The Onion Origin Story You Haven't Heard
Everyone knows the satirical news outlet The Onion. But did you know that The Onion’s roots are in Madison? The online behemoth was started in 1988 by a group of UW-Madison students and their friends simply as a way to earn some extra cash. But little did they know it would grow to be something so much bigger than they could have ever imagined. To get the details on the origins of The Onion and why it still strikes a nerve with folks, we sat down with Christine Wenc, author of “Funny Because It's True: How The Onion Created Modern American News Satire” and one of the original Onion staffers.
Catch Christine in conversation with Steve Paulson, executive producer of To the Best of Our Knowledge, March 18 at the Art Lit Lab.
Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram!
You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.
Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.
Learn more about the sponsors of this March 18th episode:
Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Latest Episodes
A Pakistani-Midwest Cookbook and a Phone Booth Memorial on Madison’s East Side
The restaurateur behind Sultan restaurant on Williamson Street has a new cookbook out. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin talks with Su...

An Insider’s Guide to the First Cap Times Photojournalism Summit
This week, the Cap Times is hosting its first Photojournalism Summit as part of its 10th annual Idea Fest. City Cast Host Bianca Martin i...

Where Are the Badger Fans? Who Is Daisy Davenport? And What Referendums Are on the Ballot?
With six weeks left until the November 3rd election, it’s time to get in the know about the constitutional amendments you will be asked t...

Why Turkeys Love Living in Madison
We might be months away from Thanksgiving, but Madison’s turkeys are gobbling all around town. They’re snacking on fallen acorns and unsu...

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Philly Is Reducing Violence With Parks — Presented By City Cast Madison
Would Madison be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime an...

Social Justice Center v. City, Juror Pay and Madison Restaurant News
Attorneys for the City of Madison are threatening to have the Social Justice Center declared a public nuisance in court. They say police...

Where’s the Meat? Sausage History and Local Barbecues
Have you ever wondered about the history of sausage in Wisconsin? Jesse Brookstein has. In his new book, Best of the Wurst: Weird and Won...

How AI Is Changing Madison, Plus Updates from Breese Stevens Field
The owners of Forward Football Club and Rally Madison are looking to make some big changes to Breese Stevens Field. Big Top Events also o...

Inside YWCA Madison’s 2026 Racial Justice Summit
This October marks the 25th year of the YWCA Madison Racial Justice Summit. Ahead of the two-day conference, City Cast Madison host Bianc...

WI Attorney General on Meta Payout, PFAS Settlement, and Ruiz Investigation
Wisconsin is set to receive at least $219 million from Meta as part of a multi-state settlement over allegations the social media company...


