The Onion Is Not Funny

[MV/Liberace!]

Look. 

The Onion just isn't funny to me.  When I see their content, I always get the impression it's written by deliberately "ironic" Silicon Valley hipsters of privilege who smell their own farts, are incapable of laughing at themselves, are easily offended by specific categories of humor, live and die by political correctness (they'd never write anything to violate that), end every sentence with an upward inflection, and who use words like "inappropriate" and "offensive" in their day to day lives.  These types of people are never funny to anyone outside their hermetically sealed social circle.


Whenever someone links to an Onion piece (video or print) with the assurance that I'll laugh my ass off, I know I'm in for a funeral.  I occasionally catch some of the podcasts on Leo Laporte's TWIT network, and from time to time, an Onion writer will be on the guest panel.  They bring NOTHING to the table comedically, but I'm sure all of the hipster assholes Leo surrounds himself with think it's just the tops.  Bleh.


Let me add, I do understand and appreciate comedy (Hicks, Carlin, C.K., and Brian Regan being among my favorites), so my opposition to The Onion is not the result of me being a dried up, soulless scab of a human who hates to laugh.


I'm not saying The Onion has never done anything deserving of laughter.  My point is that they are supremely overrated as a comedic entity, and I'm tired of people refusing to see or admit that.

[Eddie Coyle]

 
            The hipster accusation is absolutely on-target. Latte sipping yuppies in the making, who dream of being discovered by John Stewart Leibowitz to then perhaps work for Conan in the future. "Ironic" doesn't automatically mean amusing or clever.

        Unfunny people are usually labeled "humorists". The Onion is full of humorists.

[MV/Liberace!]

            The hipster accusation is absolutely on-target. Latte sipping yuppies in the making, who dream of being discovered by John Stewart Leibowitz to then perhaps work for Conan in the future. "Ironic" doesn't automatically mean amusing or clever.

        Unfunny people are usually labeled "humorists". The Onion is full of humorists.

i knew we'd see eye to eye on this.

[Eddie Coyle]

i knew we'd see eye to eye on this.

You're singing my song.

       The guy in my avatar, Mr Odenkirk, he's funny. And he knows that brevity is the soul of wit, so those great characters/sketches on Mr Show were everything that say... SNL isn't. Mr Show could do more in 25 minutes than SNL in 90 minutes. Same for the Onion, they're overexposed and I find become quickly trite.

[MV/Liberace!]

The guy in my avatar, Mr Odenkirk, he's funny.

agreed.  i would have included him above in my shortlist of people who can make me bust a gut, but since he isn't really a stand up comedian per se, his name didn't come to mind.

[Eddie Coyle]

agreed.  i would have included him above in my shortlist of people who can make me bust a gut, but since he isn't really a stand up comedian per se, his name didn't come to mind.

Stand up comedians are like guitarists for me, my favorites are either dead or peaked 30 years ago. I'd have a tough time thinking of many "active" ones I still find funny.

        As I've labored to explain to my kid/younger siblings..."Believe it or not, Eddie Murphy was funny once upon a time"...but once he became a movie star it was all downhill.

[guildnavigator]

I saw an Onion movie (I think it was just called "The Onion Movie"?)




Yeah, that shit sucked pretty bad.

[onan]

I dunno, I pretty much laugh at almost all of em. I only see something from the onion maybe once or twice a year but think its funny. I didn't think Carlin was nearly as funny in his last decade as he was before that. Brian Reagan funny for everyone.


I don't always find the daily show funny but most of the time, yeah.


I think most stand up comedians lose their edge once they get tv shows. CK may be the only exception.


Back to the onion... don't you have to look pretty hard to find their stuff?

[MV/Liberace!]

Back to the onion... don't you have to look pretty hard to find their stuff?

idunno, for me that's not been the case.  i'm incessantly sent links to onion shit by people.  i politely refrain from commenting every time.

[Juan]

Their story on Mohammed Atta's surprise at finding himself in hell was funny.  That's it.

[The General]

The Onion makes me laugh pretty hard occasionally. 


The Daily Show, I find tedious. 


And comedians that talk on and on and on about bodily functions bore the shit out of me.
Pun intended, but also not funny.

[The General]

At the risk of becoming a Coastgab leper, I submit to you this...


As You Can See From My Name-Brand Clothing, I Am Not Poor.


I find it hilarious.  Probably the best thing I've read from the Onion.  Perhaps it is because I am surrounded by inner city fools like the fictitious author of this sarcastic article that I find it so funny.

[coaster]

The Onion had a book out ten years or so covering stories from the last one hundred years. I thought it was pretty funny, but I imagine they had different writers back then. I've read stories on the site and have yet to find anything worth reading. The "humor" is obvious and  cliche. The show is even worse. Its a clusterfuck. They really try too hard.

