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The Onion is responsible for some of the most iconic satirical headlines of our time. From "Study Reveals: Babies are Stupid" to "Kitten Thinks of Nothing but Murder All Day," The Onion has managed to capture and speak to our cultural zeitgeist in ways traditional news media couldn’t dream of. And it all got its start right here in Madison. To get the details on the origins of The Onion and why it still strikes a nerve with folks today, host Bianca Martin spoke with Christine Wenc, author of “Funny Because It's True: How The Onion Created Modern American News Satire” and one of the original Onion staffers.
This show originally aired March 18. 2025.
👋 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Instagram!
📧 You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.
🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program!
Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 17th episode:
By City Cast4.4
8282 ratings
The Onion is responsible for some of the most iconic satirical headlines of our time. From "Study Reveals: Babies are Stupid" to "Kitten Thinks of Nothing but Murder All Day," The Onion has managed to capture and speak to our cultural zeitgeist in ways traditional news media couldn’t dream of. And it all got its start right here in Madison. To get the details on the origins of The Onion and why it still strikes a nerve with folks today, host Bianca Martin spoke with Christine Wenc, author of “Funny Because It's True: How The Onion Created Modern American News Satire” and one of the original Onion staffers.
This show originally aired March 18. 2025.
👋 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Instagram!
📧 You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.
🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program!
Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 17th episode:

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