The Onion: 20 Years Later
@onion20.substack.com
A weekly review by @jamesdasilva.bsky.social of The Onion's print issues from 20 years ago (and the new print!)! Sign up for the Sunday newsletter http://onion20.substack.com. Love The Onion but not affiliated.
Pinned
Help me figure out the future of The Onion: 20 Years Later!
I'm considering expanding this newsletter, but I need your thoughts.
open.substack.com
I'm cautiously asking folks to financially support my Onion newsletter, although all content will remain free.
I'm hoping to dig even deeper into the publications history, and that takes time!
Anyways, I agonized over this but am just doing it. We'll see!
open.substack.com/pub/onion20/...
I'm hoping to dig even deeper into the publications history, and that takes time!
Anyways, I agonized over this but am just doing it. We'll see!
open.substack.com/pub/onion20/...
Last week, I reviewed a 20-year-old issue of @TheOnion.com with the article “133 Dead As Delta Cancels Flight In Midair” — as I was boarding two Delta flights.
I’m pleased to report the article is funny and my flights landed successfully.
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-onion...
I’m pleased to report the article is funny and my flights landed successfully.
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-onion...
20 years ago, an Area Baby had no friends
Plus, beers with President Bush, Delta Airlines cancels flights, Animal Planet's reality show, Navy recruiting commercials, and much more.
onion20.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Last week, I reviewed a 20-year-old issue of @TheOnion.com with the article “133 Dead As Delta Cancels Flight In Midair” — as I was boarding two Delta flights.
I’m pleased to report the article is funny and my flights landed successfully.
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-onion...
I’m pleased to report the article is funny and my flights landed successfully.
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-onion...
Revisiting The Onion's website: Nov. 16-22, 2005.
The Onion remembers WWE wrestler Eddie Guerrero and debates the world's best dictator. Plus, AOL's TV downloads service, injured athletes and more. onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-... #theonion #satire
The Onion remembers WWE wrestler Eddie Guerrero and debates the world's best dictator. Plus, AOL's TV downloads service, injured athletes and more. onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-... #theonion #satire
Revisiting The Onion's website: Nov. 16-22, 2005
The Onion remembers WWE wrestler Eddie Guerrero and debates the world's best dictator. Plus, AOL's TV downloads service, injured athletes and more.
onion20.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Revisiting The Onion's website: Nov. 16-22, 2005.
The Onion remembers WWE wrestler Eddie Guerrero and debates the world's best dictator. Plus, AOL's TV downloads service, injured athletes and more. onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-... #theonion #satire
The Onion remembers WWE wrestler Eddie Guerrero and debates the world's best dictator. Plus, AOL's TV downloads service, injured athletes and more. onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-... #theonion #satire
20 years ago, an Area Baby had no friends.
Plus, beers with President Bush, Delta Airlines cancels flights, Animal Planet's reality show, Navy recruiting commercials, and much more. onion20.substack.com/p/2005-onion... #theonion #satire
Plus, beers with President Bush, Delta Airlines cancels flights, Animal Planet's reality show, Navy recruiting commercials, and much more. onion20.substack.com/p/2005-onion... #theonion #satire
20 years ago, an Area Baby had no friends
Plus, beers with President Bush, Delta Airlines cancels flights, Animal Planet's reality show, Navy recruiting commercials, and much more.
onion20.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:34 PM
20 years ago, an Area Baby had no friends.
Plus, beers with President Bush, Delta Airlines cancels flights, Animal Planet's reality show, Navy recruiting commercials, and much more. onion20.substack.com/p/2005-onion... #theonion #satire
Plus, beers with President Bush, Delta Airlines cancels flights, Animal Planet's reality show, Navy recruiting commercials, and much more. onion20.substack.com/p/2005-onion... #theonion #satire
I haven't written about @theonion.com's new print issues much this year, but it's a good read each month. And I enjoyed the latest cover illustration.
Clearly an SNL TV Funhouse homage, right? But that's not a bad thing!
Clearly an SNL TV Funhouse homage, right? But that's not a bad thing!
