As the celebrated satirical news site turns 35, it tackles a world that seems to parody itself
On the night of the 2016 election, writers at the Onion gathered to watch the unexpected results. One had made an ice cream cake. “Nobody touched it the entire night,” says Mike Gillis, the Onion’s head writer. The melting treat was decorated with a face that gradually became “more distorted and horrific” as the night went on.
“That was a good symbol of everybody’s feelings. And I think that was a moment where we all had to pause and reflect on how we were covering politics.” Coverage became more critical, Gillis says, but finding the jokes could be a challenge.
