that she did, in fact, audition for the Hobbit films, but was unsuccessful. Perhaps that was best, given the films, but it gave Colbert a chance to talk about his Tolkienophila. He is, as he says, pretty much obsessed with The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s work.
Well, that exchange with the Prime Minister led to a beautiful moment for a Tolkien fan. As a result of Colbert’s admission of neverending fandom, PM Ardern revealed that he has been invited to become a citizen of Hobbiton. This honour does not include a magical sword, or even a golden key. It does, however, include a mug.
Stephen Colbert’s response? “Did you bring the paperwork?”
I wonder if Tom Shippey is next.
I believe in open access scholarship. Because of this, since 2011 I have made A Pilgrim in Narnia free with nearly 1,000 posts on faith, fiction, and fantasy. Please consider sharing my work so others can enjoy it.
“A Pilgrim in Narnia” is a blog project in reading and talking about the work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the worlds they touched. As a "Faith, Fantasy, and Fiction" blog, we cover topics like children’s literature, apologetics and philosophy, myths and mythology, fantasy, theology, cultural critique, art and writing.
This blog includes my thoughts as I read through Lewis and Tolkien and reflect on my own life and culture. In this sense, I am a Pilgrim in Narnia--or Middle Earth, or Fairyland. I am often peeking inside of wardrobes, looking for magic bricks in urban alleys, or rooting through yard sale boxes for old rings. If something here captures your imagination, leave a comment, “like” a post, share with your friends, or sign up to receive Narnian Pilgrim posts in your email box.
Brenton Dickieson is a father, husband, friend, university lecturer, and freelance writer from Prince Edward Island, Canada. You can follow him on Twitter, @BrentonDana.
I don’t suppose there’s a full-scale reconstruction of Isengard, anywhere… (nor do I know if Rhosgobel as seen in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is extant anywhere…: Radagast’s Tolkien Gateway article notes that “When Tolkien finished writing the story up till Moria, he made notes on the future story development; therein he considered handing over Isengard to Radagast” – !)
Tangentially, I can’t remember ever hearing or reading why the late Senator McCain seemed to view being a hobbit as a categorically negative thing (!).
Two days later… I could not find it! As far as I remember, it’s a setting of a selection poems by Villon, but I’m not sure by heart which, in which order, except I vividly remembered that at 3:00 begins the famous
Dictes moy ou n’en quel pays
Est Flora le belle Romaine
Archipiades, ne Thaïs,
Qui fut sa cousine germaine,
Echo parlant quant bruyt on maine
Dessus riviere ou sus estan,
Qui beaulté ot trop plus qu’humaine.
Mais ou sont les neiges d’antan?
Hope all is going well and enjoyably across the North Sea, but on ‘this side of the Pond’!
If you didn’t see Colbert’s interview with Liv Tyler earlier in the summer, look it up. He was completely awestruck when she brought The Sword for him to hold. It was so sweet!
Hope all goes well with your research, Brenton. Safe travels.
In a recent Late Night interview, Stephen Colbert called New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern “basically a hobbit.” This little quip, connecting New Zealand (once again) to the Peter Jackson films, caused Ardern to admit that she did, in fact, audition for the Hobbit films, but was unsuccessful. Perhaps that was best, given the films, but it gave Colbert a chance to talk about his Tolkienophila. He is, as he says, pretty much obsessed with The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s work.
A Pilgrim in Narnia 
I see Shippey more as one of the Istari than a hobbit.
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I don’t know if they offer honorary memberships.
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I don’t suppose there’s a full-scale reconstruction of Isengard, anywhere… (nor do I know if Rhosgobel as seen in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is extant anywhere…: Radagast’s Tolkien Gateway article notes that “When Tolkien finished writing the story up till Moria, he made notes on the future story development; therein he considered handing over Isengard to Radagast” – !)
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I suspect Radagast would have turned it into a hippie commune or new wave dance club
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Thinking if some of Gandalf and Saruman’s moves there in the Jackson LotR, I can imagine the latter…
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Tangentially, I can’t remember ever hearing or reading why the late Senator McCain seemed to view being a hobbit as a categorically negative thing (!).
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Well, the subtle anti-Hobbit contrails of bygone days.
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Your phrasing makes me think of Ezra Pound’s Le Testament De Villon (starting at 3:00):
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I’m in an airport and can’t get this to load! Is there a text version (opera? Pound? cool)
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Two days later… I could not find it! As far as I remember, it’s a setting of a selection poems by Villon, but I’m not sure by heart which, in which order, except I vividly remembered that at 3:00 begins the famous
Dictes moy ou n’en quel pays
Est Flora le belle Romaine
Archipiades, ne Thaïs,
Qui fut sa cousine germaine,
Echo parlant quant bruyt on maine
Dessus riviere ou sus estan,
Qui beaulté ot trop plus qu’humaine.
Mais ou sont les neiges d’antan?
Hope all is going well and enjoyably across the North Sea, but on ‘this side of the Pond’!
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Tiring, but great!
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If you didn’t see Colbert’s interview with Liv Tyler earlier in the summer, look it up. He was completely awestruck when she brought The Sword for him to hold. It was so sweet!
Hope all goes well with your research, Brenton. Safe travels.
Dana
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Oh, cool. I have to find it!
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Speaking of impressive swords:
https://www.thelocal.se/20181004/eight-year-old-swedish-girl-pulls-1000-year-old-sword-from-lake
An American of Czech and Swedish descent (at least) – what might she be ‘rightwise Queen of’?
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Very cool! I was pretty sure the heir of Arthur would wear a pink bathing suit.
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oh man, this show clip and the announcement make me so happy.
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Awesome!
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