Book
Funny because it's true : how The Onion created modern American news satire / Christine Wenc.
"In 1988, a band of University of Wisconsin-Madison undergrads and dropouts began publishing a free weekly newspaper with no editorial stance other than 'You Are Dumb.' Just wanting to make a few bucks, they wound up becoming the bedrock of modern satire over the course of twenty years, changing the way we consume both our comedy and our news. The Onion served as a hilarious and brutally perceptive satire of the absurdity and horrors of late twentieth-century American life and grew into a global phenomenon. Now, for the first time, the full history of the publication is told by one of its original staffers, author and historian Christine Wenc. Through dozens of interviews, Wenc charts The Onion’s rise, its position as one of the first online humor sites, and the way it influenced television programs like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. This book reveals how a group of young misfits from flyover country unintentionally created a cultural phenomenon"-- Publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780762484430
- ISBN: 0762484438
- Physical Description: xv, 320 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: Philadelphia : Running Press, 2025.
- Copyright: ©2025.
Content descriptions
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 307-316) |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Onion (Madison, Wis.) American wit and humor > History and criticism. |
| Genre: | Informational works. |
Available copies
- 2 of 2 copies available at Sage Library System.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 2 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Circulation Modifier | Status | Due Date | Courses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain Community College Library | 051 W48f (Text) | 35410000179754 | Main Collection | Available | - | ||
| Milton-Freewater Public Library | 051 Wenc (Text) | 37862000556332 | Adult Non-Fiction | Reshelving | - |
Summary:
"In 1988, a band of University of Wisconsin-Madison undergrads and dropouts began publishing a free weekly newspaper with no editorial stance other than 'You Are Dumb.' Just wanting to make a few bucks, they wound up becoming the bedrock of modern satire over the course of twenty years, changing the way we consume both our comedy and our news. The Onion served as a hilarious and brutally perceptive satire of the absurdity and horrors of late twentieth-century American life and grew into a global phenomenon. Now, for the first time, the full history of the publication is told by one of its original staffers, author and historian Christine Wenc. Through dozens of interviews, Wenc charts The Onion’s rise, its position as one of the first online humor sites, and the way it influenced television programs like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. This book reveals how a group of young misfits from flyover country unintentionally created a cultural phenomenon"--
