Long before it became a pejorative to describe claims you don't like, "fake news" was a comedy genre. Its flagship for years was The Onion, a satirical weekly newspaper founded in 1988 that grew to become a cultural institution.
Calling itself "America's Finest News Source," The Onion published realistic-looking news reports with facts either skewed or invented for satirical effect. Many of these articles were "stories where people are seemingly talking to reporters where there's no rationale for a reporter to be there," as James daSilva, who maintains a Substack newsletter devoted to the publication, put it in 2013. This became The Onion's signature "area man" template, as in "Area Man Always Nostalgic For Four Years Ago," "Unattractive Man Just Like A Brother To Area Woman," or "Area Cockroach Fucking Huge." As with much good comedy, decorum and good taste were not required. A case in point: "Ugly Girl Killed: Nation Unshaken By Not-So-Tragic Death."
That acerbic wit also targeted public figures. In January 2013, when a prepresidential Donald Trump was spreading unfounded rumors about then-President Barack Obama's birthplace, The Onion ran an op-ed purportedly written by Trump, titled "When You're Feeling Low, Just Remember I'll Be Dead In About 15 Or 20 Years." (The piece prompted Trump's attorney to threaten a defamation suit.) The Onion used its signature tone to address national tragedies, too. Its first issue after September 11 ran a surprisingly moving tale about trying to feel helpful in the face of sorrow, headlined "Not Knowing What Else To Do, Woman Bakes American-Flag Cake."
