New at Reason
Yesterday, Michael Moynihan threw water on the idea that Jon Stewart is America's best journalist. But in his column from our November issue, Greg Beato wonders if The Onion might be America's best newspaper.
Comments to "New at Reason":
Ellie | October 18, 2007, 12:19pm | #
Good article.Of course, the best thing The Onion ever did was "Kitten Thinks of Nothing But Murder All Day."
Dan T. | October 18, 2007, 12:21pm | #
For once, I have no argument. The Onion is great.One interesting aspect of it, however, is that generally you don't need to read the stories - just the headlines. You can kind of write the story yourself from there.
wotsac | October 18, 2007, 12:29pm | #
Dan T - The Onion is no different from the traditional newspaper in that respect.Pro Libertate | October 18, 2007, 12:33pm | #
I've been a fan of The Onion for a long while, even buying some of their books. However, I think it is far less funny than it used to be. Not that they don't still post/print a winner now and then. It may be me reading it long enough that the fun is diminished, or it may be the publication itself.In any case, I thoroughly approve of it and wish it continued success. And I think the article is right to look at it as a success story in the print business--it is.
John-David | October 18, 2007, 12:43pm | #
For funny I think the new Cracked.com is the best thing on the net.And I too wish the Onion continued success.
Les | October 18, 2007, 12:44pm | #
Yesterday, Michael Moynihan threw water on the idea that Jon Stewart is America's best journalist.Next, Moynihan will throw water on the idea that Harrison Ford is America's best archaeologist.
SugarFree | October 18, 2007, 12:47pm | #
I miss the fantastically cruel movie reviews. They went soft, like Film Threat.AV Club on Stephen King's Dreamcatcher. Or you can pull it up on the site itself by keyword searching "assweasels."
The Onion can be funny but their entire humor style is one-note. Dan is right that if you read the title you not only know what the article will say, but you will also know how it will say it.
SugarFree | October 18, 2007, 12:57pm | #
Episiarch,Dan is right
Something about stopped clocks... how did that go again?
There are some articles that are worth reading. Still, yeah, you often get most of the joke from the headline.
Jim Bob | October 18, 2007, 1:02pm | #
Man Sentenced To 3 Months Probation For 17th-Degree Murder.Enough said.
Pro Libertate | October 18, 2007, 1:02pm | #
John-David,Cracked.com can be great--I agree. Different kind of humor, of course.
Jamie Kelly | October 18, 2007, 1:02pm | #
Best point/counterpoint ever in The Onion:Point: "Sexual harassment must end in the workplace now"
Counterpoint: "I love the way your tits jiggle when you type"
Daniel | October 18, 2007, 1:02pm | #
I agree with those that wrote it was funnier before. I visit the website occasionally and find reasons to continue doing so less frequently now. Too few of the stories and headlines strike me as particularly original or creative.Best newspaper? Not so much. Occasionally clever? Sure.
emerson | October 18, 2007, 1:11pm | #
Best point/counterpoint ever in the OnionPoint: "The homeless want a hand up, not hand-outs"
Counterpoint (by a homeless guy): We want hand-outs!
robc | October 18, 2007, 1:19pm | #
Of course, the best thing The Onion ever did was "Kitten Thinks of Nothing But Murder All Day."Wrong!
"Smells like Splattered Brains" the week after the Kobain suicide was the best thing The Onion ever did.
I'm partial to "Hitler Saves Europe from Polish Menace" in Our Dumb Century. The accompanying pic was great too.
Russ R | October 18, 2007, 1:28pm | #
Their Sept 26, 2001 issue was really good too.It's especially difficult to write anything humorous under such circumstances, but they did it extremely well.
Pro Libertate | October 18, 2007, 1:31pm | #
Point: "Sexual harassment must end in the workplace now."Sounds like an old Urkobold-Jennifer exchange.
Counterpoint: "I love the way your tits jiggle when you type."
Edward | October 18, 2007, 1:38pm | #
From The Onion:Libertarian Reluctantly Calls Fire Department
CHEYENNE, WY - After attempting to contain a living-room blaze started by a cigarette, card-carrying Libertarian Trent Jacobs reluctantly called the Cheyenne Fire Department Monday. "Although the community would do better to rely on an efficient, free-market fire-fighting service, the fact is that expensive, unnecessary public fire departments do exist," Jacobs said. "Also, my house was burning down." Jacobs did not offer to pay firefighters for their service.
