The news media and pop culture figureheads have long been in the crosshairs of The Onion’s biting snarkiness. But former staffers from the satirical newspaper have a new target: the Internet.
Their new project is called Thing X, and you can already feel it scoping out its targets. The Adult Swim-produced website promises to leave nothing on the Internet unmocked. It explained its purpose in the most Onion-y way possible:
The site “uses the conceptual launch point of a click-hungry web portal to satirize everything on the Internet through exclusive videos, columns, interviews, reviews, e-mails, blurbs, bleeps, cybersnips, and podcasts,” explains a press release. Sure, sounds great.
Joe Randazzo, who was The Onion’s editor-in-chief before the paper moved editorial operations to Chicago, will lead the site. “Each month, Thing X will explore one central human theme through a series through a series of videos, polls, incantations, recipes, quizzes, and blogs…or whatever,” he explained in the funny introduction video. This month’s theme is “welcome!”
Thing X has built a strong funny backbone that consists of numerous Onion alums, including senior writers from not only the paper, but it’s former IFC news show and radio network. Contributors from Adult Swim programs (synergy!), like Aqua Teen Hunger Force creator Dave Willis, will also appear on the site.
Launched Wednesday, ThingX still has the new-site smell. There’s a smattering of articles, polls, and videos introducing itself. There’s also a video about bear mating that’s sure to alienate Stephen Colbert. We’re still waiting on the blurbs, bleeps, and cybersnips, though.
Photo via ThingX
