Decades before “fake news” became a political dog whistle, the folks behind The Onion were publishing tongue-in-cheek, satirical news. The founders launched it in 1988 right here in Madison. Christine Wenc was a copy editor, writer, and illustrator on the original staff, and is the author of “Funny Because It's True: How The Onion Created Modern American News Satire.” Host Bianca Martin chats with Christine about the Onion’s early days, and why Madison was the perfect birthplace for the iconic paper.

This show originally aired March 18. 2025.

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Hometown Satirical Newspaper Conquers the World