Joe Garden

Last month, we ran a story about real-life headlines that sound like headlines from The Onion. We asked listeners to send us more examples of Onion-esque headlines, and former Onion editor Joe Garden returns to help Brooke choose the best one.

This Olympic week was ideal for The Onion-esque absurdity in real life. An Olympic celebration choreography malfunction left London’s mayor suspended from a zip wire holding tiny British flags. Multiple badminton teams were suspended for not trying hard enough. Each one of these stories prompts the refrain: “It sounds like an Onion headline!” We called former Onion editor Joe Garden to ask him why these real life headlines don't quite pass muster. 

Also, we're running a contest: submit your real life Onion headlines to onthemedia@wnyc.org. Best entry gets one of our glorious, glorious On Caffeine mugs. 

Beth Orton - (Four Tet Remix) Carmella

The Onion is America's best source for funny headlines. Three of its editors - Scott Dikkers, Joe Garden, and Joe Randazzo - look at some of our listeners' parody headline submissions, and explain how The Onion writers come up with their own.

The Onion's new book is Our Dumb ...