Did you know that not all news is teenagers running round schools with shotguns? Or celebrities flashing their underwear when getting out of a New York taxi cab? Believe it or not there are some publications that revel in the crassness and extremity in our modern media. These sites poking fun at their peers like the kid that sticks gum in a girls hair for a laugh.
We have satirised content here in the UK, with Private Eye being a long standing political and current affairs satire, commenting on issues in our current political landscape with a wink and a nudge, with that little bloke from Have I Got News For You (that one that isn’t Paul Merton) its editor. However if you aren’t middle aged and wear a lot of tweed, the Americans might have the answer. Luckily for you, because it’s from across the pond, it’s bigger, shinier and even more controversial.
The Onion, Americas most “farcical newspaper” even if it does say so itself, is a world renowned source for satirised content and insightful news from an alternative perspective. Respected for its frank approach and self aware humour, has attracted a large following and has become an acknowledged publication in the process. The site possesses a sleek and professional look, making the outlandish story headlines even more attention grabbing, as they are placed within a typical news publication setting.
However, when you play with fire, you’re bound to get burnt. Moreover if that fire revolves around slandering an adored nine year old girl, the backlash can be quite substantial.
Let me paint the scene. It’s The Oscars 2013, the biggest night on the Hollywood calendar. Nine year old Quvenzhane Wallis has rushed home from Arts & Crafts or whatever it is nine year olds do. She’s all glammed up with her new glittery lip gloss because she is nominated for Best Actress at the awards ceramony, yes you heard that right, Best Actress, nine years old, get your head round that. So whilst everyone admired, “aww”‘d and “omg”‘d The Onion took a different route.
“Everyone else seems afraid to say it, but that Quvenzhane Wallis is kind of a cunt, right?” – The Onion 2013.
This of course caused national outrage, people saying that the publication had simply gone too far. Thousands ran to their keyboards, pushing their own vile children out of the way to make sure they were heard on the forums. What was initially a satire on bitchy gossip columns had clearly punched below the belt, or in this case, punched a nine year old square in the face. What The Onion didn’t realise was that most people, don’t like people that punch nine year olds in the face.
Anne Hathaway? Go for it. Joe Biden? He fought in the war. Kim Kardashian? Let me pass you some gloves. But an innocent nine year old girl? Just doesn’t sit right does it. This cast an interesting light on the boundaries of our media though, as one of the few voices out there still ruffling the mainstreams feathers, as we slip further into pointless gossip, weighed down by endless nip slips. For the first time in a long time we asked ourselves what was going on and if it was right.
This is the kind of clickbait news we need (yes I am speaking for all of us). A headline that grabs our attention regardless, and whether we click it believing it, or admiring it for what its poking fun at, if the result is us learning about something going on in the world that’s bound to be a good thing. Just leave the kids out of it.
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