November 13, 2025 at 1:53 PM
I haven't written about @theonion.com's new print issues much this year, but it's a good read each month. And I enjoyed the latest cover illustration.
Clearly an SNL TV Funhouse homage, right? But that's not a bad thing!
Clearly an SNL TV Funhouse homage, right? But that's not a bad thing!
20 years ago this week, @TheOnion.com mentioned Tim Duncan for the 1st time!
Plus, topical jokes you probably forgot about, like the 2005 NYC Marathon, the Panthers cheerleaders scandal, White House ethics classes and more.
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
Plus, topical jokes you probably forgot about, like the 2005 NYC Marathon, the Panthers cheerleaders scandal, White House ethics classes and more.
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
November 12, 2025 at 7:23 PM
20 years ago this week, @TheOnion.com mentioned Tim Duncan for the 1st time!
Plus, topical jokes you probably forgot about, like the 2005 NYC Marathon, the Panthers cheerleaders scandal, White House ethics classes and more.
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
Plus, topical jokes you probably forgot about, like the 2005 NYC Marathon, the Panthers cheerleaders scandal, White House ethics classes and more.
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
Reviewing The Onion's website, Nov. 9-15, 2005.
Remembering Tim Duncan's 1st Onion mention, Anderson Cooper, the 2005 NYC Marathon, the Panthers cheerleaders scandal, and more. onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-... #theonion #satire
Remembering Tim Duncan's 1st Onion mention, Anderson Cooper, the 2005 NYC Marathon, the Panthers cheerleaders scandal, and more. onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-... #theonion #satire
Reviewing The Onion's website, Nov. 9-15, 2005
Remembering Tim Duncan's 1st Onion mention, Anderson Cooper, the 2005 NYC Marathon, the Panthers cheerleaders scandal, and more.
onion20.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Reviewing The Onion's website, Nov. 9-15, 2005.
Remembering Tim Duncan's 1st Onion mention, Anderson Cooper, the 2005 NYC Marathon, the Panthers cheerleaders scandal, and more. onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-... #theonion #satire
Remembering Tim Duncan's 1st Onion mention, Anderson Cooper, the 2005 NYC Marathon, the Panthers cheerleaders scandal, and more. onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-... #theonion #satire
20 years ago today, The Onion anticipated a fact-free future and everyone feeling vindicated that their theories are, in fact, the good ones.
onion20.substack.com/i/178304587/...
onion20.substack.com/i/178304587/...
November 9, 2025 at 9:49 PM
20 years ago today, The Onion anticipated a fact-free future and everyone feeling vindicated that their theories are, in fact, the good ones.
onion20.substack.com/i/178304587/...
onion20.substack.com/i/178304587/...
20 years ago, The Onion buried Rosa Parks — and civil rights.
Plus, jokes about NYT reporter Judith Miller, metal legends, Iraq, Cameron Crowe, and people who love half-baked theories onion20.substack.com/p/november-2... #theonion #satire
Plus, jokes about NYT reporter Judith Miller, metal legends, Iraq, Cameron Crowe, and people who love half-baked theories onion20.substack.com/p/november-2... #theonion #satire
20 years ago, The Onion buried Rosa Parks — and civil rights
Plus, jokes about NYT reporter Judith Miller, metal legends, Iraq, Cameron Crowe, and people who love half-baked theories
onion20.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:05 PM
20 years ago, The Onion buried Rosa Parks — and civil rights.
Plus, jokes about NYT reporter Judith Miller, metal legends, Iraq, Cameron Crowe, and people who love half-baked theories onion20.substack.com/p/november-2... #theonion #satire
Plus, jokes about NYT reporter Judith Miller, metal legends, Iraq, Cameron Crowe, and people who love half-baked theories onion20.substack.com/p/november-2... #theonion #satire
Reposted by The Onion: 20 Years Later
Californians Approve Measure To Redraw ‘Garfield’ https://theonion.com/californians-approve-measure-to-redraw-garfield/
November 6, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Californians Approve Measure To Redraw ‘Garfield’ https://theonion.com/californians-approve-measure-to-redraw-garfield/
20 years ago this week, @TheOnion.com recorded a faux Bush eulogy at Rosa Parks’ funeral in which he vowed to arrest anyone who aided and abedded the crime.