Jamie Kelly | October 18, 2007, 2:28pm | #
Second-best point/counterpoint:Point (by an anthropology major): "Nigeria may be a developing nation, but it is rich in culture"
Counterpoint (by a Nigerian): "Get me out of this godforsaken hellhole."
Third best:
Point: "This War Will Destabilize The Entire Mideast Region And Set Off A Global Shockwave Of Anti-Americanism"
Counterpoint: "No it won't."
Rhywun | October 18, 2007, 2:29pm | #
Or you can pull it up on the site itself by keyword searching "assweasels."In the book they were called "shit-weasels".
Type the into Google, and The Onion pops up first.
How the hell did they manage that? I'm aware of some of the techniques, but... damn!
BakedPenguin | October 18, 2007, 2:37pm | #
My personal favoriteJim Anchower's column is awesome, too. I used to know some guys like that.
Jamie Kelly | October 18, 2007, 2:41pm | #
"Woman gets reduced sentence under 'love crime' statute"SPD | October 18, 2007, 2:58pm | #
Edward,This one might rankle a few Reasonoids as well:
U.S. To Give Every Iraqi $3,544.91, Let Free-Market Capitalism Do The Rest
You note that, unlike the loser mainstream papers, the Onion doesn't have an online section where readers can comment on the story, yet here I am commenting on the story online.
chancelikely | October 18, 2007, 3:40pm | #
The best experience I've had with the Onion is waiting for a history professor who had "Bush To Invade West Nile" on his door. A passing student worked herself into quite a lather about the warmongering bastard until I pointed out that a) it's a satirical article and b) there's no such place. Then she switched her ire to the professor who put such a heartless joke on his door, "where anybody could read it".Mad Scientist | October 18, 2007, 3:42pm | #
Hard to beat this one.de stijl | October 18, 2007, 3:56pm | #
Newly Out Gay Man Overdoing ItIt's not terribly funny, but I lived through this myself. My college roommate came out (even though everyone already knew he was gay) and he suddenly became super-duper-gay. Seriously, for about a month he was the gayest man on the planet.
VM | October 18, 2007, 4:10pm | #
destijl:happened to a guy I knew in college, too. It was an absolute blast watching (he was an incredibly nice person, but went from reserved to rather flamboyant overnight). By graduation, he was past the super-duper phase.
His parents were also the coolest people!
Hope he's doing great!
Kroneborge | October 18, 2007, 4:15pm | #
Of course watchers of the Daily Show and Colbert Report are better informed. In fact without the Colbert Report I would not know about the huge threat that bears pose to our society. Hopefully Colbert will win his bid for presidency and be able to save us from this awful menace.The comments about The Onion's headlines are spot-on, probably because of the creative process. I heard an interview on NPR where they explained that there's a weekly meeting where the writers get together and pitch headlines to the room. The funniest ones are then handed out and get turned into articles. I don't know if this was always the case, but like a magic trick, it's pretty obvious once you know the secret.
Stevo Darkly | October 18, 2007, 6:04pm | #
I'm such a big fan of The Onion, I'd laugh if its headlines denied the existence of gas chambers at Auschwitz.joe Libertate | October 18, 2007, 6:14pm | #
Fuck you, Darkly. That's grossly uncalled-for [sic].x,y | October 18, 2007, 7:33pm | #
For best headline, I'm going to go with:"Special Olympic T-Ball Stand Pitches Perfect Game"
VoteJoe | October 18, 2007, 10:17pm | #
The best Onion headline of all time:"Guy In Headlock Just Wanted To Party"
mnuez | October 18, 2007, 11:36pm | #
I just want to say that The Onion absolutely ROCKS. And by God, it IS the Nation's finest news source.In almost every case, I applaud The Onion's bold truths. They say what others won't and in almost every case I agree with their commentary.
God Bless The Onion , and may it never change.
mnuez
www.mnuez.blogspot.com
barry payne - economist | October 19, 2007, 11:58am | #
FREEDOM TO MOCKWhen Jerry Fawell sued Larry Flynt for suggesting Fawell had sex with his own mother in an out-house, the Supreme court said Flynt could do it.
