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.
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-...
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/...
A few election-related images
November 5, 2025 at 1:43 AM
A few election-related images
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.
@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...
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...
20 years ago this week, @TheOnion.com website marveled at portable DVD players!
Plus, Jackie Harvey has baby fever, and jokes about Anna Nicole Smith, gay animal weddings, checking your email and much more. onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
Plus, Jackie Harvey has baby fever, and jokes about Anna Nicole Smith, gay animal weddings, checking your email and much more. onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
October 9, 2025 at 12:23 AM
20 years ago this week, @TheOnion.com website marveled at portable DVD players!
Plus, Jackie Harvey has baby fever, and jokes about Anna Nicole Smith, gay animal weddings, checking your email and much more. onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
Plus, Jackie Harvey has baby fever, and jokes about Anna Nicole Smith, gay animal weddings, checking your email and much more. onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
20 years ago, The Onion resurrected Bob Marley to save the frat bros.
Plus, @TheOnion.com jokes about Hollywood, obesity, Cosmopolitan, Jimmy Kimmel, Halliburton and the CEO with the best handshake.
Revisit the Oct. 5, 2005, print issue of The Onion! onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
Plus, @TheOnion.com jokes about Hollywood, obesity, Cosmopolitan, Jimmy Kimmel, Halliburton and the CEO with the best handshake.
Revisit the Oct. 5, 2005, print issue of The Onion! onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
October 6, 2025 at 10:50 PM
20 years ago, The Onion resurrected Bob Marley to save the frat bros.
Plus, @TheOnion.com jokes about Hollywood, obesity, Cosmopolitan, Jimmy Kimmel, Halliburton and the CEO with the best handshake.
Revisit the Oct. 5, 2005, print issue of The Onion! onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
Plus, @TheOnion.com jokes about Hollywood, obesity, Cosmopolitan, Jimmy Kimmel, Halliburton and the CEO with the best handshake.
Revisit the Oct. 5, 2005, print issue of The Onion! onion20.substack.com/p/2005-the-o...
Wild as it seems, the only reference by @TheOnion.com to Jane Goodall before 2017 (at least, that's still online) is this 2000 story about the fictional "cable comedy Monkey Honeymoon, starring Carrot Top and Jennifer Tilly."
theonion.com/majestic-low...
theonion.com/majestic-low...
October 2, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Wild as it seems, the only reference by @TheOnion.com to Jane Goodall before 2017 (at least, that's still online) is this 2000 story about the fictional "cable comedy Monkey Honeymoon, starring Carrot Top and Jennifer Tilly."
theonion.com/majestic-low...
theonion.com/majestic-low...
What did @TheOnion.com publish online 20 years ago?
• ESPN programming for women
• Dick Cheney's health
• Mickey Rooney simply being alive!
• President Bush's weekly radio address
And much, much more! Take a look at The Onion's website from 2005! onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
• ESPN programming for women
• Dick Cheney's health
• Mickey Rooney simply being alive!
• President Bush's weekly radio address
And much, much more! Take a look at The Onion's website from 2005! onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
October 1, 2025 at 9:42 PM
What did @TheOnion.com publish online 20 years ago?
• ESPN programming for women
• Dick Cheney's health
• Mickey Rooney simply being alive!
• President Bush's weekly radio address
And much, much more! Take a look at The Onion's website from 2005! onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
• ESPN programming for women
• Dick Cheney's health
• Mickey Rooney simply being alive!
• President Bush's weekly radio address
And much, much more! Take a look at The Onion's website from 2005! onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
Here are advertisements from @TheOnion.com’s print issue 20 years ago.
1. "Cocktails to lubricate your social intercourse; titillations for your mouth”
2-3. “Curb” and “Extras” were contemporaries!
4. Lots of great ads, including the “Russ Feingold for President” T-shirts.
1. "Cocktails to lubricate your social intercourse; titillations for your mouth”
2-3. “Curb” and “Extras” were contemporaries!
4. Lots of great ads, including the “Russ Feingold for President” T-shirts.
September 27, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Here are advertisements from @TheOnion.com’s print issue 20 years ago.
1. "Cocktails to lubricate your social intercourse; titillations for your mouth”
2-3. “Curb” and “Extras” were contemporaries!
4. Lots of great ads, including the “Russ Feingold for President” T-shirts.
1. "Cocktails to lubricate your social intercourse; titillations for your mouth”
2-3. “Curb” and “Extras” were contemporaries!
4. Lots of great ads, including the “Russ Feingold for President” T-shirts.
Did you know @TheOnion.com had a sports section?
Well, it didn't, until 20 years ago this week.
Let’s dive into 16 individual sports jokes featuring Terrell Owens, Tiger Woods and Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, the BCS playoff system and much more!
onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
Well, it didn't, until 20 years ago this week.
