The onion got really unfunny because they got too moralizing on their pet issues. Hopefully they can fix that.
Was that before or after Truth became stranger than Fiction?
Jeff Lawson buys The Onion
61–70 of 311 posts
Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion
#62Jeff Lawson has state of Michigan connections. A University of Michigan grad he started a digital textbook company, but was just too early. Then he was founding CTO of StubHub which is based in Detroit. I regret never actually meeting him though we have some mutual friends in common. Tried to get him to speak at a hackathon I was running in Detroit during his early days at Twilio but he was simply too busy which I ca…
Why is Michigan relevant to buying The Onion?
Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion
#63Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion
#64Did they buy the A.V. Club too? That went down hill enormously a few years ago, would be great to see that regain its former glory.
Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
They were great when they weren't shackled 'Little Boy Heroically Shoots, Mutilates Burglar' 'Black Man given Nation's worst job' (After Obama won) I've never laughed so hard at headlines
The Onion had two events that resulted in a huge drop in writing quality and edginess: OG writers refusing to relocate from NYC to Chicago in 2012 when the HQ was moved, choosing to part ways instead. Then, the remaining writers being called out for the following tweet, somewhat rightly, but being neutered forever after: https://crasstalk.com/2013/02/sorry-former-onion-staffers-ca...
I don't know any of the context around that tweet, but The Onion has obviously chosen the most innocent, blameless celebrity they could think of to make sure it's a clear joke to everyone, right? Like finding the skinniest person and calling them obese.
The writer of that article seems to have still somehow misunderstood and come to the conclusion that The Onion actually hates Quvenzhané Wallis. I wonder if they really don't get it, or if they're just sort of performatively not getting it for the outrage article.
Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion
#66I'm old enough to remember when it was a physical paper you'd get for free in Harvard Square... wish I kept some of them. I particularly enjoyed the old "Point/Counterpoints" such as: https://www.theonion.com/u-s-out-of-my-uterus-vs-we-must-dep... https://www.theonion.com/americas-homeless-want-a-hand-up-no... https://www.theonion.com/my-computer-totally-hates-me-vs-god... Also, shout out to the "Oh! Mumford" comic s…
I don't think I'm the target audience. I don't really get it.
I spent years homeless. I try to write about meaningful ways to help the homeless while preserving their agency. I try to write about systemic issues I feel contribute to the problem.
I don't find that second link funny or relatable or anything that makes sense to me.
Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion
#67The onion got really unfunny because they got too moralizing on their pet issues. Hopefully they can fix that.
the onion has always been political commentary?
Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion
#68Earlier quoted context omitted.
I paid them a dollar just to see what happens.
well?
Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
They were great when they weren't shackled 'Little Boy Heroically Shoots, Mutilates Burglar' 'Black Man given Nation's worst job' (After Obama won) I've never laughed so hard at headlines
The Onion had two events that resulted in a huge drop in writing quality and edginess: OG writers refusing to relocate from NYC to Chicago in 2012 when the HQ was moved, choosing to part ways instead. Then, the remaining writers being called out for the following tweet, somewhat rightly, but being neutered forever after: https://crasstalk.com/2013/02/sorry-former-onion-staffers-ca...
They also seem to think their Diamond Joe Biden character made real Joe Biden too popular, and their self-seriousness about this is making it hard for them to do anything political.