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As Reported By...'The Onion'? Trivia Quiz

The online parody newspaper, 'The Onion', tries to sound as much like a legitimate news source as possible. Sometimes they succeed more than they expected. All headlines are actual Onion articles.

A multiple-choice quiz by Czolgolz. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Czolgolz

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
337,009

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
246

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In 1998, Fred Phelps, everyone's favorite funeral protester, quoted "The Onion" on his website. Which Onion article did he take at face value? Hint

"98 Homosexual-Recruitment Drive Nearing Goal"

"Area Man Experimenting With Homosexuality For Past Eight Years"

"Gay Marriage Passes In 9 States After Area Homosexual Dunks On Regulation Rim"

"Queer Eye Team Denounces Recent Wave Of Vigilante Homosexual Makeover Groups"

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Question 2 of 10

2. In 2002, the sheriff's department of Battle Creek, Michigan, sent out a press release about possible terror activity, unaware that they'd used a satirical source. According to both the police and "The Onion", what horrible activity was Al-Qaeda involved in? Hint

Telemarketing

Sending spam e-mails

Producing internet porn

Campaigning for John Kerry

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Question 3 of 10

3. In 2002, the 'Beijing Evening News' republished translated portions of an Onion Article. Which one? Hint

New Puppy Teaches Congress Important Lesson About Responsibility

Congress Awards Itself Congressional Medal of Honor

Congress Threatens to Leave D.C. Unless New Capitol Is Built

Congress Approves $540 Million For Evil

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Question 4 of 10

4. In March of 2004, Deborah Norville of MSNBC quoted "The Onion", stating that 58% of U.S. what was televised? Hint

Exercise

High school sports events

Murders

Drug use

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Question 5 of 10

5. In 2000, "The Onion" ran an article citing the Harry Potter novels for an alarming rise in what? Hint

Nerds dating

Satanism

Thinking

Children eating frogs

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Question 6 of 10

6. In 2009, two Bangladeshi newspapers quoted "The Onion", seemingly uncovering the conspiracy of the century. What was it? Hint

The CIA killed President Kennedy

Barack Obama was born in Kenya

Adolf Hitler survived in Argentina until 1954

The moon landings were faked

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Question 7 of 10

7. In 2010, a French website quoted an Onion article about the last remaining American what? Hint

Soccer fan

Member of the Communist party

Guy who's not on Facebook

Disco fan

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Question 8 of 10

8. In 2010, the Fox News Network quoted an Onion article about a well-known public figure sending a rambling, 75,000 word e-mail about what's wrong with America. Who? Hint

Donald Trump

John McCain

Barack Obama

Newt Gingrich

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Question 9 of 10

9. In 2011, the 'New York Times' ran an article about a well-known magazine, featuring images of several covers. Unfortunately, the issue where they interviewed Barack Obama wasn't real, it was an Onion spoof. Which magazine was featured? Hint

'Playboy'

'American Atheist'

'Tiger Beat'

'Cat Fancy'

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Question 10 of 10

10. While it's funny when the mainstream media falls for spoofs, it's more often users of social networking sites who fail to notice that the article they are reading links to "The Onion". During the 2011 budget battle, what eight-billion dollar pork project had Facebook users up in arms? Hint

The Mosque at Ground Zero

The NPR executive headquarters

The Planned Parenthood Abortionplex

The Democratic National Convention's private vacation island

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 1998, Fred Phelps, everyone's favorite funeral protester, quoted "The Onion" on his website. Which Onion article did he take at face value?

Answer: "98 Homosexual-Recruitment Drive Nearing Goal"

Fred Phelps, who protests at military funerals to show his disapproval for homosexuality, apparently took the tongue-in-cheek Onion article at face value. On his website, the name of which I cannot write here, he referenced the article as proof that gays were actively trying to convert straights. I wonder who read the article to him?

Answer: Telemarketing

In 2002, "The Onion" ran an article detailing how CIA agents had uncovered footage of terrorists making telemarketing calls, some of which occurred, unthinkably, at the dinner hour. A Michigan police officer researching phone scams read the article, and not realizing "The Onion" was a humorous publication, included this information in a press release.

3. In 2002, the 'Beijing Evening News' republished translated portions of an Onion Article. Which one?

Answer: Congress Threatens to Leave D.C. Unless New Capitol Is Built

The article outlined how the US Congress was threatening to relocate to Memphis or Charlotte unless Washington built them a new capitol building with luxury boxes and a retractable dome. While American readers recognized the spoof on sports franchises, apparently a Chinese editor did not catch it, and reprinted the article as fact.

When called on the satire, the editor strangely refused to admit the article wasn't true, until a writer for "The Onion" 'admitted' to fabricating the story. The paper eventually ran a snarky retraction, accusing American papers of inventing news in order to sell more papers.

4. In March of 2004, Deborah Norville of MSNBC quoted "The Onion", stating that 58% of U.S. what was televised?

Answer: Exercise

The short article stated that most U.S. exercise was performed on television shows or commercials.

5. In 2000, "The Onion" ran an article citing the Harry Potter novels for an alarming rise in what?

Answer: Satanism

Around the time certain people accused the Potter books of being a gateway to witchcraft, "The Onion" ran an article quoting author J.K. Rowling as stating that she truly was a satanist and that the books had brought scores of children down 'the left handed path.' As happens with these things, the article was forwarded and people did not realize they were reading a parody.

More than one online columnist quoted the article as proof that the books were a true threat to children.

6. In 2009, two Bangladeshi newspapers quoted "The Onion", seemingly uncovering the conspiracy of the century. What was it?

Answer: The moon landings were faked

The two papers quoted a fake interview with astronaut Neil Armstrong, claiming that the 1969 moon landings had been staged. They were forced to run an apology to their readers.

7. In 2010, a French website quoted an Onion article about the last remaining American what?

Answer: Soccer fan

The soccer website sofoot.com translated and quoted the Onion article "Nation's Soccer Fan Becoming Insufferable", concluding with a word of encouragement for the Yankee fan.

8. In 2010, the Fox News Network quoted an Onion article about a well-known public figure sending a rambling, 75,000 word e-mail about what's wrong with America. Who?

Answer: Barack Obama

The article detailed how the president sent an angry, nearly incoherent letter of complaint to everyone in the country. Fox Nation was quick to quote "The Onion" as a source, once they realized their gaffe.

Answer: 'Tiger Beat'

'Tiger Beat', founded in 1965, is a magazine aimed at preteen girls. When the 'New York Times' ran a retrospective about the periodical, they accidentally included an image of an Obama spoof from "The Onion", featuring an image of the President flanked by the Jonas Brothers. The 'Times' was sheepishly forced to admit their mistake.

Answer: The Planned Parenthood Abortionplex

The Onion article sparked outrage when people read about the Abortionplex - a 900,000 square foot complex in Topeka - without realizing it was a parody.

Source: Author Czolgolz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stedman before going online.
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