Public speech is fair game for public retaliation which the Onion has elevated to the art of critical mocking. It's not fake news as much as exaggerated logical predictions of real news that force one's attention to motive and intent.
Real news: Some libertarians don't believe in fire departments, at least public ones supported with taxes, at least that's what they say.
Economic Prediction: Those libertarians will either face the risk of fire, spend large amounts privately to avoid that risk or at the last minute defect from their principles and appeal to the government-run fire department to save them.
It's like motorcycle riders without a helmet. They don't wear tags around their necks that say "in case of accident, do nothing unless you happen to be an altruistic person acting in your own free will with a cell phone to call a private ambulance service that delivers only to private hospitals."
Is the motorcycle rider or homeowner abusing the system in a free rider, moral hazard sort of way, knowing help will arrive after the fact? Or are they sincere about throwing off the shackles of the nanny state to take in some fresh air on the back of a throaty Harley Hog with money not spent on fire protection taxes?
Real News: Economic study shows strong correlation between motorcycle riders without helmets and no fire departments.
Onion Prediction: Game theory study shows libertarians love death and hate freedom, which could be a new form of sleeper cells.
Leon | October 20, 2007, 3:36pm | #
Is The Onion our most intelligent newspaper?No. It only seems that way because, evidently, you are brain damaged.
That The Onion's is financial successful makes it no more useful as a role model for serious newspapers than a Bruckheimer movie serves for art films. That The Onion, The Daily Show and Colbert Report has gained promenence during the Bush administration proves Postman's point, which had little to do with amusement and everything to do with distraction. Laughter is a coping mechanism, and coping and changing are, as I believe, yikes, Arrested Development said, directly opposite, not the same.
Rich | October 20, 2007, 11:20pm | #
J K Rowling pre-empts this theme. Read the Harry Potter books, and some of the very frank exchanges reported in the newspaper there.In the Middle Ages, the courts had jesters, and the jesters could get away with saying almost anything. That was their niche. And now we have our jesters. The Onion can print an article titled "Crazed Palestinian Gunman Angered by Stereotypes" and nobody gets indignant. But the truth behind that article is something you dare not say unless you're willing to have CAIR & Co get on your back.
Bob Harper | October 22, 2007, 12:49am | #
Re Russ R's comment about the Sept. 26, 2001 issue:The story titled 'Hijackers Surprised To Find Selves In Hell' was a masterpiece.
St. Thomas More once said, 'The Devil is a proud spirit, and cannot bear to be mocked.' This story did precisely that, and did it well. Would that there were more like it!
Bob Harper
JPL | October 24, 2007, 12:23am | #
I believe Postman's concern with entertainment was directed at the proliferation of mindless diversions.Stewart, Colbert and The Onion on the other hand, shine a light of truth on subjects that today's mainstream media report via the talking points handed to them by PR hacks. (Including those employed my murderous kittens).
They say what anyone with half a noodle knows already, that 99% of what gets broadcast on CNN is bullshit.
Rev Spitz | October 25, 2007, 12:32am | #
Your hateful mocking of Jesus Christ points to why the world is so evil. Suffice it to say, most, if not all problems on the planet earth are from people like you who reject Jesus Christ. Our prisons are filled with people, like you, who reject Jesus Christ. Most if not all rapes, murders, robberies and thefts are committed by people, like you, who reject Jesus Christ. AIDS is mainly spread by people, like you, who reject Jesus Christ and have sex outside of marriage or else like children with AIDS get it from people, like you, who reject Jesus Christ. I hope you will turn from your sins and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and escape the fires of eternal hell. Turning from your sins and giving your life to Jesus Christ is the only way you can escape the fires of hell and receive everlasting life. If you persist in your sins and continue to turn your back on Jesus Christ, you will be lost forever.SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life.
Knemon | October 27, 2007, 9:28pm | #
But Postman wasn't warning us about "news mixed with satire." Stewart and Colbert, and their audiences, know very well what they're up to. The real danger is in the "straight" news.What's really dangerous about TV isn't the boobies and COPS (and Naked COPS, where the twain meet) - it's the news.
"Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television," by Jerry Mander, came out a few years earlier and said it better.