And, now, for something completely different

[Norgy]

The Onion, a satirical publication that skewers newsmakers and current events, said on Thursday that it had won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Infowars, a website founded and operated by the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

The Onion said that the bid was sanctioned by the families of the victims of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, who in 2022 won a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit against Mr. Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems.

Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit dedicated to ending gun violence that was founded in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting, will advertise on a relaunched version of the site under The Onion.

The publication plans to reintroduce Infowars in January as a parody of itself, mocking "weird internet personalities" like Mr. Jones who traffic in misinformation and health supplements, Ben Collins, the chief executive of The Onion's parent company, Global Tetrahedron, said in an interview.


I think few news items need this  than this one.

[Barrister]

So on the one hand I love that InfoWars is going down in this fashion.  And certainly happy it wasn't some other right-wing group who purchased it with an eye to re-launching it.

On the other hand - The Onion has gone through multiple ownership groups, is a shadow of its former self - and just isn't all that funny anymore.  I could easily see an InfoWars owned by The Onion as being very preachy and not very funny.

[Norgy]

It is a bit Colberty, which I am sure is not a real adjective.

[Barrister]

It is a bit Colberty, which I am sure is not a real adjective.

If it isn't, it should be, as that kind of sums up modern-day The Onion.

Classic onion always leaned much more into just the absurd, and was hardly political.

Not that I'm opposed to political humour!  And I think Colbert himself did it better when he did it as parody though, so maybe there's some hope for InfoWars after all.  It's just that political humour you really risk falling between really bland "don't want to offend anyone" milquetoast, or else becoming a John Stewart / JOhn Oliver more preachy than funny.

Although I remember when The Onion launched ClickHole, which was a parody of clickbait sites.  It was funny for awhile, but I think they quickly mined all the humour out of the idea.


And just for kicks, here's someone's list of the top 25 headlines from The Onion:

1. "Study Reveals: Babies are Stupid"

2. "World Death Rate Holding Steady at 100 Percent"

3. "Perky 'Canada' Has Own Government, Laws"

4. "Black Guy Asks Nation for Change." And don't miss the sequel: "Black Guy Given Nation's Worst Job"

5. "CIA Realizes It's Been Using Black Highlighters All These Years"

6. "Jurisprudence Fetishist Gets Off on Technicality"

7. A classic from Our Dumb Century: "New President Feels Nation's Pain, Breasts"

8. One more from that collection: "WA-" (headline continued on page 2)

9. "Children, Creepy Middle-Aged Weirdos Swept Up in Harry Potter Craze"

10. "Drugs Win Drug War"

11. "Denver Optometrist Not Sure Why He Has a Gay Cult Following"

12. "Kitten Thinks of Nothing but Murder All Day"

13. "Winner Didn't Even Know It Was Pie-Eating Contest"

14. "Outdoor Advertising Is a Blight on Our Society" vs. "I Just Wanted to Tell the Nice People About the Yogurt" (by Karen McClary and a Yoplait Yogurt Billboard)

15. "Dolphin Spends Amazing Vacation Swimming With Stockbroker"

16. "Exercise Ball All the Way Over There"

17. The Onion's take on World War I: "Austria Declares War on Serbia Declares War on Germany Declares War on France Declares War on Turkey Declares War on Russia Declares War on Bulgaria Declares War on Britain: Ottoman Empire Almost Declares War on Itself"

18. "Area Man Passionate Defender of What He Imagines Constitution to Be"

19. "Fall Canceled After 3 Billion Seasons"

20. "God Answers Prayers of Paralyzed Little Boy: 'No,' Says God"

21. "Archaeological Dig Uncovers Ancient Race of Skeleton People"

22. Yet another gem from Our Dumb Century: "Holy S---! Man Walks on F---ing Moon"

23. Point/Counterpoint: "My Computer Totally Hates Me!" vs. "God, Do I Hate That Bitch" (by Vicki Helmholz and Dell Dimension 4100)"