The twist? It never published on The Onion website, only on a long-forgotten fake White House website.
open.substack.com/pub/onion20/...
The twist? It never published on The Onion website, only on a long-forgotten fake White House website.
open.substack.com/pub/onion20/...
Revisit The Onion's TV listings from 20 years ago
The Onion jokes about Michael Bay, Bush eulogizing Rosa Parks, weather-related gambling, Samuel Alito's nomination and much more
open.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:01 AM
20 years ago this week, @TheOnion.com recorded a faux Bush eulogy at Rosa Parks’ funeral in which he vowed to arrest anyone who aided and abedded the crime.
The twist? It never published on The Onion website, only on a long-forgotten fake White House website.
open.substack.com/pub/onion20/...
The twist? It never published on The Onion website, only on a long-forgotten fake White House website.
open.substack.com/pub/onion20/...
Reviewing The Onion's website for Nov. 2-8, 2005.
The Onion jokes about Michael Bay, Bush eulogizing Rosa Parks, weather-related gambling, Samuel Alito's nomination and much more onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-... #theonion #satire
The Onion jokes about Michael Bay, Bush eulogizing Rosa Parks, weather-related gambling, Samuel Alito's nomination and much more onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-... #theonion #satire
Reviewing The Onion's website for Nov. 2-8, 2005
The Onion jokes about Michael Bay, Bush eulogizing Rosa Parks, weather-related gambling, Samuel Alito's nomination and much more
onion20.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Reviewing The Onion's website for Nov. 2-8, 2005.
The Onion jokes about Michael Bay, Bush eulogizing Rosa Parks, weather-related gambling, Samuel Alito's nomination and much more onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-... #theonion #satire
The Onion jokes about Michael Bay, Bush eulogizing Rosa Parks, weather-related gambling, Samuel Alito's nomination and much more onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-... #theonion #satire
21 year ago, The Onion reviewed the 2004 elections
onion20.substack.com/p/20-years-a...
onion20.substack.com/p/20-years-a...
20 years ago, The Onion mocked our elections
Rediscover The Onion's online-only election commentary, plus Spain's war on bulls, the middle class, workout routines, the Boston Red Sox, and Jean Teasdale.
onion20.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:40 AM
21 year ago, The Onion reviewed the 2004 elections
onion20.substack.com/p/20-years-a...
onion20.substack.com/p/20-years-a...
Reposted by The Onion: 20 Years Later
20 years ago, The Onion burned Iraq's constitution.
Plus, bird flu, TV weathermen, a nude sheriff in town, "Scooter" Libby, Howie Mandel, and a night on the town onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o... #theonion #satire
Plus, bird flu, TV weathermen, a nude sheriff in town, "Scooter" Libby, Howie Mandel, and a night on the town onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o... #theonion #satire
20 years ago, The Onion burned Iraq's constitution
Plus, bird flu, TV weathermen, a nude sheriff in town, "Scooter" Libby, Howie Mandel, and a night on the town
onion20.substack.com
November 2, 2025 at 5:31 PM
20 years ago, The Onion burned Iraq's constitution.
Plus, bird flu, TV weathermen, a nude sheriff in town, "Scooter" Libby, Howie Mandel, and a night on the town onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o... #theonion #satire
Plus, bird flu, TV weathermen, a nude sheriff in town, "Scooter" Libby, Howie Mandel, and a night on the town onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o... #theonion #satire
In honor of the People’s Sexiest Man Alive announcement, here’s what Jackie Harvey of The Onion had to say 20 years ago. It's maybe the strangest insult of JFK Jr. I've ever seen.
web.archive.org/web/20061227...
web.archive.org/web/20061227...
20 Years of Sexy Men | The Onion - America's Finest News Source
Who would have thought, back in 1985, that they could take an idea like printing photos of a sexy movie star and giving them the title People's Sexiest Man Alive, and, 20 years later, you'd be…
web.archive.org
November 4, 2025 at 11:15 PM
In honor of the People’s Sexiest Man Alive announcement, here’s what Jackie Harvey of The Onion had to say 20 years ago. It's maybe the strangest insult of JFK Jr. I've ever seen.
web.archive.org/web/20061227...
web.archive.org/web/20061227...
