The Onion’s Ben Collins on Political Satire & Why Trump Isn’t Funny

Since becoming CEO of the Onion two years ago, former disinformation reporter Ben Collins has helped revitalize the satirical newspaper by relaunching its print edition, bringing back the Onion News Network on YouTube, and launching a bid to take over Alex Jones’s Infowars. The Onion even recently released its own mockumentary about Jeffrey Epstein and his connections to President Trump, called " Jeffrey Epstein: Bad Pedophile ." Kara and Ben talk about the role of humor when reality seems more absurd than satire, and the threats the Trump administration poses to free speech. They also discuss why they’re both bullish on the power of independent media — especially satirical media — to hold powerful people accountable. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube , Instagram , TikTok , Threads , and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices