The Onion

Lore & Background

The idea came from The Daily Cardinal's annual April Fools' Day parody issue. The name's origin is disputed: Keck claims Johnson's uncle suggested it because of their frequent consumption of onion sandwiches, while early comic contributor Scott Dikkers maintains it referred to 'newspaper slang in the 1930s for a juicy, multi-layered story,' and editor Cole Bolton insists it mocked the campus bulletin The Union.

Reader's Guide

The Onion's significance lies in its pioneering satirical news format, which influenced comedy and media. It began as a weekly print paper in Madison, Wisconsin, and expanded online in 1996, gaining global recognition. Its humor often depends on presenting everyday events as newsworthy, surreal, or alarming, as seen in the headline 'Rotation Of Earth Plunges Entire North American Continent Into Darkness'. The Onion also ran The A.V. Club, a non-satirical entertainment section founded in 1993, and ClickHole, a satirical website founded in 2014. The Onion's legacy includes winning a Webby Award in 1999 and being praised by comedian Bob Odenkirk as 'the best comedy writing in the country'.

Did You Know?

• The Onion's name origin is disputed: it may refer to onion sandwiches, newspaper slang for a juicy story, or a mockery of the campus bulletin The Union.
• In 1996, The Onion's article 'Dying Boy Gets Wish: To Pork Janet Jackson' prompted a lawsuit from Janet Jackson's legal team, settled with a letter of apology and a complimentary subscription.
• The Onion's website won its first Webby Award in the category of 'Humor' in March 1999.