Submitted by Erin:
The Final Edition, a New York Times Parody from Spinal Tap Star Tony Hendra
Vanity Fair
by Juli Weiner
May 10, 2011
Internet, meet The Final Edition, a nihilistic and deeply silly parody of The New York Times and the city it serves. The Final Edition is edited by Tony Hendra, the Spinal Tap actor, Vanity Fair contributor, and Spy and National Lampoon alumnus.
With articles about the cycling culture wars (“New Second Avenue Subway Will Include Bike Lanes“), section names that refer to the Times”™s Manhattan-centric perspective (“World /U.S./SoHo“), and conspicuously sympathetic business coverage (a recurring feature spotlights the “story of a great American businessman who, despite his lack of ethics, has bravely stayed out of jail”), The Final Edition is like a very parochial Onion.
There are sly winks to journalism nerds, too: an article about Spider-Man was authored by R. W. Appleipad. There”™s even a parody of Timescast, the Times”™s endearingly purposeless daily video starring the paper”™s reporters. (Actually, it reminds us of the trailer for Page One.) The Final Edition”™s version of Timescast is anchored by Mike the Intern. “No one wanted to do this Timescast thing today,” he explains. “I could have a shot at a Pulitzer! Or better yet””get on Gawker!” Hendra plays Times executive editor Bill Keller.