When “The Onion” was started by a group of University of Wisconsin students, the creators had no idea their small publication would become a national sensation.
Now, 15 years later, “The Onion” boasts a readership of over 1.5 million people a week. With four published compilations of articles, “Our Dumb Century,” “Dispatches from the Tenth Circle,” “Finest News Reporting” and “Ad Nauseam,” weekly publications and an extremely popular website, www.theonion.com, there can be little doubt that Madison, WI. has produced a phenomenon.
This success can be traced to the hilarious writing and witty commentary of “The Onion.” No topic is spared from parody. Everything from pop culture, “Kid Rock Starves to Death: MP3 Piracy Blamed,” to politics, “American People Ruled Unfit to Govern,” to religion, “God Angrily Clarifies ‘Don’t Kill’ Rule,” has been the subject of The Onion’s always hilarious and often thought-provoking commentary.
Not that “The Onion” limits itself to big news. The paper invariably has articles about events of absolutely no importance, “Local Bowl Cashed,” “Yak Chews Thoughtfully,” hilarious opinion sections and advice columns every newspaper should carry, “Ask a Navy SEAL.” It is hard to pick up an issue of “The Onion” without finding something to chuckle at.
Unfortunately, “The Onion” does have some humor that people might find offensive or inappropriate. I definitely do not recommend letting young people read it. It can feature nudity, graphic descriptions and strong language. I also do not recommend it for those who are easily offended. “The Onion” spares no topics from satire and many articles, “Mother Teresa Sent to Hell in Wacky Afterlife Mix-Up” and “Teen Anxious for Cigarette Addiction to Kick In,” could easily offend sensitive readers. However, those who realize it is all in fun will find pleasure in “The Onion.”
With free access available to anyone at TheOnion.com, anyone searching for a good laugh need look no farther. “The Onion” is really too funny to be summed up in an article.
Final Rating: 10 out of 10
“The Onion” is absolutely hilarious. Check it out for yourself at www.theonion.com. Just do not take it too seriously.