“Truth is stranger than fiction” is one of those sayings that seems pretty weird until you’ve lived long enough to see some examples in the flesh. If you are familiar with “the Onion,” you’ll know that there is already a lot of good satire out there. But what about times when real events were just more unhinged?
This Instagram account shares hilarious examples of headlines that are so bizarre that they almost look like something out of “the Onion.” So get comfortable as you scroll through, prepare to do a few double takes, upvote your favorites and add your own thoughts below.
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tbf US does have a lot of d**g cartels. Everything from the Miami River PD to the Hells Angels
He must have been driving in my town. We have potholes that could snap a Sherman tank in half
If you happen to be unaware, the Onion is an American satirical digital media company and newspaper organization that publishes “articles” on international, national, and local news. The company is currently based in Chicago, but originated as a weekly print publication on August 29, 1988, in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Onion began publishing online in early 1996, which is what it is best known for. You can actually still find physical print copies of the Onion out there. In 2007, they began publishing satirical news audio and video online as the Onion News Network. The print edition ceased in 2013, coinciding with the establishment of Onion Labs, an advertising agency.
Despite its satirical nature, The Onion's articles are sometimes mistaken for real news, leading to confusion among people who didn’t look at the source of the “article.” This confusion often arises because the articles mimic the tone and format of traditional news outlets, making it challenging for some individuals to discern satire from reality.
A******s! Typical American capitalist BS -- companies are never held accountable.
The Onion's ability to craft headlines that closely resemble genuine news stories contributes to this phenomenon. In some instances, the satirical headlines have even prefigured real events, further blurring the line between satire and reality. After all, it’s hard to argue against the idea that some current events aren’t just as bizarre and absurd as something you’d see on the aforementioned page.
Just another reason why Wyoming has the smallest population of any of the US states. They've killed everyone else off.
The Onion's realistic satirical style and its ability to closely mimic traditional news reporting can lead some readers to mistake its fictional articles for actual news, highlighting the importance of media literacy in distinguishing between satire and legitimate journalism. While it wasn’t exactly the page’s intention, it’s probably a good lesson for readers in 2025 to pay attention to sources and not just be tricked by tone.
I worked with a school district in the Southern US who allowed a boy to pass through school due to his ability to play football. He was unhappy that he couldn't get into college because he couldn't pass the most basic exams and won a lawsuit. It was heartbreaking.
After all, it’s easy to say that you do your research when doing things online, but the reality is that we’ve gotten so used to browsing huge amounts of information that we often don’t stop and check. April 1st is no longer the only day where multiple entities are trying to trick you anymore.
Let's see who is targeted next in some way, shape, or form by the government for trying to give some people the same chances that others were born with by sheer luck. So many people think that by levelling the playing field they are taking away others' "rights" to continue allowing privilege to continue.
And then the hospital charged them an outrageous amount for it.
Just as well I have shīt conversations with Alexa. She won't commit to our relationship. Nothing; nada!
“'Sorry your loved one died, best we can do is a hot meal' was the holiday greeting Impact Plastics’ management chose to send last month to the families of the workers who perished in the catastrophic flooding at their plant during Hurricane Helene in September. Instead of accepting responsibility for their role in the tragedy, the Erwin, Tennessee, company sent $100 gift cards to the grieving families in December. This callous act is a stark illustration of the capitalist class’s utter disregard for the lives, and deaths, of the working class. The families of the deceased, along with surviving employees, received gift cards to McDonald’s, Walmart and Pal’s, another fast-food restaurant in the area."
And management wonders why "people just don't want to work these days."
However, who didn't know this was coming with one or more of these companies?
I don't understand how people can choose a noisy, stinky creature that messes up the home while being extreme expensive to feed over owning a dog, which is clearly the better option
I hope Denmark sends them back a reply about sticking the eggs where the sun doesn't shine after the aggressive way Trump has been trying to steal Greenland.
Whatever Mangione thinks, murdering another human being because one disagrees with the policy of an industry is insanity-and he deserves to fry for it.
Load More Replies...Well no s**t? We the f*****g people have been screaming that for decades!
The insurance companies are only one part of the broken system. There's also quite a bit of artificial scarcity in healthcare, and that's coming from the suppliers.
How about healthcare groups buying each other up, becoming mega health systems, closing underperforming (rural) offices and hospitals, treating their workers like s**t and paying them s**t? Would that also be part of the problem?
Load More Replies...No shite Sherlock, what was the first clue oh mighty clueless one!
It is not designed in his favor is what he means. Not in favor of the patients.
Um, yeah. And he is at the core of why. Single payer is WAY cheaper and more efficient.
One of the characteristics of a developed nation is the easy access to clean drinking water....
"18 Dec 2024 — Two men from Rochester, New York, who grew their own cannabis died from pneumonia after being exposed to a harmful fungus in bat poop they'd used as fertilizer." Is New York trying to compete with Florida?
Release their own water, or someone else's? If it was their own water, it probably wouldn't have helped that much.
I got à meme yesterday, but I can't figure out how to post it here. It's all text anyway so I'just transcribe it. "APRIL FOOL'S DAY IS CANCELLED THIS YEAR because NO made-up prank could match the unbelievable c r a p going on in the world."
Please i want off this planet someone needs take me the fvck out.
So, these all appear to be from the same Instagram account, and going there, that person does not cite sources. All they do is put text over the photo saying the name of a website (not a full URL, mind you, just the domain name), like they are shown here. Therefore, I would encourage everyone to take these "facts" with a grain of salt. Some I know to be true, but that doesn't mean that they all are.
I only read about 19 of these. Can't read anymore. To upsetting.This post is not what I thought it was going to be.
I got à meme yesterday, but I can't figure out how to post it here. It's all text anyway so I'just transcribe it. "APRIL FOOL'S DAY IS CANCELLED THIS YEAR because NO made-up prank could match the unbelievable c r a p going on in the world."
Please i want off this planet someone needs take me the fvck out.
So, these all appear to be from the same Instagram account, and going there, that person does not cite sources. All they do is put text over the photo saying the name of a website (not a full URL, mind you, just the domain name), like they are shown here. Therefore, I would encourage everyone to take these "facts" with a grain of salt. Some I know to be true, but that doesn't mean that they all are.
I only read about 19 of these. Can't read anymore. To upsetting.This post is not what I thought it was going to be.