Internet Up in Arms Over Satirical Make-Believe Newspaper The Onion's Satirical Make-Believe News Reporting

Some news stories are too exhausting to even write about. This one is just on the line, so here goes.

The Onion — in case you were not aware — is a satirical website that is known the world over for publishing biting make-believe news stories, often about highly visible political figures — like Bill Clinton Injected With Highly Unstable Experimental Growth Serum and Shirtless Joe Biden Washes Trans Am in White House Driveway — that are not real and totally made-up and also completely not based in reality.

So, obviously, when The Onion published Congress Takes Group of Schoolchildren Hostage and started tweeting about the completely unbelievable make-believe event…

…everybody on the Internet freaked the fuck out wondering Oh My God! Is this real?!?!

Obviously.

Blogging via Typewriter — which, by the way, is a fantastic and genuinely insightful Tumblr — wrote…

"But seriously — look at The Onion’s first Tweet, at the bottom.  I know we should always consider the source, but that post is just irresponsible."

"I know we should always consider the source, but–" No. No but. Just write "I know we should always consider the source, and therefore I am going to consider the source." Done.

And then there's this and this and this and especially this…

The entire country was clearly on edge this morning, understandably wondering if this make-believe news source which only reports make-believe news was maybe all of a sudden the only website in the world actually reporting actual breaking news actually.

No? Well, was their Twitter feed hacked by somebody seeking to embarrass them by doing exactly what they do every day?

Wait, I'm still confused. So, is John Boehner really holding a gun to a little girl's head or not?

Tags: House of Representatives, Internet, Terrorism, The Onion, Twitter