Onion antics: telling the truth by lying
by Jon Carroll
SF Gate
October 4, 2011
The tweets started with a blast from the Onion about gunfire erupting at the U.S. Capitol building. The Onion follow-ups came thick and fast:
“BREAKING: Witnesses reporting screams and gunfire heard inside Capitol building.”
“BREAKING: Capitol building being evacuated. 12 children being held hostage by a group of armed congressmen.”
The posts linked to an article on the Onion’s website with the headline “Congress Takes Group of Schoolchildren Hostage: ‘We need $12 trillion or these kids die.'” The article also featured an obviously doctored photo of John Boehner holding a gun to a schoolgirl’s head.
The question became, of course: Was this funny? Some people took it seriously, ignoring the Onion screen name. The staffers of the Onion may be serious when they visit the doctor or take their marriage vows, but they are definitely never serious when tweeting as the Onion. Conclusion: No schoolchildren were harmed in the making of those tweets. Continue reading “Onion Antics: Telling the Truth by Lying”