Let’s dive into 16 individual sports jokes featuring Terrell Owens, Tiger Woods and Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, the BCS playoff system and much more!
onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
September 24, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Did you know @TheOnion.com had a sports section?
Well, it didn't, until 20 years ago this week.
Let’s dive into 16 individual sports jokes featuring Terrell Owens, Tiger Woods and Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, the BCS playoff system and much more!
onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
Well, it didn't, until 20 years ago this week.
Let’s dive into 16 individual sports jokes featuring Terrell Owens, Tiger Woods and Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, the BCS playoff system and much more!
onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
Took this photo a year ago of the final @theonion.com print issue in 2013 and the first print issue in 2024, side by side
September 19, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Took this photo a year ago of the final @theonion.com print issue in 2013 and the first print issue in 2024, side by side
It's been written *about* but never was published. Via melmagazine.com/en-us/story/...
September 11, 2025 at 9:44 PM
It's been written *about* but never was published. Via melmagazine.com/en-us/story/...
It was a little logo in the middle of the page, underneath the "U.S. Vows..." headline
September 11, 2025 at 9:41 PM
It was a little logo in the middle of the page, underneath the "U.S. Vows..." headline
Yeah, the issue published Sept. 26, 2001.
I wrote about it in 2021, and also here's a brief excerpt from Christine Wenc's "Funny Because It's True" book this year.
open.substack.com/pub/onion20/...
I wrote about it in 2021, and also here's a brief excerpt from Christine Wenc's "Funny Because It's True" book this year.
open.substack.com/pub/onion20/...
September 11, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Yeah, the issue published Sept. 26, 2001.
I wrote about it in 2021, and also here's a brief excerpt from Christine Wenc's "Funny Because It's True" book this year.
open.substack.com/pub/onion20/...
I wrote about it in 2021, and also here's a brief excerpt from Christine Wenc's "Funny Because It's True" book this year.
open.substack.com/pub/onion20/...
For what it's worth, The Onion's website from Sept. 5 to Sept. 25, 2001, remained frozen on this suddenly spooky joke about French Stewart surviving a plane crash. web.archive.org/web/20010906...
September 11, 2025 at 6:54 PM
For what it's worth, The Onion's website from Sept. 5 to Sept. 25, 2001, remained frozen on this suddenly spooky joke about French Stewart surviving a plane crash. web.archive.org/web/20010906...
The Onion’s web-only content from 20 years ago included jokes about:
• Jim Belushi’s show “According to Jim” (and his book??)
• Michael Rapaport’s show “The War at Home”
• Scientists mapping the chimp genome
• The pending closure of NYC haunt CBGB
onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
• Jim Belushi’s show “According to Jim” (and his book??)
• Michael Rapaport’s show “The War at Home”
• Scientists mapping the chimp genome
• The pending closure of NYC haunt CBGB
onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
September 10, 2025 at 4:04 PM
The Onion’s web-only content from 20 years ago included jokes about:
• Jim Belushi’s show “According to Jim” (and his book??)
• Michael Rapaport’s show “The War at Home”
• Scientists mapping the chimp genome
• The pending closure of NYC haunt CBGB
onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
• Jim Belushi’s show “According to Jim” (and his book??)
• Michael Rapaport’s show “The War at Home”
• Scientists mapping the chimp genome
• The pending closure of NYC haunt CBGB
onion20.substack.com/p/the-onion-...
20 years ago this week, The Onion mocked the idea of a CEO Barbie as "unrealistic."
All this and more from my weekly review onion20.substack.com/p/how-the-on...
All this and more from my weekly review onion20.substack.com/p/how-the-on...
September 9, 2025 at 6:23 PM
20 years ago this week, The Onion mocked the idea of a CEO Barbie as "unrealistic."
All this and more from my weekly review onion20.substack.com/p/how-the-on...
All this and more from my weekly review onion20.substack.com/p/how-the-on...
Plus, Cheney loses his health insurance, Barbie becomes CEO, Justice Rehnquist dies — and a column by a smokestack.
September 7, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Plus, Cheney loses his health insurance, Barbie becomes CEO, Justice Rehnquist dies — and a column by a smokestack.
The before and after of The Onion’s website at the end of August 2005.
The Onion specifically wanted to imitate/parody media websites, including the New York Times and Washington Post, whose 2005 homepages you can also see below.
The Onion specifically wanted to imitate/parody media websites, including the New York Times and Washington Post, whose 2005 homepages you can also see below.
September 4, 2025 at 6:23 PM
The before and after of The Onion’s website at the end of August 2005.
The Onion specifically wanted to imitate/parody media websites, including the New York Times and Washington Post, whose 2005 homepages you can also see below.
The Onion specifically wanted to imitate/parody media websites, including the New York Times and Washington Post, whose 2005 homepages you can also see below.