[UnscreenedCaller]

I've had some laugh out loud moments from the Onion, mostly when they deflate pompous windbags, but they have their misses too, that aren't funny at all. The original Onion was a lot sharper.

[Eddie Coyle]

 
              I'll give stand up comedians this credit, even the bad ones...it takes guts to go on stage and try to perform as they do. And a lot of comedians who you see on TV are much funnier in person. I found this true of Bobcat Goldthwait, Richard Belzer(on with Noory next week ) and a couple others I saw at comedy clubs between 1988-1994. Those 5 minute spots on talk shows or in the olden days of MTV's Half Hour Comedy Hour or Comic Strip Live often were sanitized or dumbed down.
         The rise of Carrot Top is when I checked out...

[RedMichael]

I don't read many onion articles. The ones I have are funny. The beauty of some of them is that if you didn't know it was an onion article you could see a major leftwing/rightwing site making that kind of story. When they pull that off, it is hilarious.


But no, I wouldn't go out of my way to find the articles or read them. The few times I had someone talk about how great the onion is in person I couldn't stand them.




And just because, I found one of the few I actually read.


http://www.theonion.com/articles/budget-mixup-provides-nations-schools-with-enough,20350/

[Sardondi]

...The Daily Show, I find tedious....

That is because you are stupid, and probably evil to boot. Everyone knows TDS/Colbert are funny. Because they know humor is best when it mocks only conservatives and traditionalists. They are the most brilliant humorists in the world today, second only to the great Garrison Keillor. Keillor of course knows that Humor Goes One Way Only, and only mockery of conservatives is funny. But he gets extra points for sticking it to conservatives financially as well. Because Keillor gets a significant portion of his operating budget form the American taxpayer - more than half of whom he mocks and denigrates with his passive-aggressive humor. TDS/Colbert still have to operate in the evil corporate world. Which of course is magically not so evil when payday comes for them.

But you'd better face it: only the mockery of conservatives is funny. All right-thinking people agree. 

[Pragmier]

While not a completely equal offender, TDS has taken plenty of shots at the "left". Jon Stewart welcomes a good debate regardless of viewpoint. He's had Ron Paul (and his dad while a candidate) on several times, O'Reilly is a regular, Marco Rubio recently was on joking about his thirsty moment, conservative thinkers etc. They go on TDS all the time, often to promote books, and Steward gives them a platform to reach beyond their usual constituency. Two nights ago they featured a long scathing criticism of the insane media reaction to the bombings, something we've all been discussing here.


Keillor puts me to sleep, and I never read The Onion.

[RedMichael]

Although the Daily Show claims to be just entertainment it is obvious they try to pick apart each side, almost always the right. Most political humor that is somewhat mainstream is very left wing and when they slam the left it seems very half assed. Even in the article I linked they do take a token shot at the left but it is obvious who the target is.


I have seen the right's attempt at political humor and it isn't pretty. Why they are so bad at it is beyond me.


I am sure the Onion used to be edgy and funny but like all left wing political humor vehicles, it becomes infatuated with itself and sees itself as "Hip" and it just becomes a joke in itself.

[Juan]

When Rush had his hearing, he could be funny sometimes.  Now, without hearing, his timing is way off.  Of course, the no-such-thing-as-left people didn't see him as funny.

[PhantasticSanShiSan]

              I'll give stand up comedians this credit, even the bad ones...it takes guts to go on stage and try to perform as they do. And a lot of comedians who you see on TV are much funnier in person. I found this true of Bobcat Goldthwait, Richard Belzer(on with Noory next week ) and a couple others I saw at comedy clubs between 1988-1994. Those 5 minute spots on talk shows or in the olden days of MTV's Half Hour Comedy Hour or Comic Strip Live often were sanitized or dumbed down.
         The rise of Carrot Top is when I checked out...

Come on man - We needed a jury-rigged dyke patch for the waning presence of Gallagher at the time. CT stepped up in a time of need. 

[MV/Liberace!]

Com on man - We needed a jury-rigged dyke patch for the waning presence of Gallagher at the time. CT stepped up in a time of need.

i'm not a fan of gallagher, but his brother is just great.

[PhantasticSanShiSan]

      Stand up comedians are like guitarists for me, my favorites are either dead or peaked 30 years ago. I'd have a tough time thinking of many "active" ones I still find funny.

        As I've labored to explain to my kid/younger siblings..."Believe it or not, Eddie Murphy was funny once upon a time"...but once he became a movie star it was all downhill.

Ahh jeez, really?  I know where you are coming from, but not even Bill Burr?  Norm MacDonald?  Russel Peters?  I still think there are a few out there that are worthy of our time.

