Ben Collins made a big bet. A year ago, just a few months after he’d been named CEO of The Onion, he relaunched its print edition. Once a favorite on university campuses, The Onion hadn’t published a physical issue since 2013. Common wisdom said that readership, and advertising dollars, just weren’t there for newspapers. But Collins, a fan of the satirical paper since childhood, thought “that’s dumb.”
Readers celebrated The Onion’s relaunch and the ability to read all of its bitingly funny headlines on a single broadsheet. (An early headline from the relaunched edition: “I Was Honored to Die So the Print Edition of ‘The Onion’ Could Live,” written by “A. Tree.”)
Collins wouldn't give exact numbers on how many people are currently subscribed to the print edition but did say they should be enough to keep its writers’ room humming (a few weeks after we taped this episode, the Wall Street Journal reported that The Onion now boasts more than 53,000 paying subscribers). On this episode of Uncanny Valley, I spoke with Collins about his hopes for The Onion, the future of journalism, and his Balatro addiction.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
KATIE DRUMMOND: Do you have a recent favorite Onion headline? What's been good lately?
BEN COLLINS: I have so many. The Ghislaine Maxwell blood splatter one. Can I look it up for you?
Please do.
“Ghislaine Maxwell Can’t Help but Notice Interview Room Covered in Plastic Sheeting.”
The staff churns out like 15 a day that are great. Seriously. I sit there, and I still don't know how they do it. When I say they throw away eight or nine of the best sentences I would ever write every day, I mean that sincerely. They are just prolific and incredible comedy writers.
We’re going to start with a little warm-up. I'm going to ask you some quick questions, and you're going to answer them quickly. Are you ready?
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