Area Man Feels Joy Online for First Time in Years
A day after the US midterm elections gave Democrats control of Congress, Onion CEO Ben Collins and comedian Patti Harrison spoke to WIRED about the salve of satire during politically fraught times.
Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion, recounted how his company felt "hopeless" during a recent WIRED World Fair event in Miami. He expressed his desire to instill hope in people, citing the recent Democratic midterm victories and the possibility of a more sympathetic attorney general in Texas. The Onion's CEO discussed the company's interest in sports, hinting at potential acquisitions of college football bowl games.
Collins and comedian Patti Harrison, a star of The Onion's parody Infowars show, discussed the importance of satire in combating online toxicity and disinformation. They acknowledged that while comedy can provide relief, not everyone is receptive to it, and some individuals remain deeply radicalized. Both speakers emphasized the therapeutic role of humor during the challenging Trump era, and noted that The Onion's headlines often foreshadow real-world events.
The duo also reminisced about finding solace in the internet as teenagers, with Harrison finding community on MySpace and Collins reminiscing about small-town life. They advocated for the internet to be a source of joy and catharsis, even if the current iteration feels more like a "joy vacuum."
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