"There's A Nude Sheriff In Town" is one of my favorite Onion columns in a while -- and it's 20 years today.
theonion.com/theres-a-nud...
theonion.com/theres-a-nud...
There's A Nude Sheriff In Town
Howdy, pardners. The name’s Gunderson. Sheriff Bill Gunderson. You might remember me from the unattirin’ at Black Gulch or the full moon at high noon. That’s right, one and the same. Well, I got a…
theonion.com
November 2, 2025 at 7:23 PM
"There's A Nude Sheriff In Town" is one of my favorite Onion columns in a while -- and it's 20 years today.
theonion.com/theres-a-nud...
theonion.com/theres-a-nud...
20 years ago, The Onion burned Iraq's constitution.
Plus, bird flu, TV weathermen, a nude sheriff in town, "Scooter" Libby, Howie Mandel, and a night on the town onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o... #theonion #satire
Plus, bird flu, TV weathermen, a nude sheriff in town, "Scooter" Libby, Howie Mandel, and a night on the town onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o... #theonion #satire
20 years ago, The Onion burned Iraq's constitution
Plus, bird flu, TV weathermen, a nude sheriff in town, "Scooter" Libby, Howie Mandel, and a night on the town
onion20.substack.com
November 2, 2025 at 5:31 PM
20 years ago, The Onion burned Iraq's constitution.
Plus, bird flu, TV weathermen, a nude sheriff in town, "Scooter" Libby, Howie Mandel, and a night on the town onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o... #theonion #satire
Plus, bird flu, TV weathermen, a nude sheriff in town, "Scooter" Libby, Howie Mandel, and a night on the town onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o... #theonion #satire
Interesting to see The Onion change up their website for Halloween. On my monitor, at least, this took up the entire screen.
November 1, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Interesting to see The Onion change up their website for Halloween. On my monitor, at least, this took up the entire screen.
Congrats to Scott Dikkers on his book about @TheOnion.com, which publishes today!
Excited to read his recollections about The Onion, and eternally grateful for the support, big and small, he's offered me on my own Onion history adventures here.
amzn.to/46kvc5T
Excited to read his recollections about The Onion, and eternally grateful for the support, big and small, he's offered me on my own Onion history adventures here.
amzn.to/46kvc5T
The Onion Story: How a Band of Misfits, Dropouts, and Sad Sacks Built the World's Most Trusted News Source
In this laugh-out-loud origin story of a world-renowned satirist and “America’s Finest News Source” Scott Dikkers treats you to a rollicking trip through the 80s, 90s, and 00s, chronicling the incepti...
amzn.to
October 28, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Congrats to Scott Dikkers on his book about @TheOnion.com, which publishes today!
Excited to read his recollections about The Onion, and eternally grateful for the support, big and small, he's offered me on my own Onion history adventures here.
amzn.to/46kvc5T
Excited to read his recollections about The Onion, and eternally grateful for the support, big and small, he's offered me on my own Onion history adventures here.
amzn.to/46kvc5T
@TheOnion.com website 20 years ago published a whole bunch of jokes, including a Donald Trump mention, Jackie Harvey's thoughts, the guy from the "Rubberband Man" commercials, Bush's changes to Halloween and a gritty Pixar movie.
Check out my recap!
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
Check out my recap!
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
October 23, 2025 at 12:23 PM
@TheOnion.com website 20 years ago published a whole bunch of jokes, including a Donald Trump mention, Jackie Harvey's thoughts, the guy from the "Rubberband Man" commercials, Bush's changes to Halloween and a gritty Pixar movie.
Check out my recap!
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
Check out my recap!
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
20 years ago, The Onion warned of zombie attacks in Pittsburgh!
Also, a local woman becomes America's trusted news source, plus Saddam Hussein, Harriet Miers, Pamela Anderson and the Ten Commandments.
