The Gist Christine Wenc: The Onion’s Straight Face Made It Funnier
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Sep 8, 2025 Christine Wenz, author of "Funny Because It's True," explores the fascinating history of The Onion and its role in shaping modern American satirical journalism. She recalls its humble beginnings in Wisconsin and how it evolved into an influential voice of humor. Wenz highlights the delicate balance between absurdity and clarity in their content, discussing the challenges of maintaining creative freedom amidst financial constraints. The conversation also touches on broader cultural impacts, including a quirky glance at the Ambazonian independence movement.
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Humble Origins In Madison
- Tim Keck started The Onion in 1988 to pay rent after running out of gas-station money.
- He created a forum for friends to publish made-up newspaper content that quickly became popular.
AP Style Became The Onion's Superpower
- Adopting strict AP-style parody tightened The Onion's voice and amplified jokes.
- Structure forced writers to go deeper and made contrast between tone and content funnier.
Fact Fights Over A Star
- The staff fought obsessively over factual details, like which star to name in an alien joke.
- Editor Robert Siegel insisted on Alpha Centauri because "that's the one everybody knows."
