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‘The Onion’ Fools China’s Newspaper and It’s Perfect

‘The Onion’ Fools China’s Newspaper and It’s Perfect

You know how when you make a joke, and everyone thinks you’re serious, and then you have to explain that it was actually just a joke and it sort of ruins the whole thing? Well, that’s what’s happened to one of The Onion‘s articles but, instead of ruining everything, it’s made it all exponentially better. A few weeks ago, The Onion ran an article claiming they’d chosen North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as their “Sexiest Man Alive for 2012,” listing him with such tamales as Bashar al-Assad and Bernie Madoff. “Blessed with an air of power that masks an unmistakable cute, cuddly side,” the site quipped, “Kim made this newspaper’s editorial board swoon with his impeccable fashion sense, chic short hairstyle, and, of course, that famous smile.” It was a good joke, but now it’s a great joke, thanks to China’s state-run newspaper, People’s Daily, which reported it like it was the real deal. And what China’s paper lacked in fact-checking, they more than made up for with a 55-page slideshow of Kim Jong Un being a heartthrob …

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