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
Also, a local woman becomes America's trusted news source, plus Saddam Hussein, Harriet Miers, Pamela Anderson and the Ten Commandments.
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
October 20, 2025 at 1:42 AM
20 years ago, The Onion warned of zombie attacks in Pittsburgh!
Also, a local woman becomes America's trusted news source, plus Saddam Hussein, Harriet Miers, Pamela Anderson and the Ten Commandments.
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
Also, a local woman becomes America's trusted news source, plus Saddam Hussein, Harriet Miers, Pamela Anderson and the Ten Commandments.
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
Loved revisiting the following in this look at The Onion’s website:
• Jackie Harvey’s bewilderment at the Firefly movie
• Angela Merkel and Harriet Miers -- contemporaries?
• A sly reference to GTA: San Andreas
• A deep cut about the 1996 Baltimore Orioles
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
• Jackie Harvey’s bewilderment at the Firefly movie
• Angela Merkel and Harriet Miers -- contemporaries?
• A sly reference to GTA: San Andreas
• A deep cut about the 1996 Baltimore Orioles
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
Reviewing The Onion's web-only jokes: Oct. 12-18, 2005
Jackie Harvey tries to sell used CDs, plus lots of jokes about baseball, President Bush, Chicago's love of Mike Ditka and more.
onion20.substack.com
October 16, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Loved revisiting the following in this look at The Onion’s website:
• Jackie Harvey’s bewilderment at the Firefly movie
• Angela Merkel and Harriet Miers -- contemporaries?
• A sly reference to GTA: San Andreas
• A deep cut about the 1996 Baltimore Orioles
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
• Jackie Harvey’s bewilderment at the Firefly movie
• Angela Merkel and Harriet Miers -- contemporaries?
• A sly reference to GTA: San Andreas
• A deep cut about the 1996 Baltimore Orioles
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
20 years ago, The Onion's website featured Jackie Harvey trying to sell used CDs, plus lots of jokes about baseball, new Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Bush, Chicago's love of Mike Ditka and much more.
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
October 16, 2025 at 2:01 AM
20 years ago, The Onion's website featured Jackie Harvey trying to sell used CDs, plus lots of jokes about baseball, new Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Bush, Chicago's love of Mike Ditka and much more.
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
onion20.substack.com/p/reviewing-...
21 years ago today, The Onion wrote a brilliant satire of "camera-phones" based (loosely) on a real-life Jules Verne story.
A quote worth noting: “The infuriated victims of the camera-phone-dominated society eventually put all of Europe to the torch.”
onion20.substack.com/p/20-years-a...
A quote worth noting: “The infuriated victims of the camera-phone-dominated society eventually put all of Europe to the torch.”
onion20.substack.com/p/20-years-a...
October 14, 2025 at 12:52 AM
21 years ago today, The Onion wrote a brilliant satire of "camera-phones" based (loosely) on a real-life Jules Verne story.
A quote worth noting: “The infuriated victims of the camera-phone-dominated society eventually put all of Europe to the torch.”
onion20.substack.com/p/20-years-a...
A quote worth noting: “The infuriated victims of the camera-phone-dominated society eventually put all of Europe to the torch.”
onion20.substack.com/p/20-years-a...
20 years ago in @TheOnion.com, Jim Anchower got a girlfriend!
Plus, President Bush seeks a Secretary of the Nation, afterlife drug sentencing, marriage counseling, friends with cancer and much more.
Revisit the Oct. 12, 2005, issue with me!
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
Plus, President Bush seeks a Secretary of the Nation, afterlife drug sentencing, marriage counseling, friends with cancer and much more.
Revisit the Oct. 12, 2005, issue with me!
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
October 12, 2025 at 7:47 PM
20 years ago in @TheOnion.com, Jim Anchower got a girlfriend!
Plus, President Bush seeks a Secretary of the Nation, afterlife drug sentencing, marriage counseling, friends with cancer and much more.
Revisit the Oct. 12, 2005, issue with me!
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
Plus, President Bush seeks a Secretary of the Nation, afterlife drug sentencing, marriage counseling, friends with cancer and much more.
Revisit the Oct. 12, 2005, issue with me!
onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...