The Onion... Gone Sour?

September 21, 2006 9:59 PM

The Onion Parody Newspaper - has it really gone downhill?

Granted, this seems to be a less empirical question that most of what I see posted here, but does anyone else feel like The Onion has really gone downhill as of late?

One of my professors, from Madison - made a comment that it really has gotten worse since it moved to New York. The humor I find on it this week seems less up to par than what I remember reading (I’ve kept up with it for the last few years). My question is: does anyone else notice this? Granted it is a fairly subjective question, but I'm just wondering if there is a general consensus that it has (gotten worse, gone downhill, more mainstream, etc.) Thanks.

posted by ifranzen to Media & Arts (19 answers total)

no.
posted by scarabic at 9:59 PM on September 21, 2006

Before this gets deleted, I don't think The Onion will ever reach the same heights this article carried them. I give their AV Club a read every now and again.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:02 PM on September 21, 2006

Yes. AV club is still good.
posted by klangklangston at 10:21 PM on September 21, 2006

Yes. I was forced to pull advertising off of their site a few years ago when they started running stories about pedophiles, etc. that were written quite seriously... only if you knew it was The Onion, and was a parody newspaper, would you know that the article was written as humor. :-P
posted by SpecialK at 10:22 PM on September 21, 2006

To tell you the truth, I pay much less attention to it, often forgetting to check it for weeks at a time, but when I do I find it's still pretty damn amusing.

The Metafilter ban on Onion FPP's probably costs them some viewership!
posted by vito90 at 10:22 PM on September 21, 2006

Yes, it has gone downhill IMO.
posted by Vindaloo at 10:43 PM on September 21, 2006

I think it was going downhill around 2004 but I'm finding some funny stuff on there now. The mega-archive is a plus... it draws me back to the site often.
posted by chef_boyardee at 10:48 PM on September 21, 2006

Some of the big writers moved over to the Daily Show around the same time that that show became truly great. Those people may have been the real talents, as I agree it's gone downhill.

AV Club is still good, but they need to get more interesting interviews.
posted by Bookhouse at 10:52 PM on September 21, 2006

I think part of the Onion's problem is that we've become so accustomed to it's brand of snark and satire that it doesn't have the same humorous effect any more.

And yes, the AV club does, indeed, rock my face off.
posted by chrisamiller at 11:07 PM on September 21, 2006

I still just read the headlines.
posted by wubbie at 11:40 PM on September 21, 2006

I also just read the headlines......on a side note this is my all time favourite story.

Frat-Guy Boyfriend Not Like The Other Frat Guys
posted by kenaman at 12:34 AM on September 22, 2006

While we wait for the admins to delete this, my all-time fav: Starbuck to Begin Sinister 'Phase Two' of Operation
posted by gsteff at 12:58 AM on September 22, 2006

This story is probably my favorite and rather recent, so no.

Who's A Girl Gotta Fuck To Get Some Closure On Her Relationship With Her Father?
posted by hooves at 1:28 AM on September 22, 2006

I think it's pretty much the same. I've been reading it since 1997 or so and I agree with chrisamiller that we've just gotten used to it.
posted by teleskiving at 1:44 AM on September 22, 2006

Familiarity breeds boredom more than contempt: fake news is the news these days, and 'Life Imitates Onion' has an effect on satire. I've found that when I introduce new people to it, they respond more positively than I do these days.
posted by holgate at 3:09 AM on September 22, 2006

I'm in the "we've got used to it" camp.

There are a lot of Onion imitators. I find they can write the headlines just as well as the Onion staff can ... but not the articles.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 5:13 AM on September 22, 2006

I counter the "we've got used to it" notion. Every once in a while they will have a true gem that will make me spurt coffee on the keyboard. It does seem like those gems are a bit rarer these days.

One of my favorites (really there are too many to count):

Clinton and Iraq

I miss T. Herman Zweibel, and H-Dogg, what ever happened to them? Smoove B was back a few weeks ago.
posted by toastchee at 5:38 AM on September 22, 2006

The Onion will never reach the heights of the National Lampoon but it's always ok for a quick read. I do find myself spending more time on the AV Club though. Their interviews are muy excelente.
posted by JJ86 at 5:45 AM on September 22, 2006

The real world has gotten that much weirder.
posted by mkultra at 5:47 AM on September 22, 2006