“Onion’s bitter tears of irony.” by Jeffrey Benner

Benner, J. “Onion’s bitter tears of irony.” Wired. 2001.

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,47155-0.html

“Apparently no one told the editors at the Onion that Sept. 11 marked the end of irony in America.” This is the opening statement offered by Jeffrey Benner of Wired magazine in 2001 in his editorial review of The Onion’s coverage of 9/11. He goes about examining the failed efforts of other comedians that did not receive applause, for example Bill Maher who was reprimanded for certain comments regarding the terrorist attacks. In perhaps his most significant observation of the message offered by the satirical news source, he purports that The Onion saw that “the problem is complicated, the danger real, and the future uncertain.” The overall message suggests that the irony utilized by the site shows their ultimate sensitivity to the weight of the scenario, and that their rhetoric was constructed in such a way as to be received well by the public.

Benner’s observations, although editorially opinionated in its approach, lends affirmation of the subtle nuances of word craft at work behind The Onion’s authorship. His insights signify the importance of reception in terms of comedic approaches, as well as context and timing. He also notes that the authors of the site do not worry over authenticity issues thanks to their established personae of absolute mockery. This piece provides a relevant bit of pop culture support to the critical analysis aspect of the rhetorical tools at work in their humor.