Entertainment
Sexy Star Wars Villain Is Secretly Connected To The ‘90s Most Offensive Band
By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated
One of the most interesting Star Wars supporting characters is Asajj Ventress, the murderous Sith who frequently tormented the Republic during the Clone Wars cartoon. She initially served as Anakin Skywalker’s dark counterpart, one who trained under Count Dooku just as the young Jedi trained under Obi-Wan Kenobi. Eventually, her story took some weird twists and turns. After being betrayed by Darth Sidious and Count Dooku, she tries to find a home with the Nightsisters and even some sleazy bounty hunters, including Boba Fett. Eventually, she has a face turn, ultimately helping to save Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ashoka, two Jedi who were once her sworn enemies.
While Asajj Ventress benefited from good writing, it was her voice actor, Nika Futterman, who really brought this complex villain to life. Futterman is an accomplished actor who has voiced some of the genre’s best characters, including Hawkgirl and Catwoman. However, what even the biggest Star Wars fans don’t realize is that Futterman helped connect their favorite franchise to one of the most beloved and most controversial bands of the ‘90s. You see, long before she voiced a Sith apprentice, Futterman sang the “give it to me baby” part of the hit Offspring song “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy).”
Nothing Ventress, Nothing Gained
Like many voice actors, Nika Futterman has had a very unconventional career. Since the mid-90’s, she has voiced characters in just about every geeky franchise under the sun. This includes Marvel, DC, Ninja Turtles, Scooby-Doo, and so many more. In 2008, she voiced Star Wars character Asajj Ventress in the Clone Wars movie, a role that carried over to the Clone Wars television show. Her casting was a pleasant surprise, as Ventress had been previously voiced by Grey DeLisle in the earlier, 2D Clone Wars show. Futterman has gone the distance in a galaxy far, far away and continued voicing Asajj Ventress in the Star Wars shows Tales of the Underworld and The Bad Batch.
Early in Futterman’s career, she dabbled in music. Her most notable achievement in this arena included performing in the hit 1998 Offspring song “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy”). Futterman doesn’t sing along with the band, exactly; instead, she provides the iconic refrain “give it to me, baby!” that arguably makes the song so memorable. While the song proved to be immensely popular, some found it offensive because most of its humor was based on race. Specifically, the song is filled with tongue-in-cheek references to the titular white guy desperately trying (and failing) to be cool by doing things like buying Vanilla Ice records and cruising around in a Pinto.
Give It To Her, Baby!
The song was a breakout hit for The Offspring, a band that made a name for itself with vulgar lyrics that celebrated aggressive behavior and mocked everything from poser culture to authoritarian posturing. As such, they were considered highly offensive by conservative critics of the ‘90s, which, in retrospect, isn’t really fair. If you can get past the foul language and songs about sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll, you are left with a successful band that simply helped make punk attitudes and aesthetics mainstream. In terms of punk, these guys are infinitely less offensive than, say, hardcore punk legend GG Allin.
Whether you hate or celebrate The Offspring, their connection to Star Wars is wonderfully surreal. One year before The Phantom Menace hit theaters, the woman who would ultimately voice the prequels’ coolest spinoff character was singing an infectiously catchy, hilariously suggestive refrain for the most vulgar bop of the decade. In its own way, that song was even prophetic when it comes to the Chosen One of a galaxy far, far away: Anakin Skywalker. This angry young man might never have been granted the rank of Master, but even the stodgiest members of the Council can agree on one thing: he is pretty fly, for a white guy!
Entertainment
NYT Pips hints, answers for July 12, 2026
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play Pips
If you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:
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Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
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Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
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Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
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Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
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Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Easy difficulty hints, answers for July 12 Pips
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.
Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed horizontally.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for July 12 Pips
Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.
Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 4-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed vertically.
Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically.
Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for July 12 Pips
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically.
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Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.
Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Entertainment
How to watch Sinner vs. Zverev in the 2026 Wimbledon final online for free
TL;DR: Live stream Sinner vs. Zverev in the 2026 Wimbledon final for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Wimbledon has been fun, sweaty, and shocking in 2026. We’ve been treated to some electric tennis, shock results, and top players delivering when it counts.
Sinner now faces off against Zverev in the final game of the tournament. Sinner is seeking his fifth Grand Slam title and his second at Wimbledon. Zverez is looking to build on his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2026 French Open. It’s going to be a fascinating battle between two guys at the top of their game.
If you want to watch Sinner vs. Zverev in the 2026 Wimbledon final for free from anywhere in the world, we’ve got all the information you need.
When is Sinner vs. Zverev?
Sinner vs. Zverev in the 2026 Wimbledon final is set to take place at 4 p.m. BST on July 12.
How to watch Sinner vs. Zverev for free
Sinner vs. Zverev in the 2026 Wimbledon final is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
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BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free live streams on sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free by following these simple steps:
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Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
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Visit BBC iPlayer
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Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world
$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees and free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This obviously isn’t a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to live stream Wimbledon 2026 before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming services from around the world, you’ll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for Wimbledon?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms like BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries including the UK
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
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Fast streaming speeds free from throttling
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Up to eight simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream the 2026 Wimbledon final for free with ExpressVPN.
Entertainment
This educational kids app gives parents a much-needed break — and now it’s $60 for life
TL;DR: Lock in a lifetime of educational fun with this lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, on sale now for just $59.99 (reg. $250).
Have you had a sip of hot coffee this summer break? If not, you might want to check out Pok Pok. It’s an educational app that offers a guilt-free screen option for kids ages 2-8, so you can get a little break when you need it.
Right now, you can lock in a lifetime subscription to Pok Pok for only $59.99.
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Pok Pok is an award-winning app that gives busy parents everywhere a chance to cook dinner, answer some emails, or just enjoy a hot cup of coffee in the morning while their little ones enjoy some educational content. It takes a Montessori approach to learning, so kids can navigate it independently.
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Montessori-inspired learning means there is no winning or losing and no rules, levels, or objectives. Kids can just open Pok Pok, tap a toy, and start exploring categories like space, dinosaurs, numbers, and shapes. This open-ended play setup can grow with your kids, so they can enjoy the app for years.
As your kids play, you can rest easy knowing the app was developed in collaboration with early childhood experts and designed to be calming and non-addictive, featuring hand-drawn animations and in-house-made sound effects.
Pok Pok is COPPA-certified, ad-free, and GDPR-compliant, so they won’t be tricked into making any purchases. A lifetime subscription also includes access to regular updates, so kids will always have something new to explore. This subscription also includes an exclusive surprise gift that will show up at your address.
Let your kids explore while you take a break thanks to this lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, on sale now for just $59.99.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Public memorial for Kyle Busch set for Oct. 9 in Charlotte
NYT Pips hints, answers for July 12, 2026
