Funny Because Its True, Christine Wenc
Funny Because Its True, Christine Wenc
List: $31.99 | Sale: $21.76
Club: $15.99

Funny Because It's True
How The Onion Created Modern American News Satire

Author: Christine Wenc

Narrator: Christine Wenc

Unabridged: 12 hr

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/18/2025

Synopsis

Discover the real truth behind the original fake news with this in-depth history of beloved humor publication, The Onion. In 1988, a band of University of Wisconsin–Madison undergrads and dropouts began publishing a free weekly newspaper with no editorial stance other than “You Are Dumb.” Just wanting to make a few bucks, they wound up becoming the bedrock of modern satire over the course of twenty years, changing the way we consume both our comedy and our news. The Onion served as a hilarious and brutally perceptive satire of the absurdity and horrors of late twentieth-century American life and grew into a global phenomenon. Now, for the first time, the full history of the publication is told by one of its original staffers, author and historian Christine Wenc. Through dozens of interviews, Wenc charts The Onion’s rise, its position as one of the first online humor sites, and the way it influenced television programs like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Funny Because It’s True peels back the layers to reveal how a group of young misfits from flyover country unintentionally created a cultural phenomenon.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Hannah on April 22, 2025

Well this was a gas and I absolutely ripped through it. Deeply researched and unsentimental with a lightness and clarity honoring the art and artists--the weirdos and goobers--who created this wild pre-mirror of our current hideous idiot timeline. Fascinating, sad, inevitable. Pure. It'll make you w......more

Goodreads review by Jenny on April 21, 2025

I learned a lot about the history of the Onion and its many iterations. It of course leaves me nostalgic for the late mid to late 90s era, which is what I read the most, but I'm glad the Onion still exists in some shape or form.......more

Goodreads review by Jack on May 02, 2025

Christine Wenc documented an origin story that was both gripping and hilarious. Moment to moment, I laughed out loud or chuckled to myself in awe at the genius and beautifully dumb simplicity of The Onion’s best stories. I loved learning how no one person truly can claim sole credit for its creation......more

Goodreads review by John on March 24, 2025

There is no doubt about The Onion's role in creating some sanity in an increasingly insane world. At its best (the 9/11 edition and Our Dumb Century), The Onion stands with some of the best comedic works ever. Of course, there needs to be a historical review of its importance. This particular book i......more

Quotes

“The inside story of how a comedy institution was born in Wisconsin, cracked up the country, and changed the way we think about news and satire. I devoured it!”—Patton Oswalt

“Despite dozens of copycats, thousands of comedians, and an exhausting amount of late-night political commentary, The Onion stands alone as the strongest example of incendiary satire in America. Christine Wenc has provided us with a necessary and long overdue history of an enduring, influential gem.”—Kliph Nesteroff, author of The Comedians: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels and the History of American Comedy

“It feels weird being earnest about a history of The Onion but there's no way around it: I loved this book with all my heart. Funny Because It's True is a thrilling, inspiring must read for comedy nerds and normals alike. Christine Wenc has managed to write a book worthy of The Onion's greatness.”—Simon Rich, author of Glory Days

“The Onion might take silly things seriously, and so does this book—which documents one of the most original ideas to come out of Generation X with the intensity it deserves. Christine Wenc’s deep reporting and you-are-there-anecdotes make sure that everyone knows The Onion’s brilliance is no accident.”
 —Tricia Romano, author of The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of the Village Village, the Radical Newspaper That Changed American Culture

“You may ask whether a ‘fake news’/news parody outlet deserves such a serious work of history. After you see how The Onion and its writers sparked some of the great comedy that has helped us survive this dreadful century, your answer may well be ‘Yes!’”—Jeff Cohen, founder of FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting)

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List