[PhantasticSanShiSan]

i'm not a fan of gallagher, but his brother is just great.

HAHAHA. Was his brother the "actually funny" one?  I can't remember who is who anymore.  Was the "real" on the fake one, or was the "fake" one the real one?

[Pragmier]

Bill Burr & Louis CK are my current favs.

[West of the Rockies]

That is because you are stupid, and probably evil to boot. Everyone knows TDS/Colbert are funny. Because they know humor is best when it mocks only conservatives and traditionalists. They are the most brilliant humorists in the world today, second only to the great Garrison Keillor. Keillor of course knows that Humor Goes One Way Only, and only mockery of conservatives is funny. But he gets extra points for sticking it to conservatives financially as well. Because Keillor gets a significant portion of his operating budget form the American taxpayer - more than half of whom he mocks and denigrates with his passive-aggressive humor. TDS/Colbert still have to operate in the evil corporate world. Which of course is magically not so evil when payday comes for them.

But you'd better face it: only the mockery of conservatives is funny. All right-thinking people agree.

Well, I rather wish Prairie Home Companion would be done... I think it's gone stale for years.  I truly wish Keillor would stop singing; his voice is not good, yet he insists on multiple songs every damn show.  Harry Shearer and others have been making fun of his efforts for years now.  I think PHC has sort of become like the old Saturday Evening Post:  you know what you're gonna get, and it will be comfortable but not terribly creative.

Yes, politically Keillor clearly is fairly left-leaning though as I recall he did say something that was perceived as quite homophobic that got him into a bit of trouble a few years ago, and homophobia is not typically associated with the left (though there are democratic-voting homophobes, too!

What I find intriguing is that this forum demonstrates so clearly how we all perceive the news news and entertainment through our various filters.  You, Sardondi, clearly have little use for John Stewart.  I think he is whip-smart (but, yeah, rather full of himself).  Others here think that Michael Savage or Rush are just the funniest buggers out there who speak only truth.  It seems like with such perspectives, never the twain shall meet!  And yet we do have some common-ground.  (Good books, good beer, good parenting....)

Here's a question though:  was anyone secretly scared that the Boston bombers just might possibly turn out to be from your particular political camp?  For instance, as a left-leaning neo-hippie academic elitist  , I was hoping these guys would not turn out to be from some environmental group.  (I did not seriously think this was a possibility.  I could be wrong, but it seems to me that American-made leftwing terrorism has sort of been on the wane for a long time.  People bring up The Weathermen and tree-spikers -- for whom I hold NO sympathy -- but such players have sort of been off the mainstage for some time now it seems to me.) 

I bet -- if we're being honest -- that some people on the right were worried that the bombers just might possibly have been from some right-wing group (maybe TP activists gone really bad). 

It's a good lesson for everyone to avoid jumping to conclusions, yes?

[PhantasticSanShiSan]

Bill Burr & Louis CK are my current favs.

I'm in the minority in that I don't LOVE Louis CK, but he is generally recognized as the king.  To me, Burr is the king right now.  Eddie Izzard is also quite funny when he hit his stride well, if one can stand his delivery style.

[PhantasticSanShiSan]

Well, I rather wish Prairie Home Companion would be done... I think it's gone stale for years.  I truly wish Keillor would stop singing; his voice is not good, yet he insists on multiple songs every damn show.  Harry Shearer and others have been making fun of his efforts for years now.  I think PHC has sort of become like the old Saturday Evening Post:  you know what you're gonna get, and it will be comfortable but not terribly creative.

Yes, politically Keillor clearly is fairly left-leaning though as I recall he did say something that was perceived as quite homophobic that got him into a bit of trouble a few years ago, and homophobia is not typically associated with the left (though there are democratic-voting homophobes, too!

What I find intriguing is that this forum demonstrates so clearly how we all perceive the news news and entertainment through our various filters.  You, Sardondi, clearly have little use for John Stewart.  I think he is whip-smart (but, yeah, rather full of himself).  Others here think that Michael Savage or Rush are just the funniest buggers out there who speak only truth.  It seems like with such perspectives, never the twain shall meet!  And yet we do have some common-ground.  (Good books, good beer, good parenting....)

Here's a question though:  was anyone secretly scared that the Boston bombers just might possibly turn out to be from your particular political camp?  For instance, as a left-leaning neo-hippie academic elitist  , I was hoping these guys would not turn out to be from some environmental group.  (I did not seriously think this was a possibility.  I could be wrong, but it seems to me that American-made leftwing terrorism has sort of been on the wane for a long time.  People bring up The Weathermen and tree-spikers -- for whom I hold NO sympathy -- but such players have sort of been off the mainstage for some time now it seems to me.) 