24. "Loved Ones Recall Local Man's Cowardly Battle With Cancer"

25. And just because I can't resist ending on a note of self-awareness: "Pop Culture Expert Surprisingly Not Ashamed of Self"

You'll note the only mildly political one is "New President Feels Nation's Pain, Breasts" - and is pretty damn funny

[Norgy]

I'd disagree, but gently, about Oliver. But, there is this fundamental problem of doing parody when even the news seem like parody. And no, I am not talking about Fox News here, but in general journalism. "Florida Man" is becoming the least of our issues with the news in general. As someone who works in whatever is left of that ruin that once was "the press", it all too often feels absurd writing up what just happened. "Carjacker sets fire to own genitals" and whatnot.

During the last six months I have repeatedly tried to interview the chief constable in my town. And was refused, because "she does not like being photographed".

The nonsensical meeting the absurd is what news reporting has become. So I will probably rather look up some love scam victim tomorrow or check if air pollution is worse with studded tires or non-studded ones.

You do actual work, Beeb. Send me a kind thought when I sit there doing, well, whatever I am doing.

[HVC]

I like the dolphin one.

[Barrister]

I know it's a pun, but I love "Jurisprudence Fetishist Gets Off on Technicality".

[Norgy]

I know it's a pun, but I love "Jurisprudence Fetishist Gets Off on Technicality".

You have grown as a person, you used to hate my puns.

[Barrister]

I know it's a pun, but I love "Jurisprudence Fetishist Gets Off on Technicality".

You have grown as a person, you used to hate my puns.

All fucking punsters must fucking hang.

Unless it's a really good pun.

[Razgovory]

Okay, a few months ago I saw an Onion headline on Facebook.  "White couple admires fall colors" and a picture of two people outside with colorful trees.  In the comments it was a bunch of white people talking about how racist white people are.

I'm not quite sure I get the joke.

EDIT:  Here is the post https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=943002837857693&set=a.636833535141293

[Josquius]

I'd disagree, but gently, about Oliver. But, there is this fundamental problem of doing parody when even the news seem like parody. And no, I am not talking about Fox News here, but in general journalism. "Florida Man" is becoming the least of our issues with the news in general. As someone who works in whatever is left of that ruin that once was "the press", it all too often feels absurd writing up what just happened. "Carjacker sets fire to own genitals" and whatnot.

During the last six months I have repeatedly tried to interview the chief constable in my town. And was refused, because "she does not like being photographed".

The nonsensical meeting the absurd is what news reporting has become. So I will probably rather look up some love scam victim tomorrow or check if air pollution is worse with studded tires or non-studded ones.

You do actual work, Beeb. Send me a kind thought when I sit there doing, well, whatever I am doing.

Offer that she can wear a balaclava or a bag for the photo?

[Valmy]

You'll note the only mildly political one is "New President Feels Nation's Pain, Breasts" - and is pretty damn funny

What did you think:

4. "Black Guy Asks Nation for Change." And don't miss the sequel: "Black Guy Given Nation's Worst Job"

was a reference to?

I thought they have had some funny headlines lately. But I agree the Onion's best days were the 2000s.

[Barrister]

4. "Black Guy Asks Nation for Change." And don't miss the sequel: "Black Guy Given Nation's Worst Job"

was a reference to?

I thought they have had some funny headlines lately. But I agree the Onion's best days were the 2000s.

Oh I don't think The Onion was all "Kitten Thinks of Nothing but Murder All Day" jokes.

But more capital "P" Political - as in partisan.

[Norgy]

I know it's a pun, but I love "Jurisprudence Fetishist Gets Off on Technicality".

You have grown as a person, you used to hate my puns.

That is the difference between the left and the right. We leftists would rather burn an effigy and maybe go for a small walk with some candles. Hanging is more efficient.

All fucking punsters must fucking hang.

Unless it's a really good pun.

[crazy canuck]

BB will definitely be hanging you when he finds out you made it seem that he self-identified as a leftist.