I bet -- if we're being honest -- that some people on the right were worried that the bombers just might possibly have been from some right-wing group (maybe TP activists gone really bad). 

It's a good lesson for everyone to avoid jumping to conclusions, yes?

From the way things were being described on the day of the bombing (low level placement of the bombs, limb amputations and wounding), I was hoping it was a disgruntled marathoner/runner or someone bound to a wheelchair who was the culprit.

[Sardondi]

Well, I rather wish Prairie Home Companion would be done... I think it's gone stale for years.  I truly wish Keillor would stop singing; his voice is not good, yet he insists on multiple songs every damn show.  Harry Shearer and others have been making fun of his efforts for years now.  I think PHC has sort of become like the old Saturday Evening Post:  you know what you're gonna get, and it will be comfortable but not terribly creative.

Yes, politically Keillor clearly is fairly left-leaning though as I recall he did say something that was perceived as quite homophobic that got him into a bit of trouble a few years ago, and homophobia is not typically associated with the left (though there are democratic-voting homophobes, too!

What I find intriguing is that this forum demonstrates so clearly how we all perceive the news news and entertainment through our various filters.  You, Sardondi, clearly have little use for John Stewart.  I think he is whip-smart (but, yeah, rather full of himself).  Others here think that Michael Savage or Rush are just the funniest buggers out there who speak only truth.  It seems like with such perspectives, never the twain shall meet!  And yet we do have some common-ground.  (Good books, good beer, good parenting....)

Here's a question though:  was anyone secretly scared that the Boston bombers just might possibly turn out to be from your particular political camp?  For instance, as a left-leaning neo-hippie academic elitist  , I was hoping these guys would not turn out to be from some environmental group.  (I did not seriously think this was a possibility.  I could be wrong, but it seems to me that American-made leftwing terrorism has sort of been on the wane for a long time.  People bring up The Weathermen and tree-spikers -- for whom I hold NO sympathy -- but such players have sort of been off the mainstage for some time now it seems to me.) 

I bet -- if we're being honest -- that some people on the right were worried that the bombers just might possibly have been from some right-wing group (maybe TP activists gone really bad). 

It's a good lesson for everyone to avoid jumping to conclusions, yes?

Heh. I'm particularly rabid about PHC because...because *sob*...I loved it so. I found PHC in the early 80's, and almost worshiped it. I worked my early Saturday evenings around it. But then I noticed GK got a little more pointed and bitter, a little more partisan. I first noticed it during the Blue Dress Imbroglio and the impeachment that followed Clinton's false statements. GK was angry. And he started showing it. Which is 100% absolutely wonderful. I'm all for unfettered speech. (In fact it's one of my peeves that the predominant media, our popular culture and the chattering class doesn't really believe in true free speech, but only in theirfree speech...and fuck-all to unbelievers.)

Anyway, in the next few years it got worse and worse, to the point I started turning him off when I heard his first partisan gig. And I kept hearing less and less of the show as it happened sooner and sooner. Buy the middle of the first Bush term I had to turn it off within seconds of the introduction as he starred in form the top. And so he took PHC away from me by intentionally insulting half of America. "Oh, that's just good-natured joshin'" you say. Really? Wonder why ol' Gar couldn't bring himself to good-nature the other way more than just a few perfunctory lead balloons every year? It all goes one way.

The difference in PHC is that Keillor's show is substantially funded by taxes. And he wiped his ass with the concept of non-partisanship in tax-funded efforts, cravenly and cynically using his "right of free speech" as a false justification for making his show an ad for the DNC. I'm sorry - you take tax money, you give up your right to unfettered speech. It's just part of the deal. And another thing that chaps my ass is that such abuse of that concept of non-partisanship in publicly-funded work only seems to go one way. Which is why conservatives tend to look at publicly-funded art and entertainment with a jaundiced eye.

So I actually resent GK far more than Jon Stewart. JS is probably one of the smartest guys around - much smarter, say, (and infinitely nicer) than the to-my-mind-execrable Bill Maher. I actually do find JS hilarious - as I do Colbert. But I'm sick of half-a-lifetime of the fix being in, and shutting them off is the only defense. And as far as Michael Savage or Rush being funny - well, not for me in this life. I like Dennis Miller, who's actually more libertarian.

[ziznak]

Bill Burr & Louis CK are my current favs.

add Shumer to the list... she's like the only female comedian I can deal with now.

From the way things were being described on the day of the bombing (low level placement of the bombs, limb amputations and wounding), I was hoping it was a disgruntled marathoner/runner or someone bound to a wheelchair who was the culprit.

HAHA... horrible joke to make but you made me lul